Montgomery County Council Meets on July 29 to Vote on a Resolution to Approve the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways 2025 Technical Update
MARYLAND, July 29 - For Immediate Release: Monday, July 28, 2025
Also on July 29: Briefing about the Department of Transportation Parking Lot Pilot Security Program and legislation will be introduced to enhance cyclist safety and keep bikeways accessible
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, July 29 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with three proclamation presentations. The first, presented by Councilmember Kristin Mink, Council President Kate Stewart, and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, will recognize Senior Citizens Day. The second, presented by the Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee, will recognize Parks and Recreation Month. The third, presented by Council President Stewart and County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Fair “Open” Housing Day.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Presentation: The Council will receive a presentation from the Montgomery County Council Summer Fellows. This is the Council’s ninth consecutive year hosting the 10-week program, which enables students in policy-related graduate programs to gain local government experience. The program provides participants with experience across multiple fields and the opportunity to work directly with decision-makers on ongoing projects, policy analyses and self-selected research projects. The 2025 cohort of fellows will present their research and preliminary recommendations to the Council at its last summer session, followed by the transmittal of their research papers at the conclusion of the program.
District Council Session
Resolution to approve the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways 2025 Technical Update
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on a resolution that incorporates the recommendations of the Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee to approve the Planning Board’s draft of the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways 2025 technical update. The Master Plan of Highways and Transitways is a comprehensive summary of all significant existing and planned roadway and transitway infrastructure in Montgomery County. It provides a road map for making transportation investments in the County and helps dedicate and preserve the right-of-way needed to build new roads and transitways. While the plan is focused on highways and transitways, it includes provisions that impact all modes of transportation due to the multimodal approach to street classification. The 2025 technical update is needed due to Bill 24-22 and Bill 34-22, which revised street types to conform to the County’s Complete Streets Design Guide and the Pedestrian Master Plan.
The TE Committee recommends approval of the Planning Board draft of the plan with amendments.
Consent Calendar
Each item on the Council’s Consent Calendar can be found on the Council agenda for Tuesday, July 29, which is available on the Council website.
Proposed Closed Session
The Council intends to meet in closed session to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice, pursuant to Maryland Code, General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b)(7), and to consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending or potential litigation, pursuant to Maryland Code, General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b)(8). The topic is legal advice related to a County contract, including a party's performance under the contract, remedies under the contract, and potential litigation related to the contract.
Public Hearings
Unless otherwise noted, the Council will hold the following hybrid public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Residents can visit the Council website to learn about the multiple ways to provide testimony.
Public hearing and vote expected: The Council is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on a more than $6.1 million supplemental appropriation for Montgomery Connects to fund the extension of free MoCoNet residential broadband service to four affordable housing developments owned by Affordable Homes and Communities and the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC). The Montgomery Connects project already includes an appropriation for more than $1.3 million in federal aid and funding in anticipation of receiving additional FY26 state grants using federal aid as the funding source. The amendment to the appropriation is needed to update the total federal aid awarded. In addition, the proposed resolution has been amended to show that four housing developments have been impacted by the program.
Legislative Session
Bill 28-25, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Parking in Bikeways – Prohibited
Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Evan Glass will introduce Bill 28-25, Motor Vehicles and Traffic - Parking in Bikeways – Prohibited, which would prohibit the standing, stopping or parking of vehicles in bikeways. The purpose of Bill 28-25 would be to enhance safety for cyclists. Current County law includes a list of 10 areas in which a person must not stop, stand, or park a vehicle, whether occupied or not. Bill 28-25 would add bikeways to this list of areas. The draft legislation includes definitions for bikeway, bike lane, off-street trail, separate bike lane, shared use roadway and side path.
Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke, Andrew Friedson and Natali Fani-González are cosponsors of Bill 28-25. A public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 30.
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Expedited Bill 16-25, Personnel - Employees’ Retirement System - Membership Requirements and Membership Group. The legislation would make certain emergency communications managers eligible for Retirement Group E, which provides a retirement benefit for employees with a position as a sworn deputy sheriff or correctional officer. Montgomery County Code Section 33-37 was amended, effective Aug. 7, 2023, to include certain represented employees and managers in the Emergency Communication Center (ECC) classes eligible to participate in Group E and Group J retirement plans. The ECC Management Leadership Services Manager III position was inadvertently omitted from these changes.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive. The Government Operations and Fiscal Policy (GO) Committee recommends enactment.
Bill 17-25, Contracts and Procurement - General Provisions - Exemptions - Internet Access Service
Vote expected: The Council is expected to vote on Bill 17-25, Contracts and Procurement - General Provisions – Exemptions - Internet Access Service, which would exempt the acquisition of internet access service from procurement law. The County Executive indicated that the County has been unsuccessful in procuring internet access service by competitive solicitation because internet service providers are unwilling to engage in the County’s process. Currently, the Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS) has procured internet service under a waiver granted by the Chief Administrative Officer. Bill 17-25 would exempt internet access from County procurement law.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the County Executive. The GO Committee recommends enactment with amendments.
Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Parking Lot Pilot Security Program
Briefing: The Council will receive a briefing about the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Parking Lot Pilot Security Program. The program began in June 2025 to test the feasibility of employing an automated security robot to patrol the Town Square/Ellsworth Drive Garage in Silver Spring. The robot can move autonomously and includes cameras with a 360-degree view. The County has a one-year lease for the use of the robot with the technology security company Knightscope. Council President Stewart requested this Council briefing on the costs, plans and protections for residents’ privacy and civil rights in place for this program.
District Council Session
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-05, Development Standards - Optional Method Public Benefits
Review and vote expected: The Council will review and is expected to vote on Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25-05, Development Standards - Optional Method Public Benefits, which would update the public benefit system in the Commercial/Residential and Employment Zones. ZTA 25-05 would create a new optional method of public benefits using a tiered system that is more closely tied to Floor Area Ratio (FAR) than the prior point system, with categories that have been updated to align with County policy priorities.
The County has had a public benefits point system since 2010, which allows developers to receive additional approved density in exchange for providing certain public benefits in the Commercial/Residential and Employment Zones. In Oct. 2024, the Planning Department completed an Incentive Zoning Update, which included recommendations designed to update the public benefits point system. The update takes into consideration recent County policies and initiatives, such as Thrive Montgomery 2050, the Climate Action Plan and implementation of the County’s Racial Equity and Social Justice Act.
The PHP Committee recommends approval with amendments.
The Council meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
Council and committee meetings are streamed live on the Council’s web page via YouTube and on Facebook Live and can be watched on County Cable Montgomery on Xfinity/RCN 6 HD 996/1056, Fios 30, and on the CCM live stream.
Release ID: 25-268
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884
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