The County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to reappoint Mitra Pedoeem to the Montgomery County Planning Board, choosing the Gaithersburg resident over two other candidates.
Pedoeem, 69, finished serving a partial term June 13 to which she was appointed following the resignation of the entire five-member board in 2022. If her appointment is again confirmed by County Executive Marc Elrich (D), she will serve a four-year term. A spokesperson for Elrich did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning from Bethesda Today.
“I’m honored and grateful to the County Council for the opportunity to continue serving on the Planning Board,” Pedoeem said Tuesday in an email statement to Bethesda Today. “Together, we’ve laid a strong foundation for making our county a more vibrant place to live, work, and recreate — by expanding housing options, enhancing pedestrian safety, increasing access to parks, and making our planning processes more inclusive.”
Pedoeem said she is committed to “building on this momentum as we shape a more equitable and sustainable future for the county.”
She has served on the board since March 2023, and her background includes a stint as director of the county’s Department of Permitting Services and serving various roles in the county’s planning and parks departments since 2004, according to her resumé.
Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1) moved to nominate Pedoeem during Tuesday’s council meeting and was seconded by councilmember Natali Fani-González (D-Dist. 6).
“Throughout her career, Mitra has demonstrated an ability to work collaboratively with community stakeholders, to listen carefully and to engage and to make decisions based on sound policy, equity and a genuine desire to ensure a vibrant future for all Montgomery County residents,” Friedson said when nominating Pedoeem.
Pedoeem and two other candidates were chosen as finalists and were interviewed by the council about housing, diversity and other critical issues facing the board during its June 10 meeting. She was considered alongside Brandice N. Elliott and John Schlichting for the part-time post.
During the interview, Pedoeem said affordable housing is “a pressing issue,” but must be considered in concert with other challenges facing the county.
“We must promote development in the right place, near transit,” Pedoeem said. “We must also create a regulatory environment that is welcoming to development while maintaining high standards and accountability. But housing alone is not enough. Infrastructure must keep pace.”
During Pedoeem’s tenure on the board, she has been part of board decisions that created big waves in the county, including the drafting of the controversial Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative. The initiative outlined recommendations to the council for zoning changes in some single-family home zones in targeted areas of the county to increase access to “missing middle” housing. The council has not moved forward with every suggestion in the proposal, but some parts of it inspired the “More Housing N.O.W.” legislative package that is under consideration.
Candidates also were asked how the Planning Board should prioritize racial equity and social justice in its efforts. Pedoeem pointed to her part in the creation of the Community Planning Academy, which aims to make the planning process more accessible for residents.
“Its first cohort includes 50 residents, many from underrepresented communities. It’s giving people the tools to understand and influence planning decisions,” Pedoeem said. “That kind of education and outreach helps us build long-term relationships and trust.”
The annual salary for the part-time post is $30,000. According to county law, board members must live in the county and be registered to vote as a member of any political party or unaffiliated with any political party. No more than three board members may be from the same political party. Members generally serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms.
Pedoeem is registered as an independent voter. Currently, the other board members are Chair Artie Harris, a Democrat; James Hedrick, a Democrat; Josh Linden, an unaffiliated voter; and Shawn Bartley, a Republican.
