Rockville City Council Meeting - October 20, 2025

The City Council convened to discuss the adoption of the King Farm Farmstead Master Plan, the annual report of Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE), and new landlord-tenant legislation. The meeting featured extensive public testimony regarding the Farmstead plan, with speakers opposing parking near community gardens and advocating for historic preservation. Council members engaged in a detailed deliberation on project phasing, budget phasing, and parking options, ultimately requesting revisions to the plan before formal adoption. The session concluded with a review of RHE's annual report highlighting their Youth Build program and a preliminary discussion on extending eviction notice periods.

Consent Calendar

• Youth Commission Appointments: Motion made and seconded to approve new commissioners Sueya Bisby, Catherine Buxa, Desalin Early, and Andriana Gunsacara to serve one-year terms until October 1, 2026. The motion passed unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ilse Bay Urban: Expressed strong opposition to parking next to the community garden. Speaker argued that parking on the back side or 355 side would increase traffic on community paths, create collision risks, negate future garden expansion, and negatively impact the picnic pavilion experience due to noise and light pollution from vehicles.
• Jake Jakovic: Expressed full support for allocating a permanent space for the Rockville Bike Hub within the King Farm Development. Speaker noted the current temporary spaces are insufficient and that a permanent hub would better serve transportation and environmental goals.
• Markishella: Criticized the charette process for being non-representative and lacking budget context. Speaker urged the Council to demand cost estimates for Option 1 to understand trade-offs regarding pacing and parking. Speaker also expressed concern over the proposed demolition and reconstruction of the dairy barns' internal supports, calling it "appalling," and advocated for the horse barn as the most flexible space to prioritize.
• Anna Chung: Urged a pause on adopting the master plan until a traffic and parking study is completed. Speaker emphasized that open green space is the farmstead's greatest attribute and argued that replacing the field with parking would permanently alter the site's character and violate the park's deeded commitment.
• Dreva Diego Kumar: Spoke at length regarding personal political views, including support for Donald Trump and Elon Musk, opposition to undocumented immigration, and support for Malcolm X. Speaker requested a plaque for Malcolm X and wished Benjamin Netanyahu a happy birthday. Speaker also expressed respect for the Rockville Renter Group's work on rent stabilization.
• Kate Gould: Expressed concern that the public was not fully informed about the cost of green space loss in proposed designs. Speaker advocated for earlier input from the Historic District Commission (HDC) and more attention to traffic and path considerations during filtering sessions.
• Margaret Magner: Expressed opposition to the process, stating Rockville residents should not make decisions about the Farmstead without a proper public hearing as required by Maryland law. Speaker argued the plan lacks a genuine preservation approach and criticized the lack of HDC involvement.
• Paul Scott (Virtual): Expressed strong opposition to any vehicular parking or access from Grand Champion or Ridgemont Avenue impacting the community garden and community residents. Speaker encouraged alternative transportation (walking, bicycling) and requested the plan honor the site's agricultural history by avoiding dense activity.

Discussion Items

• King Farm Farmstead Master Plan Adoption:
  • Staff Presentation: Director Tara Stewart and consultant Mike Stover presented three parking options (Option 1: parking by garden; Option 2: parking on 355 side; Option 3: relying on street and off-site parking). Staff recommended a two-phase implementation prioritizing the Dairy Barns and Farmhouse (Phase 1: $21.6M) over the Horse Barn (Phase 2: $7.1M).
  • Council Deliberation on Phasing: Council members debated the financial feasibility and risk. While acknowledging the community's desire to activate projects sooner, several members (Mayor, Councilmembers Jackson, Van Gorkum, Miles, Valeri, Shaw) expressed concern over the $20M initial phase cost. Consensus leaning towards removing the proposed "addition" connecting the two Dairy Barns to reduce costs and preserve historic character.
  • Council Deliberation on Parking: Significant debate occurred regarding parking sufficiency. Councilmember Van Gorkum argued Option 2 (parking on the 355 side) was necessary to prevent street saturation, while Councilmembers Valeri and Miles advocated for Option 3 to avoid paving green space, relying on future transit and street parking. No definitive vote was reached on a specific option pending plan revisions.
  • Council Name Proposal: Councilmember Larry suggested rebranding the property as the "Rockville Farmstead Center" to emphasize it as a city-wide asset rather than a neighborhood-specific project. The Council supported a formal naming process in the future.
  • Historic Preservation: Councilmember Shaw and Councilmember Valeri emphasized the need to include the history of enslaved people and Indigenous presence in the final plan's educational programming.
• Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE) Annual Report:
  • Leadership Overview: Interim Executive Director Dr. James Hedrick welcomed the Council, noting he is in his seventh week. Staff identified critical understaffing in operations, HR, and finance.
  • Program Highlights: The Youth Build program was highlighted as a major success, with 12 graduates and 4 hired by RHE. The David Skull Community Center was successfully rehabilitated. RHE is converting David Skull from public housing to Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) to secure better federal funding and facilitate capital improvements.
  • Financial Status: RHE faces a funding gap due to federal grant timing and government shutdowns. The agency relies on CDBG funds for David Skull repairs and is refinancing Scarborough Square. RHE requests $60,000 from the City to bridge a six-month gap for the Youth Build program.
  • Affordable Housing Availability: Councilmember Van Gorkum clarified that 55-60 units are currently vacant, primarily at Parkside Landing, and are available for immediate application without being on the long waitlist.
• Landlord-Tenant Legislation (HB 767):
  • Councilmember Jackson proposed adopting the state provision to extend eviction notice periods from 6 days to 14 days. The Council expressed strong support for the measure but noted the need to verify if a time limit exists for enactment and how it fits within the upcoming landlord-tenant code overhaul work sessions.

Key Outcomes

• King Farm Farmstead Plan: The Council did not adopt the plan tonight. Instead, the City Manager agreed to revise the master plan to reflect the consensus to: (1) remove the Dairy Barn "addition"; (2) restructure phasing to account for cost constraints; and (3) further consider parking options. The revised plan will be posted for public review on Engage Rockville around November 1, 2025, with a recommitted adoption vote targeting the November 17, 2025 meeting.
• Naming Process: The Council directed staff to initiate a formal naming process for the facility to reflect its status as a city-wide asset.
• Historical Content: The Council directed staff to ensure the final plan includes educational components regarding the history of enslaved people on the land and the indigenous history of the area.
• Eviction Notice Extension: The Council expressed intent to move forward with the 14-day notice extension. City Manager Jeff Mahalick was instructed to research if there is a statutory deadline for enactment and to report back with a recommendation for implementation.
• RHE Funding: The Mayor and Council acknowledged the RHE's request for $60,000 to bridge the Youth Build funding gap and encouraged staff to explore this and other gaps offline.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned following the motion to close old and new business.