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Bethesda Downtown Design Advisory Panel

Purpose

The Design Advisory Panel (DAP) is an integral part of the Bethesda Overlay Zone. The primary goal of the Design Advisory Panel is to provide advice and recommendations that will heighten design excellence and improve the quality of architecture, urban design and landscape architecture in Bethesda. The Advisory Panel will be guided by the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan and the related Design Guidelines.

View the Design Advisory Panel Rules of Procedure (updated September 2020).

Panel Members

  • Yulia Beltikova, Registered Architect from the Greater Montgomery County Community
  • Jonathan Fitch, Registered Landscape Architect
  • Rod Henderer, Bethesda Community Member
  • Robert Sponseller, Representing Academia
  • John Tschiderer, Member of the Development Community
  • Paul Mortensen, Ex-officio Member, Senior Urban Designer in the Director’s Office

Submission Requirements

  1. Schedule a Design Advisory Panel review date with the Design Advisory Panel Liaison.
  2. A minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled Design Advisory Panel meeting, provide the completed Submission Form and drawings for review in PDF format to the Design Advisory Panel Liaison via email. Please note: The Design Advisory Panel Submission Form has been updated. Beginning March 1, 2020, all submissions are required to submit the updated Submission Form.
  3. Please see Submission Form for submittal requirements.

Download Submission Form 

The following is an example submission that was well-received for its clarity and completeness:

Upcoming Meetings

Meetings typically take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. These meeting dates and times are subject to change. Currently all meetings are hybrid, both in-person and online.  To attend, please email Cashielle Nelson.

2024 Schedule

  • January 24, 2024
  • February 21, 2024 (Third Wednesday due to February schedule)
  • March 27, 2024
  • April 24, 2024
  • May 22, 2024
  • June 26, 2024
  • July 24, 2024
  • No August 2024 Meeting
  • September 25, 2024
  • October 23, 2024
  • November 20, 2024 (Third Wednesday due to the holiday)
  • No December 2024 Meeting 

Public Participation

While the DAP meetings are primarily for panel members to consider and comment on proposed developments, meetings should be collaborative, and input from developers, their consultants, and members of the public is encouraged.  Because panel members are volunteers, however, the DAP is not expected to meet for more than one hour on any single project.

Members of the public who wish to participate in a DAP meeting should notify the DAP’s staff liaison before the meeting.  Those who have not notified the staff liaison in advance may sign up to participate the day of the meeting.  Citizens will be invited to participate in the order in which they sign up.  In certain cases, there may not be sufficient time for all interested citizens to participate.  Members of the public who wish to ensure their comments are considered by the DAP should submit them in writing to the DAP’s staff liaison no later than twenty-four hours before the DAP meeting.  Any written comments submitted to the DAP will also be sent to the Planning Board before the Board meets to consider the proposed development.

Although DAP meetings are intended to be informal, it may be necessary in certain cases, such as meetings with many interested citizens, for the DAP to impose equitable time limits on public comments or other reasonable rules of order.  When possible, the staff liaison will announce time limits at the start of the DAP meeting.

Meeting Materials

DAP Meeting materials, including agenda and development application submission forms, will be posted one week prior to the meeting. Meetings notes and recordings will be posted generally within one week of the DAP meeting.

Next Meeting:  

April 24, 2024; Submissions Due: April 10, 2024

Past Meetings: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

March 27, 2024

February 21, 2024

January 24, 2024

November 29, 2023

October 25, 2023

September 27, 2023

July 26, 2023

June 28, 2023

January 25, 2023 


November 30, 2022

October 26, 2022

July 27, 2022

June 22, 2022

May 25, 2022

April 27,2022

February 23, 2022

November 17, 2021

October 27, 2021

September 22, 2021

July 28, 2021

March 24, 2021

February 24, 2021

January 27, 2021

September 23, 2020

July 22, 2020

June 24, 2020

May 27, 2020

February 26, 2020

  • 7340 Wisconsin Avenue Design Advisory Panel Submission

  • 4824 Edgemoor Lane Design Advisory Panel Submission 
  • 4824 Edgemoor Lane Submission Narrative

  • Updated Submission Form Draft 

  • January 22, 2020

  • 8015 Old Georgetown Road Design Advisory Panel Submission 

  • 7000 Wisconsin Avenue Design Advisory Panel Submission

  • 4824 Edgemoor Lane Design Advisory Panel Submission 

  • November 20, 2019

  • 7000 Wisconsin Avenue Design Advisory Panel Submission

  • 4824 Edgemoor Lane Design Advisory Panel Submission 

  • October 23, 2019

    September 25, 2019

  • 7340 Wisconsin Avenue_Design Advisory_Panel_Submission

  • Bethesda Market_Design_Advisory_Panel_Submission

  • May 22, 2019

  • Battery Lane District_Design Advisory Panel Submission_Sketch Plan2

  • 7000 Wisconsin Avenue DAP Submission_Sketch Plan2

  • April 24, 2019

  • 4915 Auburn Avenue DAP Submission_Site Plan

  • 4702 West Virginia Avenue DAP Submission – Sketch Plan

  • Metro Tower_Design Advisory Panel Submission_Site Plan

  • March 27, 2019

    Battery Lane Meeting Part 2:

    Battery Lane Meeting Part 3:

    January 7, 2019

    November 28, 2018

  • Metro Tower Review Recording:

  • 7800 Wisconsin Ave Review Recording:

  • October 24, 2018

  • Bethesda Market Review Audio Recording:

  • September 26, 2018

    July 25, 2018

  • 4915 Auburn Avenue Review Audio Recording:

  • June 27, 2018

  • 8000 Wisconsin Avenue Review Audio Recording:

  • 4 Bethesda Metro Center Review Audio Recording:

  • May 23, 2018

  • 7121 and 7126 Wisconsin Avenue Review Audio Recording:

  • April 25, 2018

  • 4 Bethesda Metro Center Review Audio Recording:

  • April 4, 2018 (note: this meeting was rescheduled from March 21 due to weather)

  • 7607 Old Georgetown Road Review Audio Recording:

  • 8000 Wisconsin Avenue Review Audio Recording:

  • February 28, 2018

    December 13, 2017

  • 7820 Wisconsin/7815 Woodmont Review Audio Recording:

  • Bethesda Gateway Review Audio Recording:

  • November 29, 2017

    November 8, 2017

  • Marriott Review Audio Recording:

  • Artery Plaza Review Audio Recording:

  • Design Advisory Panel Contact

    Cashielle Nelson
    301-495-2109
    Email