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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Montgomery County Council Session - September 15, 2026: Proclamations, Legislation, Public Hearings, and Solid Waste Worksession

County Council & Committees — Tuesday, September 15, 2026

BodyMontgomery County, Maryland

SessionCounty Council & Committees

DateTuesday, September 15, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 6:27:12

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:02

Good morning, everyone.

0:03

My name is Natalie Fanny Gonzalez.

0:05

I'm the president of the Montgomery County Council.

0:08

Welcome to the September September 15th.

0:10

September 15th already.

0:12

Council session.

0:14

We have three proclamations today.

0:16

We're going to start with a proclamation recognizing National Preparedness Month by Councilmember Katz and the County Executive Mark Elrich.

0:24

If you're here for that proclamation, please go forward.

0:27

And I saw Mr.

0:28

Ellridge here.

0:29

Oh, there you go.

0:42

You must be Mark Elmridge.

1:05

Well, good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here for this important proclamation.

1:10

All proclamations are important, but especially this one.

1:13

We're here this morning to recognize National Preparedness Month in Montgomery County, which is observed each September and promotes community readiness through education and engagement.

1:25

Montgomery County's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, also called OEMHS, selected ready together as the theme for this year's campaign.

1:38

This campaign helps residents to be prepared for an emergency and highlights five key steps.

1:46

One, understanding your risks and staying in form, two, building a support network, three, creating a plan, four, assembling an emergency kit, and five, getting involved in your community.

2:01

Emergencies can happen at any time and anywhere, sometimes without any warning.

2:06

Some include natural hazards such as a severe thunderstorm or a tornado, or a technical hazard such as uh chemical spill or utility disruption.

2:17

A little planning now for your home or workplace can make a big difference later in a case of a natural or man-made disaster.

2:26

This morning is also a good opportunity to pay tribute and to thank our brave first responders who put themselves at risk every day for the safety and security of Montgomery County residents.

2:39

These responders, many who are here today, and we're going to ask them to introduce themselves in a little bit, include law enforcement, firefighters, emergency service personnel, and many others who have the greatest potential to save lives and limit casualties should disaster strike.

2:56

This year, the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has launched a community survey as part of its preparedness efforts, which can be found on their website, as well as the new translation service for emergency alerts sent through the county's Alert Montgomery system.

3:12

We encourage all residents to take the necessary steps to be prepared in case of an emergency.

3:18

We're going to hear from our county executive, and then we're going to hear from Director Lou Coxon, and then we're going to ask everyone behind us to introduce themselves, and then we'll read a proclamation.

3:29

Mr.

3:30

County Executive.

3:35

There are a lot of people in Montgomery County during emergency preparedness.

3:49

We're here to recognize September as National Preparedness Month.

3:52

The county has expanded programming to spend from late August through early October this year.

3:58

And it's vital that community is prepared for year-round in the event that unexpected emergencies or disasters occur.

4:05

And challenges brought on by climate change are real.

4:08

We see them everywhere.

4:15

They're a real part of our environment now.

4:17

And their limits on federal resources after disasters.

4:21

It's hard to put aside that uh after the disaster in Western Maryland a couple of years ago, there was no FEMA money for that.

4:28

Astounding.

4:30

That means we may be on our own for a lot of things.

4:34

We encourage the public to be proactive by taking the following five steps to preparedness.

4:38

Sign up for alert Montgomery to stay informed about potential emergencies.

4:43

Create an emergency plan for your household.

4:46

Build an emergency kit or go back.

4:49

Identify your support network.

4:51

Who are you going to call?

4:52

And get involved with your community by volunteering.

5:00

Preparedness is a collective effort which contributes to a stronger community, and being prepared can help minimize the impact of various hazards.

5:04

There are lots of ways to get involved.

5:06

Here are a few of them though.

5:08

Community organizations active in disasters.

5:10

Go ahead.

5:15

The American Red Cross.

5:17

The Montgomery County Medical Reserve Corps and the Montgomery County Food Council.

5:22

Volunteering with one of these organizations, you can gain valuable skills to help your community during an emergency disaster.

5:28

And hands-on first aid, CPR and AED, NARCAN administration training, emergency response assistance during and after an event, and food assistance.

5:38

Through volunteering, you can gain the skills to help your community during an emergency or disaster.

5:43

Planning ahead and preparing for when disaster strikes or emergencies happen can greatly reduce the risks to your health.

5:51

Understanding risk also can help you speed the recovery efforts and prevent a dangerous situation from becoming worse.

5:57

That's a long way of saying you all have a role to play in this.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Waste Management████████████████████████24%

Procedural█████████9%

Community Engagement██████6%

Personnel Matters██████6%

Public Education█████5%

Planning And Zoning█████5%

Immigration Policy█████5%

Public Engagement█████5%

Environmental Protection████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Montgomery County Council Session - September 15, 2026

Overview

The Montgomery County Council met on September 15, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The session featured three proclamations (National Preparedness Month, Glenstone Museum’s 20th Anniversary, and Montgomery College’s 80th Anniversary), general business including approval of minutes from July 21 and 28, a closed session for a performance evaluation, reaffirmation of a Planning Board appointment, legislative introductions of 10 bills, final reading of one bill, district council action on zoning text amendments, a consent calendar with 11 items, an African Heritage Month commemoration, multiple public hearings, and a worksession on long-term solid waste disposal alternatives.

