The Montgomery County Council will vote Tuesday on proposed legislation that would expedite the approval process for converting commercial properties to residential developments — part of the More Housing N.O.W. legislation package proposed by some councilmembers.
The council will also hear from the public Monday and Tuesday on the proposed $7.65 billion county budget for the upcoming fiscal year during hearings at 1:30 and 7 p.m.
The council will meet at 9 a.m. in the Stella Werner Council Office Building in Rockville for its regular weekly business meeting. Here’s what to expect:
Commercial-to-residential conversions
The council will vote on a proposed zoning text amendment that would expedite the commercial-to-residential building conversion process, as part of the More Housing N.O.W. (New Options for Workers) legislative package sponsored by several councilmembers.
The legislative package aims to allow more residential building types – including duplexes, triplexes, townhomes and apartments – along the county’s transit corridors, with a requirement that 15% of the housing serve the local workforce. The goal of the legislative package is to increase access to more affordable workforce housing through two zoning text amendments (ZTAs), a subdivision regulation amendment and one bill that would change how developers of specific affordable housing projects are taxed.
The legislation was formally introduced by councilmembers Andrew Friedson (D-Dist.1) and Natali Fani-González (D-Dist. 6) in early February. It is co-sponsored by council President Kate Stewart (D-Dist. 4) and councilmembers Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-At-large), Marilyn Balcombe (D-Dist. 2) and Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist. 7).
According to the sponsors, the legislation was inspired by public conversations concerning the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative proposed by the county Planning Board in 2024, but not based on that proposal. The Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative outlines recommendations to the council for zoning changes in some single-family home zones in targeted areas of the county.
The legislative package has been highly controversial, with supporters praising its aim to increase the county’s housing supply, but critics voicing concerns that more development would encroach on existing neighborhoods.
Tuesday’s council vote solely involves the proposed ZTA to expedite the commercial-to-residential building conversion process and not the entire More Housing N.O.W. package of proposed bills and ZTAs.
Budget public hearings
The council will host two of four public hearings on Tuesday at 1:30 and 7 p.m. on Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed $7.65 billion county operating budget plan for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. The first two hearings were scheduled for Monday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. According to the council’s website, time slots for the public to speak at any of the hearings are no longer available.
The spending plan represents an increase of 7.4% from the county’s current $7.1 billion operating budget. Elrich is calling for a 3.4% property tax rate increase in order to fully fund Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) $3.65 billion budget request for the upcoming fiscal year.
Elrich’s budget recommendation is now subject to review and approval by the council, which typically takes a final vote in mid-May.
Most councilmembers have not yet spoken publicly about Elrich’s proposal, although President Kate Stewart (D-Dist. 4) responded publicly within hours following its March 14 release.
“With our community values under attack by the Trump administration, budget cuts looming at the federal and state level, and the possibility that the state will require the county to pay a larger portion of cost-sharing items such as teacher pensions, the council’s upcoming budget deliberations will likely be some of the most challenging since the start of the Great Recession,” Stewart said.
Stewart said she plans to center the needs of residents during deliberations while “maintaining the fiscal stewardship that has enabled Montgomery County to weather economic storms, the COVID crisis, and maintain our AAA bond rating.”
Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1) released his own statement later that day, criticizing Elrich’s proposed property tax increase and vowing to vote against it.
“Right now, too many residents are struggling to keep up with rising costs. Our region and state face unprecedented fiscal instability, even before Elon Musk and the Trump administration’s newest assault on federal workers who make up such a large share of our local economy,” Friedson said. “I’ve consistently voted against property tax increases … I will once again oppose raising the tax burden on Montgomery County families.”
Street Activation and Vacancy Elimination (S.A.V.E.) ZTA
The council will vote on the Street Activation and Vacancy Elimination (S.A.V.E.) ZTA, a proposed zoning text amendment that would allow certain charitable and cultural organizations to use vacant commercial office space for storage.
The legislation would allow self-storage above the ground floor in buildings in the county’s
“commercial residential” zone in which a charitable, philanthropic, or cultural institution occupies space on the ground floor. Currently, self-storage is only allowed in the “commercial residential” zone in basements in certain circumstances.
If passed, the zoning text amendment would allow self-storage for qualifying organizations as long as the existing building is an office building that has had a 90% vacancy rate for at least two years and improvements to the existing building would not “cause practical difficulty or undue hardship for conversion” to a future commercial or residential use, according to the legislative report.
The legislation is sponsored by Stewart, Fani-González, Friedson, Luedtke, Sayles, Sidney Katz (D-Dist 3), Kristin Mink (D-Dist. 5), Gabe Albornoz (D-At-large), and council Vice President Will Jawando (D-At-large).
The goal of the legislation, according to its sponsors, is to limit office vacancies in the commercial residential zone and to encourage existing qualifying organizations to use the space.
