THE CALVIN BALL BULLETIN
 
Legislative Edition
September 2018

Phone: 410-313-2001
3430 Court House Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043
In This Issue
Welcome! The Council will soon conclude our August recess and legislation prefiled last week will be formally introduced at our Legislative Session Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 7pm.

This newsletter highlights bills proposed by the Howard County Council and the Howard County State Delegation as well as highlights important upcoming community meetings by both governing bodies. 

To promote an engaged citizenry, I encourage you to review this information and lend your voice by testifying via email or in person.  For Council bills, please email us at councilmail@howardcountymd.gov . You can also attend our Legislative Public Hearings, generally held the 3rd Monday of each month. To sign-up in advance to testify, click here. For information on upcoming hearings for the Delegation, please email  hoc1@mlis.state.md.us

I hope you have found this newsletter informative and were able to lend your voice to our legislative process. As always, thank you for helping us make Howard County a better, brighter place!

COUNCIL-RELATED LEGISLATION
Howard County Council Legislation

Unless otherwise noted, the following legislation is introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive. 
SPOTLIGHTED LEGISLATION
Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT repealing the mobile home site rental tax; and generally relating to mobile home developments.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball, Greg Fox and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT amending provisions for the posting of notice to require specified information and uniform signs; and generally relating to the posting of notice signs.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT requiring that Department of Planning and Zoning designees appear at quasi-judicial Planning Board hearings under oath, under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the Department of Planning and Zoning.

PREFILED LEGISLATION
All prefiled legislation will be introduced at the Council's upcoming legislative session.  Click here to view prefiled legislation.

APPOINTMENTS

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Anuja Sonalker to the Economic Development Authority Board of Directors.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Cynthia Gula to the Equal Business Opportunity Commission.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Judith Ann Chernoff to the Board of Health.
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Erica M. Martin to the Board of Health.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jill A. RachBeisel to the Board of Health.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Jae Chon to the Pension Oversight Commission.
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Michael Richardson to the Personnel Board (Employee Member).

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Matthew Burns to the Personnel Board (Alternate Employee Member).

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Kelly McLaughlin to the Board to Promote to Self-Sufficiency.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of J. Michael Bennett to the Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the reappointment of Ian Kennedy to the Housing Commission.
GENERAL

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT to assist in the implementation of the Ellicott City flood mitigation plan by transferring a total of $15,759,000 to Capital Project C0337, Ellicott City Improvements and Enhancements, and a total of $1,000,000 to Capital Project D1175, Valley Mede/Chatham Flood Mitigation, from various capital projects in the Fiscal Year 2019 Capital Budget.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION making certain corrections to the schedules of fees, fines and charges for functions regulated by the Howard County Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits.

Introduced by: Jon Weinstein
AN ACT to ban the sale or use of certain coal tar and similar pavement sealing products; and generally related to the control of surface applied pavement sealing products in the County.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT making emergency appropriations pursuant to Section 610(b) of the Howard County Charter and amending the Annual Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for Fiscal Year 2019 in order to implement the Ellicott City flood mitigation plan; and declaring that this Act is an Emergency Bill necessary to meet a public emergency affecting life, health or property.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT for the purpose of authorizing and empowering Howard County, Maryland to borrow money in an aggregate principal amount of up to $15,775,000 on its full faith and credit, and issue and sell its bonds therefor, to be used to pay costs of various capital projects, more particularly described in the County's Fiscal Year 2019 Capital Budget, and to pay costs of issuance of such bonds; authorizing the County to issue bond and grant anticipation notes or to enter into installment purchase agreements for payment of portions of such costs; and to levy taxes upon the assessable property within the County sufficient, together with other available funds, to pay the debt service on such obligations; and providing for and determining various matters in connection therewith.
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT amending the purpose of the Howard County Agricultural Land Preservation Act; defining certain terms; amending the title of the Howard County Agricultural Land Preservation Act to be the Howard County Agricultural Sustainability and Land Preservation Act; amending the name of the Agricultural Land Preservation Board to be the Agricultural Preservation Board; amending the name of certain subtitles; clarifying the duties and responsibilities of the Agricultural Preservation Board; reorganizing the Executive Branch of County Government pursuant to Section 403 of the Howard County Charter to allow the Office of Community Sustainability to act as the Executive Secretary to the Agricultural Preservation Board; making certain technical corrections; combining certain sections; and generally relating to the Agricultural Sustainability and Land Preservation Act.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT adopting the International Building Code, 2018, the International Residential Code, 2018, the International Mechanical Code, 2018, and the International Energy Conservation Code, 2018; providing that such codes collectively comprise the Howard County Building Code; regulating the design, construction, alteration, improvement, or modification of a building, structure, or other related equipment; adopting certain local amendments to the Building Code; adopting penalties for the violation of the Building Code; making certain technical corrections; and generally relating to the regulation of building and construction in Howard County.
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT adopting the 2018 International Plumbing Code and the National Fuel Gas Code (NFPA 54-2018), as the Plumbing and Gasfitting Code for Howard County in order to protect the public health and safety by setting forth criteria for the design and installation of plumbing and gasfitting systems; adopting local amendments to the Plumbing and Gasfitting code; making certain technical corrections; and generally relating to the Plumbing and Gasfitting Code for Howard County.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT adopting certain national codes as the Howard County Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing; adopting local amendments; making certain technical corrections; and generally relating to the Howard County Property Maintenance Code for Rental Housing.

