New Council President Seeks Freeze on Projects

Praisner acted immediately after being named to lead the council. (Courtesy Of Marilyn-p. Praisner)

The new president of the Montgomery County Council signaled her intention yesterday to quickly move in a different direction, calling for a freeze on dozens of large residential and commercial projects for the next seven months.

Moments after being selected as the council's leader, Marilyn Praisner (D-Eastern County) introduced a temporary moratorium to give the council time to revamp the county's approach to managing growth.

Developments already approved by the Department of Park and Planning, and those near Metro stations, could be built even if the measure is approved when it comes to a vote next month.

Praisner's proposal, which came one day after the newly elected council was sworn in, was a sure sign that pro-growth sentiment on the nine-member panel has faded and that slower-growth proponents are in charge. The measure sets up an early litmus test for the council and for County Executive Isiah "Ike" Leggett (D), who campaigned to slow growth in Montgomery.

Planning analysts told the council that Praisner's proposal could affect plans for more than 5,000 housing units and more than 3 million square feet of other types of development -- including a more-than-$100 million expansion of Westfield Montgomery mall, a remodeling of a 1970s-era Giant Food store and a Winchester Homes condominium complex.

Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson said the measure could have limited impact.

"If the objective is to stop development for some period of time, it would not do that, because it does not stop the issuance of building permits," he said.

About 30 projects could be approved before the moratorium would take effect, said development review chief Rose Krasnow.

Marc Elrich, (D-At Large), a newly elected council member, backed the moratorium, which he called a "pause."

"It's not like development is going to come to a screeching halt," he said. "This is the sensible thing to do to get our growth policy in shape."

The moratorium proposal must be aired at a public hearing and would need Leggett's signature to take effect. Separately, Praisner introduced a resolution yesterday that would require county planners to speed up review of policies that guide development so that the council could complete revisions before its August 2007 recess.

Three of the newly elected members -- Elrich, Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) and Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At-Large) -- joined Praisner (D-Eastern County) and incumbent Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville) in sponsoring the resolution to ask the Planning Board to act immediately on the Annual Growth Policy, which was not scheduled for review until next fall.

Nanci Porten, head of Porten Homes, based in Montgomery, said in an interview that moratoriums are a bad idea. "It is too punishing to businesses that are financially committed to their projects and the process," she said. Although she said there are weaknesses in the county's regulation of development, she said it should not stop projects while it reexamines its policies.

Giant spokesman Barry F. Scher, whose company is expanding a store on Bel Pre Road, echoed those concerns.

"We would have wasted a great deal of time and money."

Praisner's proposal seeks to counter the council's 2003 vote to ease growth restrictions. The council -- then dominated by the pro-growth, end-gridlock slate that then-County Executive Douglas M. Duncan (D) helped to elect -- eliminated a traffic test, lifting a de facto moratorium on new homes in congested areas.

Last year, as irregularities at Clarksburg Town Center came to light, Duncan imposed a temporary moratorium on building permits to more carefully scrutinize them.

Council member Nancy Floreen (D-At Large), one of three remaining end-gridlock members, said yesterday that moratoriums should be reserved for emergencies.

"It's a political statement here, and I respect that," she said. "But the implications for affordable housing, for churches, is very significant, and without giving anyone any direction as to where we're going on this."