Francoise Carrier Named as Next Planning Chair

Following is the press release from the County Council.

Francoise Carrier Named New Chair of Montgomery County Planning Board
County Council Votes Unanimously for Rockville Resident

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 18, 2010—The Montgomery County Council on May 18 voted unanimously to name Francoise Carrier of Rockville to a four-year term as the new chair of the Montgomery County Planning Board. She will fill the seat of Royce Hanson, whose term will expire on June 14. Dr. Hanson did not apply for reappointment.

The appointment will now go to County Executive Isiah Leggett for approval. If approved, Ms. Carrier will take office on or after June 14.

Ms. Carrier is a director and hearing examiner with the Montgomery County Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings. She has worked for that office since 2001, carrying out the functions of an administrative law judge in land use and human rights cases, presiding over approximately 15-25 trial-type hearings per year and managing pre-hearing procedural matters. She issues detailed recommendations in cases decided by the County Council or another agency, and opinions in cases decided directly by the County’s hearing examiner.

A graduate of Stanford Law School with a background in economics and land use law, she previously worked for three Washington, D.C., law firms over a period of 17 years.

“This is a tremendous honor,” Ms. Carrier told the Council following her appointment. “I am excited about serving the County in this challenging position.”

Prior to appointing Ms. Carrier, the Council set the salary for the position at $160,000.

A total of 16 people originally applied for the position. In addition to Ms. Carrier, the Council also interviewed Peter Fosselman of Kensington, Tedi Osias of Chevy Chase and John Robinson of Kensington.

No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position could have been filled by a Democrat, a Republican; a voter who declined to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Ms. Carrier is a Democrat. Other members of the Planning Board are Joseph Alfandre, Democrat; Norman Dreyfuss, a Republican; Amy Presley, a Republican; and Marye Wells-Harley, a Democrat.

The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as Commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of County General Plan; preparation and amendment of Master Plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of or recommendations on text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implication of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its Mandatory Referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices.

The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget; land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.

The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month.

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