Proclamations

National Preparedness Month (September 2026) – presented by Councilmember Katz and County Executive Elrich. The Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security highlighted the “Ready Together” campaign.
Glenstone Museum’s 20th Anniversary – celebrated by Councilmember Sayles; speakers praised environmental stewardship and community partnerships.
Montgomery College’s 80th Anniversary – recognized by Council President Fani-González; the college now serves over 47,000 students and had an estimated $1.4 billion annual economic impact.

Consent Calendar

Approved items (10-0; Councilmember Jawando absent):
- Acknowledged receipt of Inspector General publications.
- Introduced resolution for 2026-2035 Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan (public hearing 9/29/26).
- Introduced/adopted resolution to appoint Erek L. Barron, Esq. and Mintz Levin for Self-Insurance Fund matters.
- Confirmed appointments to: Board of Investment Trustees/Consolidated Retiree Health Benefits Trust (Joshua Burge, Michael Sinoway); East County Citizens Advisory Board (Collins Odongo); Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board (6 members); Commission on Children and Youth (Marhonda Williams); Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (Patrick Kepp); Commission on Child Care (14 members); Animal Matters Hearing Board (4 members); Early Care and Education Coordinating Entity Board (5 members).

Legislative Session – Introductions (Day #23)

Bill 39-26 (Wheaton Urban District Boundaries – amendments) – lead sponsor Council President Fani-González; public hearing 10/13/26.
Bill 40-26 (Landlord-Tenant Relations – accepted forms of payment) – lead sponsor Fani-González; public hearing 10/6/26; received co-sponsors from nearly all members.
Bill 41-26 (ADU licensing procedures/fees) – lead sponsors Friedson and Fani-González; public hearing 10/6/26; removes owner-occupancy requirement and waives fees for affordable ADUs.
Bill 42-26 (Short-term rental online platform compliance) – lead sponsor Evans; public hearing 10/6/26; requires platforms to verify licenses.
Bill 43-26 (Smoke escape hoods in multifamily buildings ≥5 stories) – lead sponsor Stewart; public hearing 10/6/26; requires hoods equal to 5% of occupancy.
Bills 44-26 and 45-26 (Data Centers) were deleted from the agenda.
Bill 46-26 (Child Tax Credit – supplemental grant) – lead sponsors Stewart and Evans; public hearing 10/13/26; $500 credit per child for incomes ≤$15,000.
Bill 47-26 (Homeowners Property Tax Credit – expand eligibility) – lead sponsors Stewart, Friedson, Katz, Evans; public hearing 10/13/26; raises income limit from $75,000 to $106,800.
Bill 48-26 (Property Tax Credit – public school employees) – lead sponsor Stewart; public hearing 10/13/26; $2,500 credit for bargaining unit members.

Final Reading and Enactments

Bill 28-26 (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Commission – membership) – enacted 10-0 (one absent). Renamed the “Jake Dinsky Advocacy Act.”

District Council Session

Introduction: Resolution to add fees to OZAH fee schedule (public hearing/action 9/29/26).
Action: ZTA 26-06 (Accessory Dwelling Units – consistency with state law) – enacted 10-0.
Action: ZTA 26-07 (Solar Collection Systems – use standards) – enacted 10-0.

Public Hearings (1:30 p.m. portion)

Item 7: CIP amendment for Olney Community Building and Police Satellite Station – public hearing held, record closed; resolution adopted 10-0. Multiple speakers expressed strong support.
Item 8: Expedited Bill 32-26 (Survivor benefits – line-of-duty death) – public hearing held, record open until 10/1/26; no registered speakers.
Item 9: Bill 33-26 (Cable Communications – community media requirements) – record open until 10/1/26. Speakers (CEO of Montgomery Community Media and board VP) urged amendments to preserve editorial independence.
Item 10: Bill 34-26 (Bodywork establishments – licensing) – record open until 10/21/26. Debbie Feinstein (State’s Attorney’s Office) spoke in strong support.
Item 11: Bill 35-26 (Forest Conservation – brush management on agricultural land) – record open until 9/28/26. Multiple farmers and the Planning Board supported with proposed amendment tying to soil conservation plans.
Item 12: Bill 38-26 (Discriminatory housing practices – immigration status) – record open until 10/9/26. Over a dozen speakers testified in strong support; some suggested amendments on notice and reporting.
Items 13–15: ZTA 26-10 (driveway access), ZTA 26-11 (benefit performances), SRA 26-02 (street type design) – records open until 9/28/26. Several speakers supported ZTA 26-11 with amendment; Planning Board offered recommendations.
Item 16: SMA H-163 (University Boulevard Corridor Plan) – record open until 9/18/26. Civic leaders and residents opposed citing equity, infrastructure, and environmental concerns; sought delay or denial.

