The Mayor and Council will hold a second public hearing virtually, Monday, Jan. 11, to gather input on whether to develop recommendations to regulate short-term residential rentals in Rockville.
A short-term rental is when a dwelling a unit, or part of a dwelling unit, is rented for a short period of time, usually fewer than 30 days. Most short-term residential rentals are coordinated through third-party companies such as Airbnb, Priceline and Expedia.
While short-term rentals take place in the city, no laws currently govern the practice.
At their Nov. 9 public hearing, the Mayor and Council requested a second hearing to collect the community’s thoughts and opinions on residential short-term rentals prior to any recommendation for the development of regulations.
For more information, see the staff report in the Nov. 9 agenda at bit.ly/SRT11920.
Category: Mayor and Council (Page 1 of 3)
The Mayor and Council are considering whether to annex an almost 10.3-acre plot of land at 16200 Frederick Road.
The annexation was initiated through a petition to the city by Victor, Inc., the property’s owner, with a request to zone the area as mixed-use corridor district.
Annexation is the formal process of incorporating an area outside of the city’s jurisdiction into its municipal boundaries. To be eligible, the property must be within the city’s maximum expansion limits, as identified in the adopted Municipal Growth Element of the Comprehensive Plan, and adjacent to city limits.
The proposal must go through several steps before approval, including a review by and public hearing in front of the Planning Commission scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10. The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing before making a final decision. For more, see the Nov. 23 Mayor and Council meeting staff report at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter.
FY22 Budget Survey Available
The Mayor and Council continue their work on the Fiscal Year 2022 budget in January with a public hearing and a presentation on proposed rates and rate structure for the city’s water and sewer funds.
The city hired a consultant to develop a new utility rate structure, under which the Mayor and Council would set water and sewer rates based on property type, such as single-family, multifamily or nonresidential. If approved, the new structure and new rates would take effect in FY22, which begins July 1. For information about the current rate structure, see page 371 of the FY 2021 budget, at www.rockvillemd.gov/budget.
An update on ongoing strategies to improve and strengthen the vitality of Rockville Town Center will come before the Mayor and Council on Jan. 4.
Maryland General Assembly’s 90-Day Session Begins Jan. 13
Rockville’s 2021 state legislative priorities include education funding, opposition to the state’s plan to widen Interstate 270, a noise barrier, combating climate change, an independent congressional redistricting commission and more.
The 2021 state legislative session runs from Jan. 13-April 12 in Annapolis.
Under priorities approved by the Mayor and Council on Nov. 2, the city will advocate for:
Community members are encouraged to apply to serve on the city’s newly established Community Policing Advisory Board.
The board will provide recommendations to the Mayor and Council on how to support Rockville City Police Department programs, training, and professional development, and crime and safety initiatives. It will also meet with police to discuss issues as they arise, in the interest of making improvements and finding solutions.
The Mayor and Council will hold a second public hearing virtually, Monday, Jan. 11, to gather input on whether to develop recommendations to regulate short-term residential rentals in Rockville.
Survey, in English and Spanish, to Help Identify Priorities, COVID-19 Initiatives, Budget Options
The Mayor and Council will discuss their Fiscal Year 2022 budget priorities during a work session in December and want to hear from community members about their priorities.
The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing, 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, on a text amendment to the city’s zoning code to modify tree planting requirements for new residential lots containing townhouses, duplexes and other attached units.
The zoning ordinance requires three trees be planted on each new residential lot, including new townhouse lots and lots with other types of single-family attached units. Because townhouse lots are typically small, it is not always physically possible to meet this requirement. The proposed text amendment recommends revising the requirements to provide flexibility in planting location to meet the requirement.
For a list of zoning text amendments, visit
www.rockvillemd.gov/2171/Zoning-Code-Amendments. See the agenda for the Mayor and Council’s meeting at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter.
HOW TO TAKE PART:
Letter Details City Concerns About Potential Harm to Homes, How the Pandemic Will Impact Travel Demand
An environmental study of the state project to widen interstates 270 and 495 between the American Legion Bridge and Frederick with toll lanes is “severely flawed,” the Mayor and Council said in a letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
