The Montgomery County Council is set to vote on the county Planning Board’s proposed Growth and Infrastructure Policies and development impact taxes as well as water service prices during this week’s session.
The council will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Stella Werner Council Office Building in Rockville for its regular weekly business meeting. Here’s what to expect:
Council to vote on Growth and Infrastructure Policies
The council will vote on the Montgomery County Planning Board’s proposed Growth and Infrastructure Policies that would help govern county development for the years 2024-2028. The policies are adopted by the council periodically to enforce the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. The purpose of the ordinance is “synchronizing development with the availability of public facilities needed to support that development,” according to the council agenda packet. The council took a straw vote on each of the proposed policies at its Oct. 22 meeting.
The policies are updated every four years to ensure the tools used for evaluating the impacts of development reflect the latest growth patterns and trends in the county. The policies also help determine if the county’s public infrastructure can meet the demands of certain development. The Planning Board produces the policy proposal for council approval.
The 55-page proposal focuses heavily on the goals of the Thrive Montgomery 2050 plan, a 2022 update to the county’s general master plan that is expected to guide development for the next 30 years.
The Thrive plan focuses on topics such as where growth should occur in the county and what type of housing is needed. Other topics include transportation networks, what new communities should look like, how to grow arts and culture and the future of county parks.
“A growing, diverse community requires a mix of housing that is attainable for different income levels and household sizes,” the Planning Board’s GIP proposal abstract says. “This housing must be accessible to jobs and other amenities through timely public infrastructure that also helps attract economic development and enhances environmental health and sustainability.”
Following Tuesday’s vote, the council will make decisions about development impact taxes in the county. The council is considering a bill introduced at the request of the Planning Board that would update the county’s transportation impact tax districts. The bill, if passed, would also modify when the tax exemptions are applicable for development in certain locations that are specified in the proposed Growth and Infrastructure Policies.
Vote on water service prices
The council will take a vote on future spending control limits for Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) water services.
According to council documents, WSSC’s proposed spending limits for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025, could result in a quarterly bill increase of 12.2%, which would be more than $32 per average customer household.
The council’s Transportation and Environment Committee is recommending a lower increase of 10.2%, which would be about $27 added to the average quarterly customer household bill.
At its Oct. 29 meeting, the council opted to delay a vote after learning the Prince George’s County Council had voted for an increase of 9%. The two councils jointly set the rate. The majority of Montgomery County councilmembers favor the 10.2% recommendation, based on the previous meetings discussion.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) cost drivers report
The council will receive a report on the school system’s spending from MCPS officials, including Superintendent Thomas Taylor. This report is part of the council’s newly enacted budget oversight measures for the school system and is intended to guide development of next year’s budget, according to the council agenda. Tuesday’s report will focus primarily on high-level spending, including employee compensation.
Planning Board semi-annual report
The Planning Board is expected to present its semi-annual report to the council on Tuesday, focusing on accomplishments as well as the timeline for ongoing and upcoming projects, according to the council agenda. This will include updates on the progress of the county’s master plan.