Worksession: Long-Term Solid Waste Disposal (2:30 p.m.)

The council reviewed four options: keep/upgrade the Resource Recovery Facility (RRF/incinerator) (Option 1); close RRF and long-haul waste to landfill (Option 2); close RRF, implement Advanced Waste Processing (AWP), then long-haul residual (Option 3 – County Executive’s recommendation); close RRF later after developing AWP (Option 4). Key points:

Long-term costs between Options 1 and 3 are similar (≈$1/year difference for single-family homes by FY32).
Option 3 allows a per-ton cost that decreases with waste diversion; Option 1 has fixed capital costs.
DEP presented environmental justice screening and traffic study showing minimal additional truck impacts (~80 additional loads/day).
Food waste composting expansion timelines differ: with Sugar Loaf agreement, 2 years; without, 7 years and $51 million.
Council members requested more side-by-side comparisons, cost data for monofill landfill, details on rail vs. truck, and noise/mitigation plans.
A decision is targeted by Thanksgiving 2026; further worksessions set for Sept 29, Oct 13, and Oct 27.

Key Outcomes

Approved minutes from July 21 and 28, 2026 (10-0).
Reaffirmed James Hedrick to Planning Board (10-0), overriding County Executive’s veto.
Enacted Bill 28-26 (IDD Commission), ZTA 26-06 (ADUs), ZTA 26-07 (Solar).
Adopted consent calendar resolutions (appointments and acknowledgments) (10-0).
Adopted CIP amendment for Olney Community Building/Police Station (10-0).
Public hearings held on Bills 32, 33, 34, 35, 38; ZTAs 26-10, 26-11; SRA 26-02; and SMA H-163. Records remain open for written testimony.
Closed session held (9:45 a.m.) for a performance evaluation.
African Heritage Month commemorated with a video highlighting African immigrant entrepreneurs.
Next steps: Solid waste worksessions continue; council aims for a decision by late November 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. My name is Natalie Fanny Gonzalez. I'm the president of the Montgomery County Council. Welcome to the September September 15th. September 15th already. Council session. We have three proclamations today. We're going to start with a proclamation recognizing National Preparedness Month by Councilmember Katz and the County Executive Mark Elrich. If you're here for that proclamation, please go forward. And I saw Mr. Ellridge here. Oh, there you go. You must be Mark Elmridge. Well, good morning, everyone, and thank you for being here for this important proclamation. All proclamations are important, but especially this one. We're here this morning to recognize National Preparedness Month in Montgomery County, which is observed each September and promotes community readiness through education and engagement. Montgomery County's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security, also called OEMHS, selected ready together as the theme for this year's campaign. This campaign helps residents to be prepared for an emergency and highlights five key steps. One, understanding your risks and staying in form, two, building a support network, three, creating a plan, four, assembling an emergency kit, and five, getting involved in your community. Emergencies can happen at any time and anywhere, sometimes without any warning. Some include natural hazards such as a severe thunderstorm or a tornado, or a technical hazard such as uh chemical spill or utility disruption. A little planning now for your home or workplace can make a big difference later in a case of a natural or man-made disaster. This morning is also a good opportunity to pay tribute and to thank our brave first responders who put themselves at risk every day for the safety and security of Montgomery County residents. These responders, many who are here today, and we're going to ask them to introduce themselves in a little bit, include law enforcement, firefighters, emergency service personnel, and many others who have the greatest potential to save lives and limit casualties should disaster strike. This year, the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has launched a community survey as part of its preparedness efforts, which can be found on their website, as well as the new translation service for emergency alerts sent through the county's Alert Montgomery system. We encourage all residents to take the necessary steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. We're going to hear from our county executive, and then we're going to hear from Director Lou Coxon, and then we're going to ask everyone behind us to introduce themselves, and then we'll read a proclamation. Mr. County Executive. There are a lot of people in Montgomery County during emergency preparedness. We're here to recognize September as National Preparedness Month. The county has expanded programming to spend from late August through early October this year. And it's vital that community is prepared for year-round in the event that unexpected emergencies or disasters occur. And challenges brought on by climate change are real. We see them everywhere. They're a real part of our environment now. And their limits on federal resources after disasters. It's hard to put aside that uh after the disaster in Western Maryland a couple of years ago, there was no FEMA money for that. Astounding. That means we may be on our own for a lot of things. We encourage the public to be proactive by taking the following five steps to preparedness. Sign up for alert Montgomery to stay informed about potential emergencies. Create an emergency plan for your household. Build an emergency kit or go back. Identify your support network. Who are you going to call? And get involved with your community by volunteering. Preparedness is a collective effort which contributes to a stronger community, and being prepared can help minimize the impact of various hazards. There are lots of ways to get involved. Here are a few of them though.

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