For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 12, 2026
From the Office of Councilmember Andrew Friedson
Press conference to be held on Tuesday, March 17 at 12:30 p.m. in Rockville
Two zoning measures sponsored by Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson will accelerate the regulatory approval process to support Montgomery County’s biohealth industry and increase the production of mixed-income housing.
On Tuesday, March 17 at 12:30 p.m., Councilmember Andrew Friedson will hold a press conference highlighting the Accelerate MoCo legislative package, which expands opportunities for expedited review of biohealth and housing projects, cutting approval times by 75 percent. The press conference will take place at the Council Office Building in Rockville.
The initiative builds on previous efforts led by Friedson to modernize Montgomery County’s regulatory process and ensure that projects supporting the county’s economic development and housing goals can move forward more quickly.
Recent projects approved through the expedited review pathway demonstrate the potential impact of these reforms, with projects completing the approval process in just 63 days—approximately 75 percent faster than the typical timeline for similar projects.
The Council is expected to vote Tuesday on two zoning measures that expand eligibility for this expedited review process.
Zoning Text Amendment 26-03 – Biohealth Priority Campus Eligibility, sponsored by Councilmember Friedson, builds on prior legislation designed to strengthen Montgomery County’s position as a global hub for the biohealth industry by expanding opportunities for qualifying projects to access expedited regulatory review.
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Zoning Text Amendment 26-04 – Mixed-Income Housing Community Eligibility, sponsored by Councilmembers Friedson and Laurie-Anne Sayles, expands the expedited review program for mixed-income housing projects that meet affordability requirements.
By cutting the regulatory review approval process by 75 percent, these measures will roll out the red carpet for the biohealth industry and speed the production and reduce the cost of new housing.
Joining Councilmembers Friedson and Sayles will be Angela Franco, President & CEO, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Kaufman, Senior Director of Corporate Real Estate, United Therapeutics, Bob Margolis, President of TM Associates, the first entity to use the Mixed Income Housing legislation, an Action In Montgomery (AIM) representative, a faith-based organization committed to increasing our affordable housing stock, and Councilmembers.
The press conference will be held in the fourth floor Capital Crescent Conference Room at the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850). Members of the media must RSVP by March 17 at 10 a.m. by emailing [email protected].Â
Read the original article at mccouncil