For Immediate Release: Friday, February 20, 2026
Council will review state legislation; Committees will review the Fiscal Year 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program for Montgomery County Public Schools, the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, and receive a briefing from the Emory Grove Urban Renewal Task Force
The Montgomery County Council will meet on Monday, Feb. 23 at 12:30 p.m. for a Maryland General Assembly update from the Office of Intergovernmental Relations. The Council will also review state and local legislation and discuss federal priorities.
The Education and Culture (EC) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027-2032 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
The members of the EC Committee include Chair Will Jawando and Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Kristin Mink.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:45 p.m. to receive a briefing on the Emory Grove Urban Renewal Task Force and review the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson, Council President Natali Fani-González and Councilmember Jawando.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
FY27-32 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Review: The EC Committee will hold its second meeting to review the more than $2.79 billion FY27-32 CIP for MCPS requested by the Board of Education. This level of funding represents an increase of more than $1 billion from the FY25-30 amended CIP of $1.76 billion. The County Executive’s recommended FY27-32 CIP for MCPS includes $2.14 billion, which represents an increase of $380 million from the FY25-30 amended CIP. The County Executive’s recommendation is $652.3 million less than the Board of Education’s proposal.
At this meeting, the EC Committee will discuss a package of non-recommended reductions, which were requested from MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor. The purpose of the non-recommended reductions are to align the Board’s proposed CIP with the County Executive’s assumed General Obligation (GO) Bond totals. The proposed reductions include two possible scenarios for committee consideration. Additional detail can be found in the Council staff report.
The committee also reviewed the MCPS FY27-32 CIP at a meeting held on Jan. 30, during which the committee received a presentation from MCPS representatives to provide an overview of factors that impact the CIP including enrollment, the ongoing boundary change processes, the facility condition index planning work and CIP prioritization criteria.
Emory Grove Urban Renewal Task Force
Briefing: The PHP Committee will receive a briefing from the Emory Grove Urban Renewal Task Force which was created after Governor Wes Moore signed legislation titled the Montgomery County – Task Force on the Displacement of Residents of Emory Grove Act. During the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, Delegate Charlotte Crutchfield sponsored this legislation to “study how urban renewal caused the displacement of residents from the Emory Grove community and make recommendations on potential remedies for those who were displaced by urban renewal.”
The PHP Committee will receive an update on the status of the work of the task force, including an overview of the historic and contemporary context of Emory Grove, the role of Heritage Emory Grove and an overview of the Interim Report of the Emory Grove Urban Renewal Task Force.
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Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan
Review: The PHP Committee will hold its third meeting to review the Planning Board draft of the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, which covers approximately 969 acres in northern Montgomery County, near Interstate 270 (I-270) and Clarksburg Road. The committee also reviewed the plan at meeting held on Feb. 2 and Feb. 11. The recommended plan establishes a new vision for a more complete, connected and sustainable Clarksburg community. The recommendations in the plan are focused on shaping future development and improvements to the transportation network, providing additional recreational opportunities for residents, advancing the County’s housing and economic goals, and preserving and protecting the natural environment.
This sector plan is an amendment to a portion of the 1994 Clarksburg Master Plan and Hyattstown Special Study Area and a portion of the 2014 Ten Mile Creek Area Limited.
The Council received a briefing on the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan at a meeting held on Jan. 20. The Council held a public hearing on the plan at Rocky Hill Middle School in Clarksburg on Jan. 21.
The Committee meeting schedule may change from time to time. View the current Council and Committee agendas, Council staff reports and additional information on items scheduled for Council review on the Council website.
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: 26-061
Media Contact: Sonya Healy 240-777-7926, Benjamin Sky Brandt 240-777-7884
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