The new Montgomery planning commissioners temporarily replace a board that resigned amid ethics investigations and leaked allegations of misbehavior
The Montgomery County Council appointed a former planning department staffer and a former planning board member
Thursday to serve as part of a temporary planning board after the previous board resigned amid investigations into ethical lapses and misbehavior.The two were among five residents appointed to serve until a new council elected in November selects a permanent board. The acting members selected were Jeffrey Zyontz, a lawyer who worked for both the planning department and the Montgomery council on land use issues; Amy Presley, a former planning board member and Clarksburg activist; Cherri Branson, the county’s former procurement chief who served a year on the council; David Hill, a former member of the Rockville Planning Commission; and Roberto Piñero, a former housing analyst for the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
The board approves development proposals and recommends community master plans, zoning changes and land use policies to the council. It is considered highly influential because questions about how, where and how quickly development should occur