The Montgomery County Council will meet Tuesday, May 5 to introduce several bills, including a proposed six-month moratorium on data center permits, updates to volunteer fire and rescue benefits, changes to employee retirement systems, and making a small business grant program permanent, while also reviewing multiple Fiscal Year 2027 operating budgets for agencies such as police, fire and rescue, public schools, libraries, and Montgomery College, along with proposed increases to the county’s 9-1-1 fee and approval of a new agreement with volunteer fire-rescue personnel. Full agenda below courtesy Montgomery County:
“The Montgomery County Council will meet on Tuesday, May 5 at 9 a.m. and the meeting will begin with two proclamation presentations. The first, presented by the full Council, will recognize Jewish American Heritage Month. The second, presented by Councilmember Andrew Friedson, will recognize Affordable Housing Month. The Council will present two additional proclamations at 1 p.m. The first afternoon proclamation, presented by Council President Natali Fani-González, will recognize National Travel and Tourism Week. The second, presented by the Education and Culture (EC) Committee with County Executive Marc Elrich, will recognize Education Appreciation Week.
More detail on each agenda item is provided below.
Legislative Session
Introduction: Lead sponsor Councilmember Evan Glass will introduce Expedited Bill 19-26, Buildings – Moratorium on Permits for Data Centers – Established, which would establish a temporary moratorium on permits for a data center issued by the Department of Permitting, Inspections and Enforcement. The moratorium would suspend permit approval processing for six months after the bill would take effect. The aim of the bill is to allow the County time to study, evaluate and adopt appropriate laws, zoning requirements or regulations governing the permitting of data centers in the County…