Rockville Mayor and Council Meeting - May 4, 2026: Proclamations, Budget Adoption, and Zoning Ordinance Work Session
Rockville Mayor and Council Meeting - May 4, 2026
The Mayor and Council of Rockville held meeting 12-26 on May 4, 2026, starting at approximately 10:45 AM (EDT). The meeting included numerous proclamations, adoption of a consent agenda and the FY27 budget with no property tax increase, public hearings on zoning text and map amendments, and a work session on articles 1-5 of the zoning ordinance rewrite. The meeting also featured community forum comments and discussion of the election code schedule.
Proclamations and Celebrations
- The council unanimously adopted proclamations recognizing ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Greek Genocide Remembrance Day, Jewish American Heritage Month, Lyme Disease Awareness Month, Glenview Mansion’s 100th anniversary, National Public Service Recognition Week, Peace Officers Memorial Day/National Police Week (May 10-16), Women’s Health Week, National Kids to Parks Day (May 16), National Public Works Week (May 17-23), Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Building Safety Month (theme: Built to Last), Mental Health Awareness Month (theme: More Good Days Together), Older Americans Month (theme: Champion Your Health), Preservation Month (theme: All People Are Created Equal), Stroke Awareness Month (theme: Make May Purple, Act F.A.S.T.), and Bicycle Awareness Month.
- Additional proclamations honored Taiwanese American Heritage Week (May 10-17) and recognized community speakers including Police Chief Jason West, Public Works representative Jim Woods, and others.
- The council also recognized the city’s summer concert series at Town Square, the Rockville Arts Festival, and the Harriet Tubman statue installation.
Consent Calendar
- Items 9A (Acting City Attorney designation), 9B (public improvements easement), 9D (MPDU homeownership program), 9E (refuse collection charges), 9F (reimbursement resolution), 9G (closed CIP projects), and 9H (stormwater utility fee) were approved unanimously.
- Item 9C (master fees schedule) was pulled by Councilmember Valeri for discussion. After staff explained reductions totaling $642,000 and confirmed no further wholesale fee increases next year, the item passed unanimously. Councilmember Valeri expressed concern about the fence permit fee ($100, a 150% increase over the prior $40) but ultimately supported the package.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Community Forum: Libby Adams detailed her ongoing dispute with her landlord over toxic mold, stating 332 days since discovery, 308 days since city inspection, and 247 days since forced mold test. She called for stronger enforcement and provided contact information. City Manager Mahallick acknowledged the concerns and offered additional inspections. Deborah Moore, representing the Human Services Advisory Commission, thanked the council for FY27 budget funding for caregiving organizations.
- Public Hearing 1 – Zoning Text Amendment (TXT2026-00271): Mark Pajela (College Garden Civic Association) presented four resolutions requesting additions to the small-lot zone purposes, a uses comparison table, and protections for secondary streets and regional street access in MXE zones. Anna Astrid Molina raised concerns about notification methods, noting only 230 newsletter subscribers. Written testimony was also submitted.
- Public Hearing 2 – Comprehensive Map Amendment (MAP2026-00126): Seven speakers from Newmark Commons, Markwood, and the property owner voiced positions. Residents unanimously advocated for RMD-10 zoning with a 40-foot height limit for Parcel 12 (ZORID 17), citing compatibility, tree canopy, burial grounds, noise from I-270, and stormwater concerns. Many referenced a petition with approximately 700 signatures. Bill Commoners (Tower Dawson LLC) supported RMD-15 as a compromise, arguing it offers economic feasibility while reducing density by 40% from the original RMD-25 proposal. Residents also requested limiting vehicle access to emergency-only from Don Mills Court.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Work Session (Articles 1-5): Staff presented key changes:
- Article 1 (General Provisions): Eliminating waiver of comp plan consistency, removing vesting regulations (state law), revising ZTA filing authority to mayor and council only, updating annexation process.
- Article 2 (Definitions): Updating definitions, simplifying height/measurement standards, allowing encroachments of unenclosed porches into rear yards, and permitting in-kind replacement of nonconforming AC units/heat pumps.
- Article 3 (Administration): Clarifying appellate bodies, standardizing extension periods (two one-year extensions by chief of zoning for good cause), introducing transitional provisions (two-year period for existing applications), and streamlining pre- and post-application meetings.
- Article 4 (Development Applications): Administrative approval for project plan–level site plans, elimination of pre-application meeting (retaining post-application area meeting), simplifying the points table, increasing eligibility for level one site plans (e.g., 20% MPUD, senior housing, 19 or fewer units), removing planning commission review of special exceptions, and clarifying minor amendments and change-of-use exemptions.
- Article 5 (Zones): Adding a zones table, clarifying overlay zones (HD, LPNCD, cluster), removing interim floating zones, and noting that detailed zone standards are in Article 7.
- Councilmembers discussed notification methods, the definition of “good cause,” pre-application meeting retention, fee impacts on residents, shot clocks for approvals (deferred to FAST2 work session on June 8), and language accessibility. Staff agreed to provide a comparison of uses between old and new ordinances and to consider a broader notification list.
