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8757 Georgia Avenue, Suite 600 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: 301.590.2000 Fax: 301.590.2248 www.gcaar.com |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2005
Contact: Amy Ritsko-Warren, Director of Communications
301.590.8764
awarren@gcaar.com
Rejected an Across the Board Freeze
After sitting through a full day of briefings and testifying in opposition at the building moratorium hearing on Tuesday at the Montgomery County Council, GCAAR was pleased that the legislation failed, and instead the council approved a more focused plan to strictly review development throughout the county.
“GCAAR fully supports the investigations that are going on in Clarksburg and sincerely believes that the planning approval process needs major review and modifications,” said Meredith R. Weisel, Esq., GCAAR Vice President of Public Policy/MD and Legal Counsel. “However, we are happy that the Council did not approve a complete ‘stop work’ order on all building plans, but instead will allow the Planning Board and Department of Permitting Services to conduct a more thorough review of pending building permits and put new procedures in place,” Weisel said.
The emergency legislation, which required six votes for passage, was defeated with 4 votes in favor and 3 against. The more targeted approach, co-sponsored by Councilmembers Tom Perez, Phil Andrews, George Leventhal, and Marilyn Praisner, then passed unanimously.
GCAAR would like to emphasize that the new actions set forth by the council do NOT impact renovations of existing properties—only new “from-the-ground-up” construction of residential and commercial properties.
The final actions are effective immediately and may be found by clicking here.
For more information, visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov.
GCAAR is the voice for REALTORS® in Washington, DC and Montgomery County, Maryland. Representing more than 11,000 real estate professionals in the greater capital area, GCAAR provides numerous services vital to its members’ daily business needs and works with lawmakers to ensure public policy that encourages home ownership.
