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Committees will receive an update on Purple Line construction and the Drone as First Responder program; review legislation to authorize the use of speed monitoring systems, prevent racing and street takeovers; and review zoning and subdivision regulation amendments
The Transportation and Environment (TE) Committee will meet on Monday, Oct. 5 at 9:30 a.m. to receive a Purple Line construction update, conduct a facility planning review of Old Columbia Pike, review the 2026-2035 Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan and review Bill 17-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Speed Monitoring Systems Authorized – Amendments.
The members of the TE Committee include Chair Evan Glass, Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe and Councilmember Kate Stewart.
The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. to review Bill 27-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Unlawful Racing and Street Takeovers Prohibited, and receive a briefing about the Drone as First Responder program.
The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink.
The Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. to review Bill 8-26, Landlord-Tenant Relations – Prohibition Against Price Coordination and Rent-Setting Algorithms; Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-10, General Development Requirements -Driveway Access and Shared Parking; Subdivision Regulation Amendment (SRA) 26-02, Roads – Street Types – Design Standards; and ZTA 26-11, Temporary Uses – Benefit Performance.
The members of the PHP Committee include Chair Andrew Friedson, Council President Natali Fani-González and Councilmember Will Jawando.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
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Purple Line Construction Update
Update: The TE Committee will receive an update on the construction of the Purple Line project from representatives of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Purple Line Transit Partners (PLTP), Purple Line Transit Operators (PLTO) and Maryland Transit Solutions (MTS). As of September, Purple Line construction is 92 percent complete. Track work is substantially complete and live-wire testing is ongoing across the entire alignment from Bethesda to New Carrollton. The most significant outstanding work includes the Capital Crescent Trail construction and testing and other operational needs to begin service. Additional detail is available in the Council staff report.
Facility Planning Review: Old Columbia Pike
Review: The TE Committee will review the findings and recommendations of the Old Columbia Pike / Prosperity Drive Improvements Project facility planning study, which evaluated and identified four alternatives for reconstruction of Old Columbia Pike and Prosperity Drive between Stewart Lane and Cherry Hill Road. The design alternatives include recommendations to address safety, improve non-motor connectivity, improve motor vehicle traffic patterns, accommodate future development and evaluate the condition of the bridge.
2026-2035 Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan
Review: The TE Committee will review the 2026-2035 Comprehensive Water Supply and Sewerage Systems Plan for Montgomery County. The plan contains policy and technical updates on the County’s public water supply and sewerage systems that have changed since the 2022 comprehensive update of the plan.
Bill 17-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Speed Monitoring Systems Authorized – Amendments
Review: The TE Committee will review Bill 17-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Speed Monitoring Systems Authorized – Amendments, which would authorize the use of speed monitoring systems within certain school zones and the use of speed monitoring systems on certain highways in the County. In 2025, the Maryland General Assembly enacted legislation to allow municipalities and Montgomery County to use the high crash risk corridors in their highway safety plans to study and place automated speed monitoring systems. The purpose of the bill is to amend the Montgomery County Code as authorized by state law.
The lead sponsor of Bill 17-26 is the Council President at the request of the County Executive.
Bill 27-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Unlawful Racing and Street Takeovers Prohibited
Review: The PS Committee will review Bill 27-26, Motor Vehicles and Traffic – Unlawful Racing and Street Takeovers – Prohibited, which would prohibit participation in unlawful racing and street takeovers on public highways or roadways. In addition, Bill 27-26 would define certain terms related to unlawful racing and street takeovers and establish penalties for such violations.
In response to recent instances of racing, speed contests and exhibition driving, the Maryland General Assembly enacted legislation to increase penalties for participation in racing or speed contests and prohibited exhibition driving, all in certain circumstances as defined under state law. Bill 27-26 would create County law to prohibit unlawful speed contests, exhibition driving, stunt driving or race contests.
The lead sponsor of Bill 27-26 is Councilmember Friedson. Council Vice President Balcombe and Councilmembers Katz and Luedtke are cosponsors.
Drone as First Responder Update
Briefing: The PS Committee will receive a briefing about the Drone as First Responder Program, which has been operational for three years. This Montgomery County Police Department program uses a drone to fly to a call for service, which arrives either prior to or in conjunction with police officers on the ground. The program assists staff with evaluating the scene and provides additional tactical information and situational awareness to help police officers more safely respond to incidents, aid in de-escalation and help solve crimes.
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Review: The PHP Committee will review Bill 8-26, Landlord-Tenant Relations – Prohibition Against Price Coordination and Rent-Setting Algorithms, which would prohibit the use of algorithmic devices to establish rents or rental terms in the County, prohibit price coordination regarding rents or rental terms, and provide enforcement measures. The purpose of Bill 8-26 is to prevent price fixing and collusion that may result in higher rents for County residents.
The lead sponsor of Bill 8-26 is Councilmember Jawando. Councilmembers Shebra Evans and Mink are cosponsors.
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 26-10, General Development Requirements – Driveway Access and Shared Parking, which would make minor technical updates to the County’s zoning code to align with proposed transportation policy changes in County Code Chapter 49, including clarifying that driveway access from alleys must comply with County alley access standards.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the Planning Board.
Subdivision Regulation Amendment (SRA) 26-02, Roads – Street Types – Design Standards
Review: The PHP Committee will review SRA 26-02, Roads – Street Types – Design Standards, which would update Chapter 50 of the County Code to align street classifications with the Complete Streets Design Guide and the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways, including adding a growth corridor boulevard street type and removing the parkway street type. It would also replace some outdated horizontal road alignment requirements with nationally recognized engineering standards, allowing road designs to better reflect lower target speeds and evolving best practices.
The lead sponsor is the Council President at the request of the Planning Board.
Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 26-11, Temporary Uses – Benefit Performance
Review: The PHP Committee will review ZTA 26-11, Temporary Uses – Benefit Performance, which would amend the requirements for a benefit performance by removing the requirement to obtain consent from 75 percent of neighbors and adding a requirement that public safety agencies be notified. A benefit performance is an event conducted and operated by a nonprofit organization within the County and for which the net proceeds of the benefit performance are exclusively for the benefit of the organization.
Under the current zoning code, a benefit performance that is not held by a private club, a religious institution, a fire department, a public school or a nationally chartered service or veterans’ organization must be a minimum of 600 feet from any dwelling, unless 75 percent of the occupants of the dwellings within that 600 feet consent to the performance. ZTA 26-11 would remove the requirement to obtain consent and instead require notice to all dwellings within 600 feet, if the benefit performance is held for more than one day. ZTA 26-11 will also require that certain public safety agencies be notified upon receipt of an application for a benefit performance.
The lead sponsor of ZTA 26-11 is Councilmember Luedtke.
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.
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