Montgomery County Council appoints three new Planning Board members - Pending Approval of Montgomery County Executive

March 1, 2023

Board

Shawn Bartley, James Hedrick, and Mitra Pedoeem have been appointed

WHEATON, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is pleased to welcome three new Planning Board members appointed by the Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, February 28. The new Planning Board members include Shawn Bartley (R), James Hedrick (D), and Mitra Pedoeem (I). Contingent upon the County Executive’s approval of the appointments, the new Board members could start as early as March 9, 2023.

The outgoing temporary Planning Board members include Vice Chair Amy L. Presley, David Hill, and Cherri Branson. Since their time on the five-member Planning Board over the last four months, the Planning Board has approved 122 development plans, and reviewed and provided guidance on different stages of master plans such as the Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan, the Great Seneca Plan, and the University Boulevard Corridor Plan; the Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan Design Guidelines;  and studies such as the Mapping Segregation Project and Wheaton Downtown Study.

Current Planning Board Chair Jeff Zyontz and current Planning Board member Roberto Piñero will continue to serve on the Planning Board in their positions until June 2023, and until the County Council appoints their permanent replacements.

“I welcome Shawn Bartley, James Hedrick, and Mitra Pedoeem to serve on the Planning Board and congratulate them on their appointment by the Council,” said Planning Board Chair Jeff Zyontz. “I look forward to their expertise and perspective as we continue the important work of planning for the future of Montgomery County. I also offer my heartfelt gratitude to my colleagues, Vice Chair Amy Presley and Commissioners Cherri Branson and David Hill for generously giving their time, attention, and able advice over the last several months.”

Each newly appointed Planning Board member will serve the unexpired terms of the previous Planning Board members who resigned last October 2022. The terms for the newly appointed Planning Board members are:

• Shawn Bartley (R) until June 14, 2024.
• Mitra Pedoeem (I) until June 14, 2025.
• James Hedrick (D) until June 14, 2026.

Under Section 15-103 of the Land Use Article of the Md. Code Ann., the Montgomery County Executive must approve or disapprove the Planning Board appointments within 30 days. If no communication is received, the appointments are approved.

View the Montgomery County Council press release.