MARYLAND, March 28 - For Immediate Release: Friday, March 25, 2022

Committees will review an amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation for the Potomac Overlook Historic District, the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan, legislation related to climate assessments and legislation on building energy use benchmarking and performance standards

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet on Monday, March 28 at 9:30 a.m. to discuss an amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation for the Potomac Overlook Historic District and the Planning Board Draft of the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan. 

The members of the PHED Committee include Chair Hans Riemer and Councilmembers Andrew Friedson (Lead for Parks) and Will Jawando.

The Transportation and Environment (T&E) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to discuss Bill 3-22, Legislative Branch – Climate Assessments – Required and Bill 16-21, Environmental Sustainability - Building Energy Use Benchmarking and Performance Standards - Amendments.

The members of the T&E Committee include Chair Tom Hucker, Council Vice President Evan Glass and Councilmember Hans Riemer.

More detail on each agenda item is provided below. 

Potomac Overlook - Amendment to the Plan for Historic Preservation

Review: The PHED Committee will review the Planning Board Draft Amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation for the Potomac Overlook Historic District, which includes an area with 19 houses located approximately two-and-a-half miles to the southwest of downtown Bethesda and overlooking the Potomac River.

On June 9, 2021, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) recommended that the Planning Board list the subject properties in the Locational Atlas and Index of Historic Sites and requested that the Council approve an amendment to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation to designate Potomac Overlook as a Master Plan Historic District.

Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan 

Review: The PHED Committee will continue to review the Planning Board Draft of the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan. The plan makes recommendations within the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan area for land use and zoning, housing, economic development, urban design, transportation, parks and public spaces, environmental resiliency, community facilities and historic resources.

At the previous meeting held on March 7, the Committee discussed the introduction to the plan, the eight districts that make up the plan area and  recommendations on housing. At this meeting, the PHED Committee will discuss recommendations for parks, trails and public spaces, as well as transportation and school infrastructure. In addition, the Committee will discuss the Executive’s Fiscal Impact Statement. The Committee's next meeting is scheduled for April 1, to discuss recommendations for land use and zoning, economic growth and urban design.

Bill 3-22, Legislative Branch - Climate Assessments - Required

Review: The T&E Committee will review Bill 3-22, Legislative Branch – Climate Assessments – Required, which would require the director of the Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) to prepare a climate assessment for each bill, zoning text amendment, master plan and master plan amendment pending before the Council. The purpose of Bill 3-22 is to facilitate the County’s climate goals. The lead sponsors are Councilmember Hucker and Council President Albornoz. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors.

Each climate assessment would consist of the potential positive or negative effects, if any, of the bill, zoning text amendment, master plan or master plan amendment upon climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, sequestration and carbon drawdown. In addition, the assessment would provide a quantitative or qualitative evaluations of the identified effects on community resilience and make recommendations regarding amendments or other measures to mitigate any negative climate impacts.

Bill 16-21, Environmental Sustainability – Building Energy Performance Standards

Review: The T&E Committee will hold its fourth meeting to review Bill 16-21, Environmental Sustainability - Building Energy Use Benchmarking and Performance Standards – Amendments, which would modify the County’s current environmental benchmarking law to include additional County-owned, commercial and multifamily buildings to meet the long-term energy performance standards. Previously, the T&E Committee met to review Bill 16-21 on October 28 and December 9, 2021 and March 14, 2022. An additional meeting is scheduled for March 24. 

The legislation would create a 15-voting member Building Performance Improvement Board that will advise the Department of Environmental Protection on the implementation of building energy performance standards and establish a Building Performance Improvement Plan (BPIP) process for properties that cannot reasonably meet performance standards. The bill also requires reports to the Executive and Council on building energy performance for covered buildings.

The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. The current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review can be viewed at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html.

Council committee meetings are currently being held on Zoom. 

The Council returned to in-person meetings on March 15; residents continue to have the opportunity to testify remotely for public hearings or provide in-person testimony at the Council Office Building in Rockville for many public hearings.

The Council is recommending that residents, who choose to attend in-person Council meetings, get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and others against COVID-19. If this is not possible, virtual participation is encouraged.

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: 22-136 Media Contact: Sonya Healy, 240-777-7926 , Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884