Report of Investigation finds Montgomery County Planning staff and officials acted properly, provides three recommendations
An investigation by independent counsel Douglas M. Bregman, appointed by the M-NCPPC’s Montgomery County Planning Board, has found no evidence of improper conduct on the part of Montgomery County Planning staff and officials regarding the allegations that the approval of the Dellabrooke subdivision in 2000 was the result of faulty information and undue influence.
As a result of a five-month long investigation, Bregman’s 98-page report reached the following two conclusions:
- There was no improper conduct or undue influence in the Planning Board’s approval of Dellabrooke Phase III or the related Category I conservation easement.
- Montgomery County Planning officials did not engage in improper conduct in order to suppress or ignore the allegations pertaining to the Dellabrooke area and the community.
The report also provided three recommendations for Montgomery County Planning related to providing service to the public:
- Create a centralized system of records maintenance for development applications.
- Develop an official, formal policy for assigning addresses.
- Consider opportunities to address underlying issues during pending litigation to respond to public need.
Review background materials related to the Dellabrooke investigation below.
Questions or comments? Email bridget.schwiesow@montgomeryplanning.org or call 301.641.0457
News release (Dec. 11, 2013)
Planning Board Receives Dellabrooke Subdivision Final Report From Independent Investigation
Report (Dec. 11, 2013)
View the full Report of Investigation prepared by senior attorney Douglas M. Bregman of Bregman, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC(pdf, 4.5MB)
Attachments to the report (pdf, 600KB)
Review the full list of attachments from the investigation
- News release (July 19, 2013)
Montgomery County Planning Board Approves Addresses for Sandy Spring Farm Road Properties - Planning Board Agenda (July 18, 2013)
Brooke Road Address Plan - News release (June 27, 2013)
Montgomery County Planning Board Appoints Douglas Bregman to Investigate Farm Road Case - Minor Master Plan Amendment
- Sandy Spring / Ashton Master Plan (1998)