CB67-2018
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
AN ACT pursuant to Section 612 of the Howard County Charter, approving a Lease Agreement between Howard County, Maryland and AGS Borrower Lakeview, LLC for the lease of office space located at 9801 Broken Land Parkway, Columbia, Howard County for use by the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Environmental Services; and authorizing the County Executive to take certain actions in connection with the Lease Agreement.

Introduced by: The Chairperson
AN ACT repealing and reenacting Section 2 of Council Bill 46-2016, which specified the application of certain provisions to certain properties for which any site development plan or Conditional Use applications for a Gasoline Service Station had been submitted, to correct for and accommodate an interpretation of the original legislation which did not reflect the Council's original intent.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball, Greg Fox and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT amending provisions for the posting of notice to require specified information and uniform signs; and generally relating to the posting of notice signs.

Introduced by: Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT requiring the Zoning Counsel to appear at Planning Board Hearings to support adherence to the Downtown Columbia Plan where there are requests to approve certain plans or aspects of development in Downtown Columbia; and generally relating to Zoning Counsel and development in Downtown Columbia.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT requiring that Department of Planning and Zoning designees appear at quasi-judicial Planning Board hearings under oath, under certain circumstances; and generally relating to the Department of Planning and Zoning.

TABLED LEGISLATION

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of Windsor Forest Fox Chasing HOA, Inc. and Gaither Hunt Homeowners Association, Inc.
A RESOLUTION to close all of Winter Thicket Road, as shown in Exhibits A and B, in accordance with Section 18.204 of the Howard County Code.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of David Drasin to the Multimodal Transportation Board.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Michael Lee to the Board to Promote Self-Sufficiency.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Ellen L. Kuhn to the Advisory Board on Consumer Protection.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION confirming the appointment of Judy Zhao to the Commission for Women.

Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION pursuant to Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code, authorizing the County Executive's sale of certain real property known as the "Flier Building" owned by Howard County, Maryland, containing approximately 2.159 acres, and located at 10750 Little Patuxent Parkway, Maryland; waiving the advertising and bidding requirements of Section 4.201 of the Howard County Code; and providing that the County Executive is not bound to sell the property if he finds that it may have a further public use.
CR112-2017
Introduced by: The Chairperson at the request of the County Executive
A RESOLUTION amending the green neighborhood standards that are used to qualify for Green Neighborhood Allocations and amending a total number of possible points on the Green Neighborhood Site portion of the Green Neighborhood Checklist.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
A RESOLUTION calling on the Maryland State Department of Education to contract for a performance audit of the Howard County Public School System and specifying the issues requested to be studied.

Introduced by: The Chairperson 
AN ACT prohibiting participation in specified County bidding by persons who have participated in specified activities related to assisting the County in developing the purchasing specifications, invitations, or requests for proposals; and generally relating to the Howard County Purchasing Law.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT repealing the mobile home site rental tax; and generally relating to mobile home developments.

Introduced by: Calvin Ball and Jennifer Terrasa
AN ACT amending the Howard County Code to amend the requirements for new developments on Scenic Roads; and generally relating to Scenic Roads.





THE PROCESS
The County Council is responsible for adopting the laws of the County. The legislative process generally follows a monthly cycle:
  • 1st Monday - New legislation is introduced; legislation from prior month is given final consideration 
  • 3rd Monday - Public hearing on legislation introduced that month
  • 4th Monday - Legislative work session, if needed
Council bills must be signed or vetoed by the County Executive within 10 days of the Council's presentation of passed legislation.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Unless otherwise noted, the County Council will hold its meetings in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD.  The next meetings are as follows:  
  • Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.; Legislative Session
  • Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at 8:30 a.m.; Monthly Meeting (C. Vernon Gray)
  • Monday, September 17, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.; Legislative Public Hearing
  • Monday, September 24, 2018 at 4:30 p.m.; Legislative Work Session (C. Vernon Gray)
  • Monday, October 1, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.; Legislative Session
Please note these dates are subject to change.  To access the most up-to-date calendar of meetings in its entirety, click  here .
 
C an't attend a meeting but still want to stay involved?  You can stream the Council's sessions online and click on the meeting you would like to watch.  The Council's sessions are also streamed in real time on this website.
HOWARD COUNTY DELEGATION
2019 Legislative Session

The 2019 legislative session will begin on January 9, 2019. As of July 1, 2018, our Delegation chairmen are Senator Guy Guzzone and Delegate Terri L. Hill. The Howard County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly will hold a public hearing on proposed local legislation in the late Fall of 2018 and a public hearing on statewide issues in February 2019 in Howard County. The Delegation will hold work sessions, open to the public, in Annapolis during the legislative session to discuss proposed legislation. Additional details about future public hearings and delegation meetings will be posted on this page as they are scheduled.

You can view legislation of interest on the  Maryland General Assembly (MGA) website. The MGA website includes information about hearing schedules and rules pertaining to giving testimony to the assigned committees, as well as recordings of hearings and legislative sessions, legislation status, and related documents.
I hope you have found this information insightful as the County Council continues to advocate on behalf of Howard County. Consider lending your voice to our legislative process and please feel free to share this information with your friends, family, and neighbors to help me in my goal to create an informed citizenry.

All the best,
 Council Member 

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others ." -Douglas MacArthur