​CHAMBER SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTS BIOHEALTH PRIORITY LEGISLATION

April 20, 2022
 
Actively advocating for pro-economic development policies is one of the Greater Bethesda Chamber's highest priorities.  

Earlier this year, the Chamber took the lead in coordinating with other chambers of commerce to successfully advance a measure that makes Montgomery County more competitive in the race to attract the life sciences industry to our community. 
Approved by the County Council in February, the measure establishes a streamlined approval process for the development and expansion of biohealth campuses. This groundbreaking policy takes the development approval process that lasts 1 1/2 years and shortens it to five months.  It applies to new biohealth facilities of at least 150,000 square feet or existing biohealth facilities already located in the County that are expanding by 50,000 square feet or more.
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"Montgomery County has many advantages that can make us a hub for the biohealth and life science industries," said Chamber President Allie Williams in his comments before the County Council.  " However great these advantages are, they aren't enough to get us to the finish line.  This enhanced approval process represents a huge step forward in proclaiming to the world that Montgomery County is most certainly open for business." 
This is just one of the many issues on which the Chamber has taken a lead.  Read more about the Biohealth Priority Campus approval process here.  To learn more our public policy agenda, visit our website's advocacy page.