Frequently Asked Questions
Basic Facts
Mail: 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 240-777-7900
Fax: 240-777-7989
Email: [email protected]
The County Council Building is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, between Jefferson Street and Fleet Street in downtown Rockville. Paid parking is available in the Council garage during business hours and is free of charge after-hours. The visitors’ parking entrance is located on Monroe Street between Jefferson and Fleet Streets. Visitor information.
Yes, wheelchair access is available to the first-floor level through a door just off the parking garage. Turn off Monroe Street as if to enter the public parking area of the garage. Instead of turning into the garage, go straight, past the gas pumps to the end of the road. There is the wheelchair-accessible entrance. See more visitor information.
The Council generally meets every Tuesday in full session. Council committees generally meet on Mondays and Thursdays. Public hearings are often scheduled on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
Councilmembers are constantly out in the community at meetings. The whole Council holds “Town Hall” meetings at various locations around the County where residents can bring their concerns and ask questions.
Yes. The only exceptions are when the Council votes to go into closed session to discuss issues such as personnel questions or litigation – exceptions allowed under the state Open Meetings Act.
Call 240-777-7803 to sign up to testify or sign up online. Find out more about Council public hearings at Public Hearing Procedures.
Yes, you can contact your District Councilmember and/or any of the at-large Councilmembers who represent the entire County. Contact us.
You can view Council Districts page or go to Find Council Districts App to type in your address and find out which district you live in.
Yes, languages spoken by Councilmembers and staff include: Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian, German, and Korean. Additional language resources are available through services contracted for by the County.
Posted on the Council website by Thursday afternoon before a Tuesday session and 3 days before committee meetings. You can sign up to receive the agenda automatically by contacting Legislative Information Services at 240-777-7910
Visit Alternate Ways of Attending a Council Session to find out how you can follow the Council – even if you can’t be there in person.
Yes, live on County Cable Montgomery Channel 6 and rebroadcast later. Sessions are also video streamed live via the Watch Live and Archived Council Meetings, View Agendas and Packets page on the council website.
Use the bills search tool, Legislative Information Management System (LIMS). Use the Filter by Sponsor or Co-Sponsor feature to find bills from 2010 to present. For bills from 2000-2009, use the Filter By Date feature to perform a manual search.
Subscribe to the Council online newsletter or call Legislative Information Services at 240-777-7910.
To locate Council bills and resolutions, use the search tool, Legislative Information Management System (LIMS). Use the Filter by Sponsor or Co-Sponsor feature to find bills from 2010 to present. For bills from 2000-2009, use the Filter By Date feature to perform a manual search. Zoning Text Amendments (ZTA’s) and Subdivision Regulation Amendments (SRA’s) dating back to 2001 are on the Council website. The Legislative Information Services office has records on microfilm dating back to 1844, as well as hard copies of materials over the past half dozen years.
Councilmembers each have their own personal staff, headed by a Chief of Staff. Central Council staff include analysts who are experts in specific issue areas, their support staff, and communications and Legislative Information Services staff.
Council History
In 1948, County voters approved a ballot measure that made Montgomery the first County in Maryland to adopt a home rule charter, changing a County commissioner system that kept most of the power in Annapolis. The new Charter established a Council-Manager form of government and, in 1949, six men and one woman were elected to the first County Council. In 1968, voters amended the Charter to create the post of County Executive. The first County Executive was elected in 1970. In November 1986, voters amended the Charter to increase the number of Council seats from 7 to 9, starting in 1990, with four members elected by all the County’s voters and five elected by geographic district. In November 2020, voters amended the Charter to increase the number of Council seats from 9 to 11, starting in 2022, with four members elected by all the County’s voters and seven elected by geographic district. History of the Council.
About Councilmembers
The Council President is Kate Stewart and the Vice President is Will Jawando. Council officers are elected by their fellow Councilmembers for a one-year term at the beginning of December. The Council President usually serves only one term. The Council Vice President usually is elected to succeed the President. The Council President presides over the Council during his/her term, setting the agenda, working with his or her colleagues to set policy and approve a budget, and acting as leader of the Council both within the County government and in public.
Councilmembers are elected every 4 years and take office the first Monday in December. They must be qualified voters in Montgomery County. Seven members are elected by geographic districts and must reside in the district they represent. Four members are at-large and are elected by all County voters.
Councilmembers can be removed from office by an affirmative vote of no less than seven Councilmembers after a public hearing on a finding that the Councilmember is unable by reason of physical or mental disability to perform the duties of the office. A Councilmember may also be suspended or removed from office if convicted of certain crimes, as provided in the state Constitution. Maryland law does not allow popular recall by petition.
The boundaries of Council districts, under Section 104 of the Charter, must be reviewed every tenth year; the most recent review was in 2021. The Council appoints a redistricting commission composed of 4 members from each political party that polled at least 15 percent of the vote in the preceding regular Council election from a list of 8 persons submitted by each party’s central committee. Each list must include a person from each Council district. The Council appoints an additional member. The Commission presents a redistricting proposal to the Council and public hearings are held. Unless the Council passes a different plan, the plan submitted by the Commission becomes law. Visit Council Districts Map to see the most recent Council District map.
Montgomery County voters approved Question A on November 7, 2006 by a vote of 68%-32%. This question amended Section 107 of the County Charter to specify that membership on the Council must be considered a full-time position for the purpose of setting Councilmembers' compensation. Question A was placed on the ballot by the County Council pursuant to the recommendation of the Charter Review Commission in both 2004 and 2006.
Beginning on Dec. 5, 2022, the Council president receives a salary of $171,912.46 per year. The other members receive a salary of $146,388.21. The salaries are set by a law which takes effect after the next Council election.
How the Council Works
The Council approves all laws and regulations and sets policy for the County. The Council has the final say over the capital and operating budgets. The Council has exclusive power over land use issues in the County. The Council exercises oversight over County departments and their programs. The Council also serves as the Board of Health for the County.
On January 15 of even-numbered years, the County Executive submits a recommended capital budget and six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to the Council. In the odd-numbered year, the County Executive submits a capital budget and CIP amendments.
On March 15 of every year, the County Executive submits a proposed operating budget.
Public hearings are held on both the capital and operating budgets, then the budgets go to the Council committees for work sessions, then the Committee recommendations go to Council work sessions. The Council gives final approval to the budgets before Memorial Day. Each new fiscal year begins July 1.
A supplemental appropriation is recommended by the County Executive as an addition to the existing budget. It generally requires 7 votes to pass the Council if approved before January 1 of any fiscal year and 6 votes after that date. Only 6 votes are required to accept a grant or comply with a law or regulation. A special appropriation is an addition to the budget introduced by a Councilmember, requires 7 votes for passage, and is not subject to a veto by the County Executive.
The County Executive heads up the executive branch and is responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the County government. The legislative branch is governed by the 11-member Council, which sets County policy, approves the budget, and has exclusive power over land-use decisions.
The “District Council” portion of the Council meeting is where the Council deals with land use issues. Under state law (the Regional District Act) the Council sits as the District Council for planning and zoning.
The Office of Legislative Oversight is the Council’s investigative and analytical arm. They issue reports, at the request of the Council, on a range of issues before the Council and on the effectiveness of County programs and services.
The Council adopts and amends rules to govern the conduct of its meetings. These rules cover such issues as closing meetings, roll call votes, process for appointments and confirmations, public hearings and hearing notice, agenda preparation and approval, introduction and consideration of legislation and resolutions, and procedure during Council debate. View the Rules of Procedures.
A zoning text amendment (ZTA) would change the Zoning Ordinance, found in Chapter 59 of the County Code. Similarly, a subdivision regulation amendment (SRA) would change the Subdivision Regulations, found in Chapter 50 of the County Code. The Council’s authority to pass ZTA’s and SRA’s comes from the Regional District Act, which is the state law that set up the land use regulation process in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. This is different from the Council’s home rule authority as a Charter County to pass other legislation. Bills and ZTA’s and SRA’s follow similar legislative procedures, but more notice is required for the ZTA’s and SRA’s.
County law requires decisions in certain proceedings to be based “on the record”. Councilmembers must not receive “ex parte” communications, meaning information that is not part of the hearing record of that particular case. This rule applies to zoning cases (local map amendments), sectional map amendments and most road abandonments. If ex parte evidence becomes the basis of a Council decision, that decision could be invalidated in court.
Find out more about
Ex Parte Communication.
