State lawmaker withdraws small cell tower bill that would have limited local control
State Sen. Thomas Middleton (D-Charles County) withdrew a bill that would have prevented local jurisdictions from putting in place restrictions on where small cell antennas could be located. Middleton said the bill was too controversial and that local governments and cell companies were “worlds apart” on policy governing the antennas. [Washington Post]
County reschedules public hearing on small cell tower regulations
Montgomery County rescheduled a planned Tuesday night public hearing to discuss zoning regulations that will dictate where small cell towers can be installed for 7:30 p.m. April 3 at the County Council office building in Rockville. The hearing was canceled due to Wednesday’s snowstorm.
D.C. mayor proposes plan to increase Metro funding that could impact Uber, Lyft prices in city
Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed increasing by 3.75 percent the portion of receipts the city takes from ride-sharing apps, which would increase a 5-cent charge on a $5 ride to slightly less than a quarter. Bowser proposed the increase to raise a portion of the $178.5 million in annual funds the city plans to dedicate to Metro each year so the system can be upgraded, repaired and maintained. [Washington Business Journal]
Senate bill aims to prevent evictions if landlords can’t prove they complied with lead requirements
A bill under consideration in the state Senate would require landlords to prove their properties are safe from hazardous lead paint before they can evict a tenant. Current law does not require landlords to prove their properties have been properly inspected for lead paint. An association that represents multifamily property owners said it would support the bill if the state’s database for lead poisoning inspections was accessible on the internet. [Baltimore Sun]
Only woman running for Maryland governor releases ad focused on her gender
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Krishanti Vignarajah of Gaithersburg released a YouTube ad that features her breastfeeding her infant daughter and the tagline, “They say no man can beat Larry Hogan. Well, I’m no man.” [WTOP]
Chilly day expected
A sunny high of 44 degrees with wind gusts reaching 30 mph and a nighttime low around 29 is expected Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
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