Planning Board candidates stress affordable housing, outreach and equity in council interviews

James Hedrick and John Schilliting appeared before the Montgomery County Council on July 14 as finalists for appointment to the county Planning Board, stressing affordable housing, sustainability and stepped-up community engagement as the board’s immediate priorities.

Hedrick, who identified himself as executive director of Rockville Housing Enterprises, said his work on tax‑credit developments and public housing gives him direct experience with the types of deeply affordable projects the county needs. “We need more deeper affordable production,” Hedrick said, adding that transit‑oriented development and clean energy are critical to long‑term sustainability.

Schilliting, who described a long career in architecture, planning and municipal management in Gaithersburg and elsewhere, pointed to his work rewriting a city zoning code and overseeing major mixed‑use projects. He said he supports the county’s Thrive Montgomery 2050 plan and emphasized that supply is a central driver of affordability: “The more supply we have of housing in the county, the more affordable housing will be in general,” he said.

Council members pressed both candidates on racial equity, community outreach and whether they could avoid conflicts of interest. Both pledged to use outreach to underserved communities and to ensure people with lived experience are included in planning. Hedrick said the Planning Board has expanded door‑to‑door canvassing and placed commissioners at community events to gather views beyond public hearings. Schilliting described participation in a Government Alliance on Race and Equity regional cohort during a recent zoning code rewrite.

On conflicts and time commitments, Hedrick said his work with Rockville Housing Enterprises is monitored by ethics counsel and that he would check potential cross‑jurisdiction conflicts. Schilliting said he would consult county and city attorneys if any possible conflict arose but does not expect his other municipal roles to impede participation.

The interviews were held as part of the council’s regular confirmation process; councilmembers repeatedly framed the conversation around increasing housing supply—including “gap” or “missing middle” housing such as duplexes, triplexes and small condos—while ensuring that development benefits existing residents.

Next steps: the council will consider these interviews in its upcoming appointment process. No appointment vote was recorded in the transcript.