County Council

Members: The County Council consists of eleven councilmembers: seven district members elected by their respective districts and four at-large members elected by the entire county. Each year, the council elects two officers, a president and a vice president. Councilmembers serve four year terms, while officers serve one year terms.

Elections: Council members are limited to serving three consecutive terms. County Council elections take place every four years. The primary election takes place in June and the general election takes place in November. Due to current single-party dominance of Montgomery County, the June primary elections are especially important.

Responsibilities: The County Council has a wide range of responsibilities and authorities. The Council approves all laws and regulations and sets policy. They also exercise exclusive power over land use decisions, including the General Plan, area master plans, and sector plans. The County Council allocates and approves the operating and capital budgets, including the six-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The Council also serves as the Board of Health, exercises oversight over all county departments and their programs, sets local property tax rates and other local taxes to fund County programs, confirms major appointments made by the County Executive, and appoints members to the Planning Board and Board of Appeals.

The County Council is the final authority on the budget for departments of County Government, independent County and bi-County initiatives like Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, and the Montgomery County Planning Board. The County Executive has a line-item veto for specific budget items which the Council can override with seven votes.

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County Executive

Member: Like the Council, the Executive serves four year terms and is limited to three consecutive terms in office.

Responsibilities: The main role of the County Executive is to implement and enforce laws after they have passed the Council. Additional responsibilities include issuing executive orders and regulations, developing plans, policies, programs, and budgets for the Council and providing input on legislative matters. The Executive also appoints residents to boards, committees, and commissions. Some of the agencies that fall under the authority of the County Executive include Housing and Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and the Department of Transportation.

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Planning Board

Members: The Planning Board has five members: a Chair, Vice Chair, and three Commissioners. Each of the members serve staggered, four-year terms and are limited to serving a maximum of two full terms. No more than three members of the Planning Board may have the same political affiliation. Members are appointed by the County Council.

Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission: The five Planning Board members serve alongside the five Prince George’s County Planning Board members to make up the governing body of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency created by the Maryland General Assembly in 1927. Together, the 10 commissioners meet each month to discuss regional plans and projects.

Responsibilities: The Montgomery County Planning Board is responsible for planning Montgomery County’s future. Broadly, the Planning Board is responsible for managing physical growth; planning communities; protecting and stewarding natural, cultural, and historical resources; and providing leisure and recreational experiences.

The Planning Board oversees the Montgomery County Planning Department. The Planning Department staff is responsible for developing master plans, reviewing applications for development, and analyzing a variety of data and information to help public officials plan for the County’s future. The Planning Department is also responsible for bringing regulatory cases, master plans, functional plans, and more to the Planning Board for review.

The Planning Board also oversees Montgomery County Parks, the entity that is responsible for managing the county’s large park system. Together, the Planning Board, the Planning Department, and the Parks Department collaborate on planning decisions for the county. The Board uses recommendations from the Planning Department, Parks Department, and public input to guide decision-making.

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