Montgomery County Planning Board to Consider Park Budget, Forest Conservation at Special Meeting

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board will meet in a special session at
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 24 at its Silver Spring headquarters, Board
Chairman Royce Hanson announced today. Hanson scheduled the extra meeting,
which is open to the public, to allow the Board extra time beyond its regular
weekly meetings to consider regulatory and policy issues.

The Board will hear three issues: the
2007 proposed Parks Department budget, pending changes to the county Forest
Conservation Law, and new rules for enforcing Board rules and actions.
Considering the rules of enforcement, which would clarify the Board’s legal
authority in setting regulations and taking action in violation cases, will be
part of a closed session.

The
Parks and Recreation budget workshop will include an overview of current and
proposed activities in county parks. The Board oversees acquisition and
development of county parkland and is responsible for construction, maintenance and operation of close
to 33,000 acres of parkland
and more than 400 parks.

The Forest Conservation Law requires anyone submitting a
development proposal to implement tree and forest protection strategies on
site. County planners are working to simplify the existing Forest Conservation
Law to provide greater clarity for developers and residents about when and how
it applies.

WHO:

Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:

Specially scheduled Board meeting

WHEN:

7 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, 2007

WHERE:

Montgomery County Planning Department Auditorium, 8787 Georgia
Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910-3760