| Home > Government > Mayor and Council > Meeting Highlights > May 24, 2010 |  |
Highlights of the May 24 Mayor and Council Meeting
The Mayor and Council met on Monday, May 24. The agenda included the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, a discussion on the stormwater ordinance, appointments to several boards and commissions and more.
The following items outline many of the decisions that were made and discussions that were held.
Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Adopted
The Mayor and Council unanimously adopted the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, which will go into effect July 1, 2010.
There will be no city property tax increase in FY11. The property tax rate will remain at 29.2 cents per $100 of assessed property value for residential and commercial properties, and a personal property tax rate of 80.5 cents per $100 of assessed value for commercial properties.
The FY11 operating budget supports existing programs, services and the city’s infrastructure.
The Mayor and Council voted to give a $100 tax credit for the fourth consecutive year to owner-occupied residential properties. The tax credit was given, in part, because of a Mayor and Council decision earlier this month to fully implement an updated Cost Allocation Plan that will increase the cost for utilities, such as refuse, water, sewer and stormwater over the next several years, in Rockville.
In the city manager’s proposed budget, the updated charges for the 10-year-old Cost Allocation Plan would have been phased in over three years.
For the 6th straight year, the FY 11 budget includes the Homeowners Tax Credit Program, which provides tax relief targeting low- to moderate-income homeowners. Under the program, households with gross incomes up to $85,000 per year and a household net worth of less than $200,000 (not including the value of their home or qualified retirement savings) could qualify for tax relief on the first $400,000 of their home’s assessed value.
The adopted budget largely follows the budget recommended by the city manager in March with some changes the Mayor and Council agreed at their May 10 meeting.
Those included increasing parking fines in City-owned Town Center garages from $12 to $40 and charging patrons $1 per day on Saturdays to park in the garages.
Other changes include adding $1.5 to the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to repair the Edmonston Drive vehicular bridge, and replace two pedestrian bridges – on Wootton Parkway and over the CSX rail tracks near Stonestreet Avenue.
The Mayor and Council also agreed to add $18,000 for the skate park located near the swim center at Welsh Park, which will pay for lighting and to look into the feasibility expanding the skate park; $25,000 for the Rockville Chamber of Commerce Buy Rockville campaign; and a total of $55,000 for IT projects, including wireless Internet access in all city facilities. They also voted to restore $14,000 for the bi-annual citizen survey and $65,000 for a housing codes inspector; and reduce funding for some asphalt and concrete repair projects.
The Mayor and Council held four work sessions and three public hearings on the proposed budget. The FY11 budget will go into effect July 1.
The final FY11 budget will be posted in mid-July. Learn more about the budget process.
In addition to adopting the FY11 budget and the property tax credits, the Mayor and Council also approved several ordinances and resolutions that set the utility rates, as follows:
Stormwater Ordinance Discussed
The Mayor and Council discussed the stormwater management ordinance and are expected to adopt the ordinance at their June 7 meeting.
The Maryland General Assembly approved on April 6 new regulations that affect Rockville’s stormwater ordinance. The new regulations are intended to provide more flexibility for local governments that are implementing the Stormwater Management Act of 2007.
The new regulations address the grandfathering of current projects and the clarifications of certain provisions governing redevelopment projects.
Rockville's new stormwater ordinance will require developers to use environmentally friendly planning techniques that reduce the amount of impervious cover and preserve natural resources. Developers must also install low impact stormwater management systems such as rain gardens and bioretention areas to treat rainwater where it falls by letting it soak into the ground. Only after using these environmentally friendly design techniques may a developer consider installing a traditional stormwater facility like a retention pond.
The Maryland Department of the Environment has approved the City’s proposed ordinance.
Public Hearing Held
The Mayor and Council held a public hearing on a zoning text amendment to extend the implementation period for approved development.
The proposed change would extend the timeframe until June 30, 2012, for site plans, use permits, project plans and special exceptions. Eight people spoke during the public hearing.
Last May the state passed legislation that extended existing development approvals, including building permits, site plans and use permits issued by a county or municipality.
The tolling period, in this instance defined as the suspension of the implementation period, runs from Jan. 1, 2008, until June 30, 2010. Therefore, any project that has had some form of permit approval is valid until June 30.
Given the continuing adverse economic climate, the Mayor and Council have to decide whether to further extend the implementation period for projects that will expire on June 30, and other projects that may expire in the near future.
Residents Appointed to Boards
The following residents received Mayor and Council approval to boards and commissions: