By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
The Montgomery County Planning Board has submitted its updates to the county’s Growth and Infrastructure Policy (GIP) for 2024 to 2028. As of Aug. 1, it is now in the hands of the Montgomery County Council for review.
The policy, which is revised every four years, is designed to ensure county infrastructure, like roads and schools, is sufficient to support growth and new development.
“The GIP is vital to ensuring the county is meeting the evolving needs of a growing and diverse population,” said Jason K. Sartori, planning director for Montgomery County, in a statement. “We have shifted from a growth policy decades ago that was appropriate as farmland was converted into neighborhoods, to one that complements the infill and redevelopment of maturing neighborhoods, major employment centers, town centers and downtowns that we see today.”
The top recommendations for the GIP include: extending a 50 percent impact-tax discount to developers who construct single family homes 1,800 square feet or smaller, exempting development projects that transform office space into residential units from impact taxes and exempting three or more bedroom households from school and transportation impact taxes.
The planning board also suggested that the county conduct a Local Area Transportation Review for an upcoming development project that’s expected to generate heavy traffic and forgo transportation mitigation requirements during the construction of affordable housing units.
“Our recommended updates to the growth policy ensure the county can continue to strengthen economic development opportunities while supporting transportation networks and school communities with the infrastructure needed to meet expected population and employment growth,” said a statement from Artie Harris, chair of the planning board. “The recommended GIP update is forward-thinking by aligning with the county’s goals of promoting housing for all, achieving racial equity and social justice, fighting climate change and harnessing economic development tools to create thriving communities.”
The Montgomery County Council will host a public hearing for the GIP on Sep. 10. Residents can sign up to testify at the meeting on the council’s website. The policy must be approved by November 15 under county law.
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