Dear Neighbors:
Here is a link to the agenda for the March 16 City Council Meeting:
http://documents.takomaparkmd.gov/government/city-council/agendas/2016/agenda-20160316.pdf
Detailed background information on each agenda item is available through the link. In addition, the agenda is pasted into this email below.
Please note that the 6:30 PM Closed Session with the Police Chief that is listed on the agenda has been postponed until next week, so the City Council Meeting this week will start at the usual time of 7:30 PM.
The first two items on the agenda will be considered as First Reading Ordinances, meaning that they will be the subject of preliminary votes, with final votes at least a week later.
Item #1 relates to various adjustments to the City budget, the most important of which is the receipt by the City of $453,000 from the Maryland Comptroller's Office that had been misdirected over a period of several years to Montgomery County. There are several other smaller adjustments. I plan to vote in favor of the ordinance, though I believe it will be important for us to get an explanation from City staff as to how these adjustments will affect our upcoming decisions relating the City budget and taxes for the coming year.
The second agenda item authorizes the expenditure of $50,000 for legal services form the law firm selected last year by the City to represent the City in the Takoma Junction redevelopment project. I will be supporting the ordinance.
We will then have what I anticipate will be a lengthy discussion with Neighborhood Development Corporation, the developer selected last year by the Council to partner with the City on the Takoma Junction development project, on the status of NDC's pre-development work on the project. I encourage residents to attend the public comment period of the meeting to offer their views on the Takoma Junction project.
Finally, we will discuss two Montgomery County proposals that would expand the County Bed and Breakfast definitions to include sharing economy options like Airbnb. The proposals would have the effect of making it easier for homeowners to rent out space in residential areas of Takoma Park for longer periods of time.
Please feel free to let me know if you have any comments or concerns, or if you would like to discuss these or any other City matters.
Peter Kovar
Takoma Park City Council
Ward One