Two measures to incentivize Capital Bikeshare development got unanimous approval from the Montgomery County Council today, before the County plans to install 11 stations next spring in Bethesda.

One of the bills will allow the county to use funds from a special development tax to build and maintain the system, which officials hope can duplicate the success of Bikeshare in Arlington and D.C. The second measure allows for building permits for a Bikeshare station without an approved site plan, something developers told the county would be an obstacle.

“These two pieces of legislation are a response to feedback we heard from the private sector as to what our County could do to make partnering with us a more attractive option to developers as we work to expand Capital Bikeshare to Montgomery County,” said Council President Berliner (D-Bethesda-Potomac). “I am very optimistic that we are making progress on this endeavor.”

Flickr photo by James D. Schwartz