Budget Adoption (FY27)
- Action: The council unanimously adopted the FY27 operating budget of $186.8 million and capital improvements program of $125.6 million, maintaining the real property tax rate at 29.2 cents per $100 of assessed value (unchanged since 1995). The personal property tax rate also remained flat.
- Process: The budget process included four public hearings, a community priority survey (537 responses), and multiple work sessions. Staff noted the budget was balanced with no tax increase.
- Councilmember Valeri expressed disappointment that the mental health specialist position was not restored, emphasizing the need to “walk the walk” on mental health. Mayor Ashton and others pledged to monitor the issue. The budget passed with all members voting in favor.
Key Outcomes
- Votes and Decisions:
- All proclamations adopted unanimously.
- Consent agenda items (A, B, D, E, F, G, H) passed unanimously; item C (master fees) also passed unanimously after discussion.
- FY27 budget ordinance: Motion to amend passed unanimously (7-0); motion to adopt the amended ordinance passed unanimously (7-0).
- Zoning Ordinance Rewrite: Next work sessions scheduled for May 11 (articles 6-8) and May 18 (articles 9-13). Final staff draft due June 1; adoption target June 29. Staff will also discuss the comprehensive map amendment regarding Parcel 12 at the May 11 session.
- Election Code: Additional work session added for May 11; Budget and Finance Committee (BSC) will provide written comments by May 8.
- Next Steps: Public hearings on zoning will continue May 11. Staff will meet with Newmark Commons board on May 7 and with Markwood residents soon.
Meeting Transcript
Rockville today is May 4th, 2026, and we're beginning meeting 12-26. Please join me as you're able in the Pledge of Allegiance. One nation under God. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. I know one of our colleagues will be here shortly, but just want to go ahead and get started with some very important proclamations and celebrations. I'm going to ask my colleagues to join me at the podium so we can get started. Okay. So thank you, everyone. We have many proclamations and celebrations today, so we're going to try to be expeditious but also celebrate our community. They range from cultural celebrations to health observances, as well as some important public safety and operational things that our city really works hard to make sure we're achieving for our residents. I'll start off with a few proclamations that relate to topics where we don't have someone accepting, but we wanted to make sure that we are honoring those proclamations. So we will have about four of those to proceed. The first one is a proclamation from May 2026 recognizing ALS, and ALS is better known as Luke Garrick's disease. It's a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by degeneration of cell bodies of the lower motor neurons in the gray matter of anterior horns of the spinal cord. We're also going to be acknowledging Greek genocide remembrance day in Rockville, Maryland. Whereas the city of Rockville is home to many, many diverse ethnic and religious communities who came to the United States seeking refuge from war, ethnic and religious persecution, and the genocide of the Anatolian Greeks and is a tragedy that took the lives of an estimated 900,000 Greek people during World War One. And it is noted by scholars as the model used by the Nazis for the Holocaust. Whereas Jewish American history commenced in 1492 with the expulsion of Jews from Spain, and this action set off a period of intense Jewish migration, seeking to escape the clutches of Inquisition. Some Jewish people in the 16th century sought refuge in the Calvinist Republic of the Neverlands, and hundreds of their descendants crossed the ocean to settle in the new Dutch colony of Recife in Brazil, where Jewish communal life became possible for the first time in the new world. We recognize Jewish American Heritage Month and the rich culture that it provides in the city of Rockville. We proclaim May 2026 as Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Rockville, Maryland. Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease United States caused by bacterium Borealia Brigdorfer and is transmitted by the common black-legged tick found in nearly one half of all U.S. counties. And ticks that carry Lyme disease can also carry at least 15 other pathogens, many of them transmitted within minutes of being bitten, with one painless tick by frequently resulting in multiple infections, including bacteria, parasites, and viruses. Madam Mayor, I move all five proclamations. Thank you very much. Do we have a second? Councilman Valeria Seconds. All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye. Aye. Thank you very much. We also want to recognize Glenview, which is honoring its 100th year, Glenview Mansion. It has a long and storied history. I will also note that the entire land at the Civic Center has a long history in Rockville. It was cleared by enslaved peoples. And we have now reclaimed it for the people, for all people. Whereas in 2026, the City of Rockville celebrates the 100th anniversary of Glenview Mansion and recognizes its evolution from its early 19th century origins through its transformation into a prominent neoclassical estate and ultimately into a public civic asset for all people and operated by the city of Rockville since 1957. Now, therefore, the mayor and council hereby recognize the 100th anniversary of Glenview Mansion, honoring its rich history and multifaceted multifaceted events, celebrating its enduring legacy as an inclusive and cherished gathering place for our community. Do we have a motion to approve? Councilmember Jackson. I make the motion to approve. Thank you. Do we have a second? Second. All right. It's been moved. All those in favor, please raise your hand and say aye. And with that, I'd like to welcome the recreation and parks advisory board. And while she's coming up, please make sure that you check out our calendar of events. There are many activities happening to commemorate Glenview Mansion.
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