The Town Courier: Cities Evaluate School Overcrowding

The mayors and city councils of Rockville and Gaithersburg met on May 14 to discuss the adequate public facilities ordinances (APFO) in place in both cities and in Montgomery County. The conversation focused specifically on how APFO policies effect school overcrowding in the county.APFO policies are put in place to legislate a balance between the development of new communities and the existence of the infrastructure required to support the needs of these communities. For example, a new subdivision may not be constructed if the existing infrastructure — including roads, sewers, fire departments and schools — is not adequate to support the new community.
The May 14 discussion between officials from the two cities centered on the state of their schools. The city of Rockville’s APFO does not allow its schools to exceed capacity by more than 110 percent, while Gaithersburg’s ordinance allows its schools to exceed capacity by 120 percent. The Montgomery County APFO also allows schools to exceed capacity by 120 percent...

 “The system currently in place is not working, and we should sit down with the county executive and county Planning Board to figure out the best way to do this. Everyone involved has said that they would like to be a part of the discussion, and I would like to start the process this summer,” said Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz.

http://www.towncourier.com/2012/06/22/cities-evaluate-school-overcrowding/