Rezoning proposals in District 6

Dear Community Leaders and Residents of District 6,

I have been working over the last several weeks to finalize the zoning

amendments that I wish to make onto Bill 44-11. I have listed the proposals

below. Some are modifications of existing proposals in the bill, and others

are new amendments, submitted by applicants in accordance with the

procedures laid out before the bill was introduced. In all cases, I have

worked with the Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ), the applicants, and

nearby communities or civic associations to try to come up with the best

possible proposal.

Comp Rezoning - here we go!

Over the past several weeks, I have hosted a series of community meetings to provide information and solicit feedback regarding the upcoming Comprehensive Rezoning for District 6. Over 100 residents attended these meetings, and there was a good information exchange. Also, last night (6/16), the Planning Advisory Board (PAB) conducted a "listening session" for the public to comment on proposed amendment requests. The three community meetings and the PAB hearing were all very valuable for me as your District 6 representative. Thanks to all of you who attended.

The next phase of the Comprehensive Rezoning process begins on Monday night, June 20. The Comp Rezoning Bill, #44-11, will have a public hearing at the County Council meeting. This is the best opportunity for residents to voice their opinions on any proposals within the bill, or any of the amendment requests. There is expected to be a very large turnout, so if you plan to testify, be prepared to stay a while.

Comprehensive Rezoning for District 6

On Monday, May 16, bill 44-11 was introduced. This bill encompasses all the proposals from the Office and Planning and Zoning for the Comprehensive Rezoning of Districts 6 and 7.

Each of the proposals is listed, along with a brief justification, in a table which can be found here. You can view the proposals on a map here. These proposals will be the topic of a County Council work session on June 13 at 9 am. The public is welcome to attend but there will not be an opportunity for public comment at the work session. The bill will have a public hearing at the June 20 County Council meeting. At that point, amendments may be offered to the bill.

Budget Time

Budget Time is in full swing. The Council has been hearing presentations on both the capital and operating budgets from various county agencies this week.

The view from my desk during a budget hearing...

These budget hearings will continue next week. Next week also presents the opportunity for the public to speak on the budget.

Next up: Budget and Comp Rezoning

The two most important issues of my young Council term are right around the corner: The Budget and Comprehensive Rezoning.

On April 15 at 11:00 am, the County Executive will present his budget to the Council. While I don't know exactly what it will look like, most observers agree that it will not be anything to cheer about. We can be sure that county employees will once again be forced to take a large number of furlough days. Some positions may even be cut. The Executive has signaled that he will not fully fund K-12 Education as required by state law. I also fear cuts to the Library system, community service organizations, and other services that county residents depend on.

First Contact

Dear friends and colleagues,

This is the first of what will sure to be many periodic updates that I will send out to constituents and community leaders to discuss pending legislation and other issues affecting our community. (If you would like to receive these updates by email, please let us know. Contact info is at the end of this post.) Since this is the first communication, let me first say that it is truly an honor to represent District 6 on the County Council. I look forward to working with you, and I encourage you to reach out to me anytime. I want to hear from you!  You can find contact information at the end of this message.