Dear Friends,
Today, I signed an Executive Order directing the Department of Permitting Services to temporarily pause the acceptance and processing of permit applications for new data centers in Montgomery County. You can watch the event now on the County’s YouTube channel or read the press release.
I want to explain why I am taking this step.
First, this is not a ban on data centers. It is not a statement that data centers should never be built in Montgomery County. And it is not a judgment on any specific proposal.
What this order does is create time for Montgomery County to establish clear rules and expectations before applications begin moving through the permitting process.
Right now, Montgomery County does not have regulations that specifically address data centers. We have zoning and permitting rules that apply generally to development, but we do not have a framework that fully addresses the unique issues specific to data centers.
Those issues include energy consumption, water use, environmental impacts, visual impacts on neighboring communities, effects on parks and natural resources, and the demands these facilities can place on infrastructure.
The County Council recognized those questions when it introduced legislation earlier this year regarding data centers. The Council has already held a public hearing and is in the process of considering what those rules should look like. Ahead of that, I hosted a forum in February to gather your feedback and heard from many of you about your concerns.
At the same time, the State of Maryland is conducting a comprehensive assessment of data centers and their impacts. The deadline for that work is September 1.
I believe it makes sense to have those discussions take place before permit applications move forward. I do not want a project going through the County’s review process before we have considered what the appropriate rules for a data center should be. And I especially don’t want a project submitted or approved before updated guidelines are in place.
We have seen too many examples in government where development outpaces policy. Projects move forward first, and then the government is left trying to figure out how to address issues that should have been considered at the beginning.
That approach doesn’t serve residents well.
The responsible approach is to establish the rules, understand the impacts, and then make decisions within a clear framework.
Data centers are becoming increasingly important to our economy. They support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, research, communications, and countless services that people use every day.
At the same time, local governments across the country are grappling with questions about their long-term impacts on energy demand, land use, water consumption, environmental sustainability, and quality of life.
Those are legitimate questions, and residents deserve answers. The Council deserves the opportunity to complete its legislative work without having to race against a project trying to get through the approval process.
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And applicants deserve to know what standards will apply before they invest significant time and resources in a project.
This executive order provides that opportunity.
The pause is temporary. It expires after six months unless extended, and it could end sooner if the Council adopts adequate legislation governing data centers.
My goal here is straightforward. I want Montgomery County to make informed decisions. I want the Council to have the time it needs to do its job. And I want any future discussion about data centers to take place within a clear set of rules that have been debated publicly and adopted through our legislative process.
That is how good planning is supposed to work.
Retooled Law to Protect Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing Used for the First Time in Bethesda
I want to share an important milestone in our work to preserve affordable housing in Montgomery County. This week, we used our updated Right of First Refusal law for the first time. I worked with the Council to strengthen this law in 2024 because it gives the County the ability to step in when an affordable property goes up for sale and to assign our purchase rights to a qualified developer. This prevents an existing affordable building from being demolished to make way for luxury housing.
Working with Yoke Management Partners, we preserved naturally occurring affordable housing across two properties — Tilbury Gardens in Bethesda and Argyle Street Apartments in Rockville. Now, 52 units won’t be torn down and replaced with high-priced new developments. 24 of these units will be restricted to lower-income households. The people who live at Tilbury and Argyle can now stay in downtown Bethesda and Rockville, even though they seemed at real risk of being displaced from their homes, neighborhoods, and their kids’ schools.
This is what the law is supposed to do. Housing in places like downtown Bethesda doesn’t stay affordable on its own. The market pressure is enormous. We have seen what’s happened before — units like these become higher-end rentals, and the people who were living there were priced out. Now, with the strengthened Right of First Refusal law, we intervened, and it worked.
I want to thank everyone who pushed to make this happen, including the residents themselves, who advocated for their own homes. That matters.
Director Scott Bruton and his team at the Department of Housing and Community Affairs worked hard to make this new law a reality. This fiscal year alone, we have preserved 913 affordable units across the County, and the year is not over. We are proving that, with the right tools and partners, we can keep our communities stable and inclusive for everyone.
Twenty-four affordable units do not fix the whole problem, but this means our residents can stay in their community, and that is worth celebrating.
Red Line Construction Impacts Begin July 6
We are a few weeks away from some significant temporary changes for motorists along MD 355 (Wisconsin Ave/Rockville Pike) due to construction on Metro’s Red Line.
Starting July 6 and running through September 6, Metro is shutting down Red Line service between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights. No trains will run between those stations for two months, so the entrance from the Purple Line to the Red Line can be completed.
