Following is the press release from the County Council.
Norman Dreyfuss Selected for Vacant Seat On Montgomery County Planning Board
ROCKVILLE, Md., February 9, 2010—Norman Dreyfuss, a developer of real estate ranging from residences to commercial shopping centers and a commissioner on the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, today was named by the County Council to a vacant position on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The vacancy was created by the passing of board member Jean Cryor on Nov. 3.
Mr. Dreyfuss, a Republican who has been a County resident for about 40 years, will fill Ms. Cryor’s term that expires on June 14, 2011.
Mr. Dreyfuss, who lives in Potomac, was selected by a 7-2 vote. Council President Nancy Floreen, Vice President Valerie Ervin and Councilmembers Roger Berliner, Mike Knapp, George Leventhal, Nancy Navarro and Duchy Trachtenberg supported the nomination of Mr. Dreyfuss. Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Marc Elrich supported applicant Kenneth Hurdle.
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. Ms. Cryor was a Republican. The position had to be filled by a Republican.
The other board members are Chairman Royce Hanson, a Democrat; Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Amy Presley, a Republican and Marye Wells-Harley, a Democrat. Annual compensation for board members is currently $30,000.
Mr. Dreyfuss’s accomplishments include the development of the Leisure World senior living community in Silver Spring. It is the region’s largest age-restricted community with more than 8,000 residents.
In his letter of application, Mr. Dreyfuss said he “has formed and been president of at least 40 homeowner and condominium associations during that time period [that he has been a developer] and can honestly say we have never had a dispute which has not been resolved amicably regarding any homeowner issues.” He also wrote, “I believe in cooperative compliance and a consensus-building process which respects the various views of all the interested parties.”
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.
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