By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Journalist
[email protected]
The Montgomery County Planning Commission has submitted its updates to the county’s Growth and Infrastructure Policy (GIP) for 2024-2028. As of August 1, it is now before the Montgomery County Council for review.
The policy, which is revised every four years, is designed to ensure that the county’s infrastructure, such as roads and schools, is adequate to support growth and new development.
“The GIP is critical to ensuring the county meets the evolving needs of a growing and diverse population,” Jason K. Sartori, planning director for Montgomery County, said in a statement. “We have moved from a growth policy decades ago that was appropriate when farmland was being converted to residential areas to one that complements the infill and redevelopment of maturing residential areas, major employment centers, urban centers and downtowns that we see today.”
Key recommendations for the GIP include: providing a 50 percent rebate on development tax to developers building single-family homes with a floor area of 1,800 square feet or less, exempting development tax for projects converting office space into residential space, and exempting households with three or more bedrooms from development tax for schools and transportation.
The Planning Board also suggested that the County conduct a review of local transportation for an upcoming development project that is expected to generate high traffic volumes and waive traffic reduction requirements when building affordable housing.
“Our recommended growth policy updates ensure the county can continue to strengthen economic development opportunities while supporting transportation networks and school communities with the infrastructure needed to accommodate anticipated population and job growth,” said a statement from Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “The recommended GIP update is forward-looking as it aligns with the county’s goals of promoting housing for all, achieving racial equity and social justice, combating climate change, and using economic development tools to create thriving communities.”
The Montgomery County Council is holding a public hearing on the GIP on September 10. Residents can register on the council’s website to testify at the meeting. County law requires the policy to be approved by November 15.
