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Rockville staff asks council for FY2027 priorities; residents—projects prioritize walkability and parks
Summary
Staff presented the FY2027 budgeting timeline and sought mayor-and-council direction; initial public input (65 proposed projects and 192 survey respondents to date) emphasized pedestrian safety, walkability, parks, lighting, infrastructure maintenance and community safety.
City staff used a Jan. 5 work session to seek mayor-and-council guidance that will shape the FY2027 proposed budget, highlighting public-submitted projects and survey results that emphasize pedestrian safety, neighborhood connectivity and parks.
Presenters Stacy Webster and Kimberly Francisco told the council the FY2027 process is anchored in guiding principles adopted in May 2024 and that staff has received 65 project proposals and 192 survey responses as of Dec. 5, 2025. Top themes included pedestrian crossings and safety, traffic calming, neighborhood walkability, lighting and visibility, park and trail improvements, signage and beautification; staff said these themes will inform departmental reviews and internal balancing ahead of the March proposed budget release.
Council members asked staff to segment survey responses by residency (to separate in-city from out-of-city respondents), to provide clearer status updates on ongoing capital projects (for example, whether a project remains in design or has moved to construction), and to ensure the city———udget equity toolkit and JEDI considerations are applied to project prioritization. Councilmembers also raised specific project requests, including pedestrian improvements on Maryland 28 to connect East Rockville and Twinbrook and continued attention to the Rockville Pike plan and East Rockville neighborhood plan.
Staff said the proposed budget will include the America250 events where appropriate, and that the city is building an interactive digital budget book with charts and project status so council and the public can better compare prior and proposed years. Staff confirmed the proposed budget is scheduled for introduction in March and will incorporate community input, targeted outreach to underrepresented groups, and project sequencing questions the council raised.
Next step: staff will incorporate council feedback, further segment and analyze survey responses by residency, and return with the proposed FY2027 budget in March.
