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Council committee introduces bill to repeal county Transportation Demand Management law
Summary
Council members introduced a bill to repeal the county’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) law, citing low compliance, changed commuting patterns, and conflicts between committee priorities; regulators and the inspector general report are slated for review.
Montgomery County Council members introduced expedited bill 24‑25 on June 17 to repeal the county’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) law, citing low compliance, changing work and commuting patterns, and questions about the law’s implementation.
Councilmember Balcom, speaking for the Transportation and Environment Committee, said the law—amended in 2019 with implementing regulations received in 2023—was drafty and poorly implemented. “The Inspector General’s report stated that implementation of this program has not been universal and compliance has been extremely low,” Balcom said. The committee concluded repeal is the most appropriate next step so the county can reexamine the goals and craft a new approach with the Department of Transportation.
Councilmember Elias, who serves on both Transportation & Environment and Economic Development committees, said repeal would make it easier for businesses to operate and, combined with telework and better transit, could better meet 2025 commuting realities. County staff counsel Miss McCartney Green noted the bill includes notices to affected owners and employers, explains lien release procedures for developments with recorded TDM liens, and provides that pending projects with approved TDM plans would not require further TDM approvals if the law is repealed.
Sponsors said the repeal does not mean the county will abandon the underlying goals—reducing single‑occupant vehicle trips and increasing non‑auto mode share—but that those goals warrant a fresh policy and implementation approach. A separate resolution and review of outstanding draft regulations from MCDOT were scheduled for the following week; the Inspector General’s audit committee will review the audit prior to committee action on repeal.
The bill was introduced and will proceed through committee and public hearings (public hearing scheduled per the council packet). Supporters and cosponsors noted the complexity of the law and trade-offs between telework and commercial property impacts as central considerations.