Council Legislation
Bills, sponsored by one or more Councilmembers, are first introduced during a Legislative Session, which typically occurs during a regular Tuesday session. A public hearing is held on the measure and then it goes to the appropriate Council committee. That committee then reports the bill out to the Council with a recommendation. The Council discusses and votes on the bill, which requires 6 votes to be enacted. A bill goes into effect 91 days after it becomes law, unless a different date is specified or unless it is expedited legislation, which requires 7 votes. Read more on how a bill becomes a law.
Legislation containing a section declaring that it is necessary for the immediate protection of the public safety, health, or interest can take effect immediately when it is signed into law. Expedited legislation requires 7 votes for passage.
Legislation passed by the Council must be delivered to the County Executive within 3 days after the Council passes it. The Executive has 10 days to either approve or disapprove the legislation. If the Executive disapproves it, he or she must return it to the Council within 3 days of disapproval with the reasons in writing. The Council then has 60 days to override the veto, which requires 7 votes. Legislation neither approved nor disapproved by the County Executive becomes law on the 14th day after Council enactment. The County Executive cannot veto zoning text amendments, Master Plans, or most resolutions enacted by the Council. The Executive can disapprove or reduce any item in the budgets approved by the Council, but the Council can reapprove those items with 7 votes, except for the budgets of the County Council, Fire & Rescue Commission, Housing Opportunities Commission, the Fire Departments and Rescue Squads, and Montgomery College – which require only 6 votes to reapprove.
A bill would amend the County Code or otherwise create a binding law. A resolution expresses the intent of the County Council but generally does not have the force and effect of law. Some resolutions, such as appropriation and tax resolutions and resolutions making or confirming an appointment, have binding effect, but most do not. The approval of the County Executive is not required for most resolutions, except where the law that authorizes the resolution specifically requires the Executive to approve it.
The Council & the County Charter
The Charter is the Constitution of the County. It spells out basic rules governing the legislative and executive branches, as well as finances and a number of other areas. Changes to the Charter must be approved by the voters. Charter amendments can be placed on the ballot either by vote of the Council or by petition with 10,000 voters’ signatures. See County Charter
Yes. Under Section 305 of the Charter, the County cannot take in an amount of real property tax revenue for a given year that exceeds the rate of inflation plus the value of new construction unless all current Councilmembers vote to exceed the Charter limit.
The County Code is a compilation of laws and regulations passed by the County Council and Maryland state laws that specifically apply to Montgomery County. Read the County Code. Questions about the County Code should be addressed to the County Attorney’s office at 240-777-6700.
Does the Planning Board work for the Council? Who appoints the Planning Board? What does the Council look for in Planning Board members? What voice does the public have in those appointments?
The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission is a bi-county agency serving Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Each county has its own Planning Board. The 5 members of the Montgomery Planning Board are appointed by the County Council with the Executive’s approval for terms of 4 years and can serve no more than 2 full terms. The chairman is a full-time position while the other 4 members are part-time. No more than 3 of the 5 can be members of the same political party. The Planning Board answers to the County Council and makes recommendations to the Council on transportation, development, zoning and land use, parks and recreation, and other issues. Montgomery Planning Board
The Council approves the capital and operating budgets for the Montgomery County Public Schools. The school system is governed by its own elected Board of Education, which appoints a Superintendent and establishes school system policies. Board of Education
County information
Visit our Then and Now page for more information.
Check out news releases about board and commission openings on the County Executive or Council websites or call the County Executive’s office at 240-777-2500.
About one-third of Montgomery County residents live in 19 municipalities. Those municipalities are: Barnesville, Brookeville, Town of Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase View, Chevy Chase Village, Village of Chevy Chase Section 3, Village of Chevy Chase Section 5, Gaithersburg, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, Kensington, Laytonsville, Martin’s Additions, North Chevy Chase, Poolesville, Rockville, Somerset, Takoma Park, and Washington Grove. The rest of the County is not in a municipality.
Glossary of Common Initials
- CIP – Capital Improvements Program
- COG – Council of Governments (Washington area)
- DPS – Department of Permitting Services
- DPWT – Department of Public Works & Transportation
- EC – Education & Culture Committee
- ECON – Economic Development
- HHS – Health & Human Services Committee
- GOFP — Government Operations & Fiscal Policy Committee
- M-NCPPC – Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission
- OLO – Office of Legislative Oversight
- PHP – Planning, Housing & Parks Committee
- SRA—Subdivision Regulation Amendment
- TE – Transportation & Environment Committee
- WSSC—Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
- ZTA— Zoning Text Amendment