This is going to be a real disruption for all commuters in this corridor, and I want people to be prepared.
Here is what’s being put in place by Metro and the Maryland Department of Transportation to help:
- Free shuttle buses will replace train service at the Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, and Bethesda stations.
- Nearly eight miles of dedicated bus-only lanes are being added to stretches of Rockville Pike to speed the buses along.
- Local shuttles should run every 5 to 10 minutes.
- Express shuttles between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights are estimated to run every 26 minutes.
The State has already begun striping for bus lanes along MD 355. However, those bus-only lanes will not be in effect until shuttle service begins on Monday, July 6. Once the shuttles begin, please stay out of the bus lanes except to make turns.
Free parking will be available at North Bethesda and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations.
This bus-only project for MD 355 is being led by the Maryland State Highway Administration and coordinated with WMATA and MCDOT. Transportation leaders will monitor the impact of the bus-only lanes and make adjustments as needed.
County 250th Anniversary Ride On Buses
Montgomery County is proud of its roots as a revolutionary community, and we are sharing that pride this summer. The commemorative buses feature imagery and themes from Montgomery County’s past and present. It also features the word “welcome” in multiple languages to reflect our welcoming community. As one of the most diverse communities in the country, we see our diversity as a strength.
Montgomery County is named after General Richard Montgomery, a hero of the Revolutionary War who was killed while fighting for the Continental Army in Quebec. As we near this significant milestone in both our national and local history, we have a wonderful chance to deepen our collective appreciation for it.
I encourage everyone to learn more about the County’s history at MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/Montgomery-250. You can review the County’s timeline to learn about important upcoming events that will help us celebrate 250 years as a County. Our local historical society, Montgomery History, is also an important partner in helping the community understand how our area has evolved. Visit them online at MontgomeryHistory.org.
On Friday, July 3, we will host Montgomery County 250th: Shine Together at Newport Mill Park next to Einstein High School in Kensington. The celebration will start at 7 p.m. with live music and culminate with a fireworks show after sunset.
So, keep an eye out for those three buses with the anniversary artwork and learn more about the deep history of our County.
Raising Awareness About Elder Abuse Prevention
Next week, on Wednesday, June 17, Montgomery County will join communities around the world in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The 2026 Older Adult Safety Forum will be held on that day from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Schweinhaut Senior Center on Forest Glen Road in Silver Spring. The free event will be live streamed as well. Learn more by visiting weaad2026.eventbrite.com or calling 240-777-8085.
Elder abuse is a serious subject that doesn’t get enough attention — but affects real families across the County. The abuse can be physical and/or emotional. Either way, this abuse can often go unnoticed. It can also be someone taking advantage of an older person financially or simply neglecting them. Elder abuse also includes someone not getting the care or contact they need. Often, the person experiencing it doesn’t feel they can speak up or doesn’t know where to turn.
Fortunately, we have adult protective services teams, comprised of social workers, community partners, and the State’s Attorney’s Office, all working together on this. But honestly, a lot of this comes down to neighbors paying attention to neighbors.
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There are signs to watch for, including:
- Someone who is more withdrawn than usual.
- Someone expressing confusion about their finances.
- Someone struggling with things they used to handle fine.
- Someone who is suddenly uncomfortable around caregivers.
Your instincts are worth trusting. Remember, you don’t have to be certain something is wrong to make a call. That’s what our services are there for.
If something doesn’t feel right, call 240-777-3000 or go to MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/seniors. One phone call can make a real difference in someone’s life.
Juneteenth Holiday is Next Week
Montgomery County will join our nation in honoring Juneteenth on Friday, June 19. Every resident should know about this holiday and come out and be part of it.
The Scotland Juneteenth Heritage Festival is one of the largest celebrations in this entire region. And I would argue it is one of the most meaningful anywhere. Scotland is one of a handful of post-Civil War Black communities in our County. It was built by newly freed African Americans who, for the first time in their lives, could purchase land and put down roots. That was an extraordinary thing. And what they built there has endured — through many hardships.
Here is the part of the story that doesn’t get told enough. Over time, policies like redlining and restrictive covenants systematically stripped Black families in Scotland — and communities like it across this country — of their land and their opportunities. That wasn’t an accident. It was policy. And the effects of those policies are still felt today.
Only eight Black communities from the post-Civil War era survive today in Montgomery County. Eight. We can’t understand how we got to where we are today without knowing that history and taking it seriously.
