November 2023 Newsletter

Greetings!

Welcome to our November newsletter!

As we head into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for all of you. I truly appreciate each person that reaches out to my office to share a constituent concern, advocate for a policy, or express thoughts about legislation. We have a wonderful community, and I am so proud to be part of it.

Also, this fall, I am trying something new with my social media. So, I want to hear from you! Send any questions you have about the Council, County Departments, legislation, and more to me at [email protected]. I will answer your questions and also share the information on my social media pages!

Please don't hesitate to contact my office if you are experiencing any issues in your community or would just like to get in touch. We are here to help with your concerns and listen to your feedback. Wishing you a safe, happy, and healthy November!

Yours in service,

Christiana Rigby (she/her)

Councilwoman, District 3

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November 16, 2023

October Legislation Wrap-Up

On November 6th, the County Council convened for our Legislative Session. The County Council took action on several pieces of legislation, including the following:

CR169-2023: A resolution adopting the Howard County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. This bill passed in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.

CR171-2023: A resolution pursuant to Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, approving the Howard County Board of Education’s Capital Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 and Capital Improvement Program Request for Fiscal Years 2026-2030 for the purpose of submission to the Interagency Commission on School Construction. This bill was tabled in a 5-0 vote and will be voted on at the November 27th legislation session at 9:00 AM. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.

CB39-2023: An act amending the definitions of "Parking Area, Parking Facility or Parking Use" and "Solar Collector, Rooftop" to ensure that solar canopies are permitted by right uses on parking structures.; and generally relating to solar canopies. This bill passed in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Councilwoman Christiana Rigby.

CB40-2023: An act removing certain exemptions for stream restoration projects in the Forest Conservation Act, removing the definition of a stream restoration project, and generally relating to the Forest Conservation Act. This bill was tabled in a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Councilmember Liz Walsh.

November Legislation

New legislation was introduced at the November 6th Legislative Session, including:

CR182-2023: A resolution endorsing the 2023 RTA/Howard County Transit Development Plan as a guide for future transit development in Howard County and in the Central Maryland region. Introduced by the Chairperson at the request of the County Executive.

CB43-2023: An act authorizing the County or the Housing Commission to assign the right to purchase by written agreement to certain entities who may acquire or finance the purchase of rental housing; clarifying the time that an offer shall remain open; amending the minimum number of affordable units; defining certain terms; providing that certain assignments may be recorded; requiring that certain covenants be recorded; and generally related to the notice and right to purchase rental housing. Introduced by the County Executive.

CB44-2023: An act prohibiting the increase in the amount of rent over a specified amount for certain regulated units; requiring the publication of the permitted amount of rent increase; allowing a landlord to apply for a capital improvement surcharge upon a showing of certain criteria; allowing a fair return for a regulated unit; providing certain exemptions; defining certain terms; requiring that certain fees be prominently displayed; setting forth penalties; inserting a severability clause; providing for the abrogation of certain provisions of this Act; establishing a workgroup to study the effect of this Act; and generally relating to rental increases in Howard County. Introduced by the County Executive and Co-Sponsored by Councilwoman Christiana Rigby.

CB45-2023: An act requiring a restaurant that offers children’s meals for sale to offer a certain number of healthy children’s meal for sale; specifying the options required for a certain children’s meal; requiring a restaurant that offers for sale a children’s meal with a beverage to include a certain default beverage; preserving a consumer’s choice to purchase and a restaurant’s right to sell a children’s meal other than a healthy children’s meal; requiring the Howard County Department of Health to create and disseminate certain written informational resources; providing for the enforcement of this Act; providing for the severability of certain provisions of this Act; and generally relating to healthy meals for children. Introduced by Councilmember Liz Walsh.

The legislation will be up for a vote at the Council's Legislative Session on December 4th at 7:00 PM.

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Community News, Events, and Updates

Harvest Heap

The Department of Recreation and Parks is hosting their first Pumpkin Palooza on Saturday, November 18th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM at HCLS' Miller Branch Library. During the event, residents can drop off pumpkins to be composted, play games, talk to master gardeners, enjoy food trucks, participate in a compost bin giveaway, and more!

If you are not able to attend the Pumpkin Palooza and participate in the County's Green Bin Composting program, you can compost pumpkins anytime. If you do not have Green Bin, pumpkins can be taken to the Alpha Ridge Landfill to be composted. Just remember to look for the green "Hungry Hippo" food scrap drop-off container.

Howard County Diaper Project

The Office of Children and Families and the Community Action Council of Howard County are hosting this year's diaper drive. Every dollar donated will directly support low-income families in need of diapers and wipes.

Monetary donations can be sent online. During the day on November 28th, in-person donations will be accepted at the Howard County Family Support Center and the Howard County Food Bank.

Reading Human Rights

To honor Native American Heritage Month, the November book for Reading Human Rights is David Treuer's The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America From 1890 to the Present. The Office of Human Rights and Equity's discussion will be held on Tuesday, November 28th at 6:30 PM at the Elkridge Branch Library.

AUSOM Meet & Greet

Join the Autism Society of Maryland (AUSOM) for a Meet and Greet on Tuesday, November 28th between 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Nonprofit Collaborative located at 9770 Patuxent Woods Drive in Columbia.

This event is a great opportunity to learn about resources, services, and activities offered by the Autism Society of Maryland.

To learn more about AUSOM, visit their website.

Security Grant Program for Nonprofits and Faith-Based Organizations

The Howard Department of County Administration and Office of Emergency Management are soliciting grant applications for the County's Nonprofit and Faith-Based Security Grant Program.

These grants will support costs associated with enhanced security operations for organizations experiencing heightened risks of hate crimes and threats of violence.

Learn more about the grant program by visiting the County Administration's website.

Become a Commissioner

The Office of Human Rights and Equity staffs five commissions comprised on resident volunteers. The follow commissions are looking for new members:

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Commission – three new adult commissioners;
LGBQIA+ Commission – three new adult commissioners and one college student;
La Alianza Latina Commission – one new adult commissioners and one high school student; and
AAPI Commission – one college student.

If you are interested in joining one of OHRE's Commissions, apply at the Office's website!

Christiana's Climate Corner

Welcome to Christiana's Climate Corner, where I will be sharing updates on environmental and sustainability efforts in Howard County, including information on legislation, events, and opportunities for you to support sustainability efforts in our community!

Spotted Lanternfly Management

Recently, we've heard from residents who have found spotted lanternflies in their community.

Don't let them fool you! They look pretty, but spotted lanternflies are invasive insects. While these pests don't bite or sting, they are a threat to agricultural crops across Maryland. The spotted lanternfly does not kill trees but can cause stress on them.

If you find a spotted lanternfly in your garden, the recommended approach is to physically kill the bugs. Insecticides are not recommended for use against the spotted lanternfly as they do not cause enough harm to landscape and garden plants to justify the use of insecticides. Instead, kill the spotted lanternfly by crushing them with gloved hands, stomping on them, or smashing them with fly swatters. Egg masses should be scraped off plants and hard surfaces, then crushed.

An alternative approach is to ensure your garden has a variety of flowering plants and plant types. Plant diversity provides food and habitat for natural predators, including spiders, praying mantids, assassin bugs, predatory stink bugs, and birds, of the spotted lanternfly.

Residents are also urged to report all sightings of spotted lanternflies! Submit your report to the Maryland Department of Agriculture online. Send your questions or concerns about the spotted lanternfly to MDA by emailing [email protected] or calling 410-841-5920.