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Sponsor and former delegate explain MC 20-25: transfer narrow permit functions from SHA to local government
Summary
Delegate Kaufman said MC 20-25 is a Sierra Club priority and that sponsors have met with county transportation and planning staff; former Delegate Al Carr, speaking as a volunteer for the Montgomery County Sierra Club, said the bill would transfer narrowly defined permitting decisions about street lights and trees from the State Highway Administration to local governments for private development projects.
Chair Spiegle introduced MC 20-25 as Delegate Kaufman’s bill and noted a yellow-sheeted, updated version of the bill was available on the committee’s shared drive.
Delegate Kaufman said the bill is a priority for the Montgomery County Sierra Club, described stakeholder meetings with county transportation and planning staff and with a home-builders’ lobbyist, and said the current language reflects that stakeholder feedback.
Former Delegate Al Carr, speaking as a volunteer for the Montgomery County Sierra Club, told the committee the bill is intended "to just transfer a very, narrow, very specific function from State Highway Administration as part of the development review process to local government." He said the change applies to private development projects and is limited to decisions about street lights and street trees at the time of permitting after a project is approved.
Chair Spiegle asked technical questions about how the bill defines "design decisions" for lighting and trees (for example, whether the term covers fixture model, pole height, tree species, or exact placement). Carr said permitting would capture specific items such as model, pole height, tree species and exact locations and described practical considerations (for example, staggering plantings so trees will not block lights).
The chair also asked how federal funding requirements or State Highway Administration obligations would affect local approvals on state highways; Carr said there was no intent to avoid federal or state requirements, and local approvals would need to respect applicable federal or SHA rules.
Committee members asked sponsors to work on precise drafting language; the group hopes to have formal amendments ready to review and possibly vote on at the next meeting, scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m.