Last year, we celebrated the reopening of the Scotland AME Zion Church — a hundred-year-old institution that was nearly lost after devastating flooding in 2019. Thanks to the Scotland community, private partners, and County support, that church has been beautifully restored. It even sits higher than before to protect it from future flooding. That church is not just a building. It is the heart of that community, and getting it back was a long time coming.
I want to acknowledge the Gassaway sisters, Bernard Scott, Reverend Huggins, and everyone who poured themselves into that restoration. And I want to mention Joyce Siegel, with whom I worked years ago when she was an affordable housing advocate for this County. The Save Our Scotland efforts go back to 1965. That kind of long-term commitment from people who believe in this community is what makes moments like this possible. We still need people like that to be leaders today.
The festival itself is a living tribute to freedom, to resilience, to the culture and legacy of Black Montgomery County. I am glad it has helped restore the church. Now, the proceeds from the week-long schedule of events, such as camps, concerts, and family-friendly activities, will help other historically underserved communities across the County. That is an example of the community looking out for one another, and it is a wonderful legacy tied to this day of freedom.
Activities lined up for the week will bring people together across backgrounds and neighborhoods. This year’s events, listed here, include an opening night concert with Grammy Award-winning gospel singer Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir, an inaugural Interfaith Comedy Show at the BlackRock Center for the Arts, a youth cheer clinic led by the Bowie State University Cheer Team, and a Family Carnival at Cabin John Park on Juneteenth itself.
Every Montgomery County resident can participate and learn something about our shared history. Learn more about how this festival belongs to all of us. Juneteenth has become a call to keep moving forward — together. Learn more at juneteenthscotland.org.
The Scotland community has been here for generations, and they will continue to be here. We can support them, but they are leading the way. And watching them do that is something worth celebrating.
Black Business Expo Draws 800 Registrants
On Friday, I attended the 3rd annual Black Business Expo, along with 800 people who had signed up. It was presented by the Montgomery County Black Collective and hosted by the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville.
For too long, too many of our entrepreneurs haven’t had the same visibility or access as everybody else. Events like this help change that.
The Montgomery County Black Collective developed the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program and the AMBER Business Training and Coaching Program. They’re connecting underserved businesses to consulting, resources, and tools they need to grow. The expo is the showcase, but the work behind it goes much deeper than one afternoon.
This effort began in earnest after the pandemic. I realized that many Black-owned businesses missed out on federal and state COVID-19 relief funds because they didn’t have the capacity to apply. Since then, we have prepared many entrepreneurs, business owners, and nonprofit organizations for success through efforts like the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce, and we created the Black Business Database—something that did not exist before this coordination. We helped establish this network to launch incubators and connect business owners with financial and government leaders, so grant opportunities are not missed again.
I have seen several cohorts of these incubators graduate with the skills they need to help launch new businesses and grow existing companies. These are the kinds of success stories our Business Center regularly develops. I’m proud of their work helping business leaders in our community and developing opportunities that lead to success.
Things to Remember Around the World Cup
This week, the World Cup kicked off around North America to great fanfare. This is really a worldwide event, and in a County as diverse as ours, you’ll find people rooting for teams from all over the globe.
A survey of more than 21,000 Americans, conducted in early June, found that nearly twice as many people believe the games will bring countries closer together rather than push them apart. That’s a hopeful thought. At a time when there’s so much division in the world, there’s something special about celebrating worldwide sports that can bring us together.
For a lot of us, this is a time to celebrate. And whether you call it soccer or fútbol, we want you to be safe. So, if you like to celebrate with a drink, please plan to get home safe, whether that’s a designated driver, a ride home, or just staying put. Our police officers will also be stepping up enforcement during the celebrations to keep our communities safe, so don’t risk it: a first-offense DUI in Maryland carries a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year behind bars. It’s not worth it when you can hop on a fare-free bus instead.
Ride On is now zero fare for every rider, so grab your friends, ride together, and cheer with more fans. Download the Ride on Trip Planner app to map your trip and see when the next bus is coming — a simple way to plan a safe ride home.
And while you’re at it, celebrate local. Check out Visit Montgomery and its list of events to find a neighborhood spot showing the games — a restaurant, bar, or coffee shop near you. Supporting our local businesses is a great way to come together as a community while enjoying the matches. The closest games may be in Philadelphia, but I expect our local spots to fill up with fans all month long.
We call Montgomery County home, but all of us have roots elsewhere. Keep that in mind as you catch World Cup fever right alongside your friends and neighbors.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
Read the original article at mcgov