Appointment of James Hedrick To The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Appointment of James Hedrick To The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Marc Elrich
County Executive
MEMORANDUM
March 24, 2023
TO: Evan Glass, President
Montgomery County Council
FROM: Marc Elrich, County Executive
SUBJECT: Disapproval of the Appointment of James Hedrick to the Maryland-National
Capital Park and Planning Commission
Section 15-103 of the Land Use Article of the Maryland Code provides for the County Executive
to approve or disapprove appointments of commissioners to the Maryland-National Capital Park
and Planning Commission. On March 1, 2023, the Council submitted the appointment of James
Hedrick to me for consideration.
I met with Mr. Hedrick for almost two hours on Friday, March 10, and have reviewed his
participation in land use issues in Montgomery County, his comments on social media, and other
work. After this review, I have decided to disapprove his appointment to the Planning Board.
The Council has taken extraordinary action to address Planning Board improprieties that fueled
the public perception that the Planning Board was tendentious with little interest in community
input. Our shared goal is to restore confidence in the Board by appointing members who are
open-minded, dedicated to the public interest, and committed to transparency. In addition, new
board members should welcome robust community participation galvanized by comprehensive
public outreach, particularly to racial, ethnic, and low-income communities.
In the nuanced work of planning, there is a need to recognize the opinions and lived experiences
of others and to come to the table ready to work together. During my interview with Mr.
Hedrick, he made it clear that he has no interest in doing this difficult work. Instead, his
comments to me, as well as on social media, demonstrate an ideological close-mindedness as
well as a disdain for those whose views do not comport with his. This seems particularly true
regarding the widely recognized need for more housing in the county.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
101 Monroe Street • Rockville, Maryland 20850
240-777-2500 • 240-777-2544 TTY • 240-777-2518 FAX
www.montgomerycountymd.gov
Disapproval of the Appointment of James Hedrick to the Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission
March 24, 2023
Page 2 of 2
Mr. Hedrick’s view is that we need greater housing densities everywhere, that he has “heard the
same arguments” from those who oppose his view, and that he “doesn’t have a lot of patience
with those people.” He seemed unaware that over the past 16 years, master plans have been used
to substantially increase housing densities. He also seemed unaware of the fact that the forecasts
for population growth in the county are based on the densities adopted in these master plans.
This demonstrates a basic lack of understanding of the county’s master plan process, one of the
most important elements of the Planning Board’s responsibilities and one that requires balancing
sometimes competing policies – what rezoning is needed to encourage buildout; what steps must
be taken to promote racial equity and social justice issues such as displacement and
gentrification; what consideration must be given to the environmental consequences of increased
land coverage.
The appointment of a new Planning Board is an opportunity for a fresh start, removed from the
toxic atmosphere that permeated the defunct Planning Board at all levels, including social media.
Unfortunately, Mr. Hedrick perpetuates, rather than alleviates, that atmosphere. He has made
insulting and dismissive statements about those with opposing viewpoints. When asked about
this, he disappointingly expressed no regrets.
Such rigid views are anathema to restoring the reputation of the Planning Board and the public’s
confidence in its decisions. Land use planning in Montgomery County is at an inflection point
that will determine how we move forward in addressing housing and community building
mindful of the important role land use decisions play in ameliorating the increasingly apparent
effects of climate-driven storm events on our homes, businesses, and transportation systems. We
need Planning Board members with good judgment who are open-minded, constructive, and,
above all, interested in hearing from all sides in a fair and transparent process before they have
reached a decision. Mr. Hedrick does not meet those standards.
Therefore, under the powers vested to the County Executive in Section 15-103(a)(7) of the Land
Use Article, the appointment of James Hedrick to the Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission is DISAPPROVED.
