Public invited to comment on planning recommendations to update 50-year old Churchill Village Town Sector zoning, which is now being phased out
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will present the Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone Working Draft to the Planning Board on Thursday, June 6, 2019. The purpose of this plan is to update the zoning classifications in the area of Churchill Village now regulated by Town Sector (T-S) zoning. The T-S Zone is being phased out due to changes in the county zoning code.The Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone addresses the 1,254 acres comprising the village’s T-S Zone, which includes Churchill Lake, parks, walking trails and recreational amenities. In 2014, Montgomery County updated its zoning ordinance and, as a result, the T-S Zone is being phased out.
Additionally, as approved by the original 1968 zoning case that authorized the development of Churchill Village, no new zoning classifications could be considered for 50 years. This zoning control feature expired in 2018 and is the primary reason for the new sector plan. Planners have analyzed existing land uses, densities and open spaces in order to prepare new zoning recommendations that best reflect current conditions, uses and densities.
Anyone who lives or works in Churchill Village or has an interest in the future of this community is invited to attend the Planning Board meeting (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD) on June 6. Planners will brief the Board about existing conditions, land uses, zoning and community issues covered in the plan. Community members interested in testifying at the meeting should consult the Planning Board agenda website about signing up.
Following the approval of the Working Draft, the Planning Board will hold a subsequent public hearing, followed by work sessions to refine the plan. These events offer additional opportunities for the community to comment on the plan recommendations.
Learn more about the Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone by signing up for the plan e-newsletter. For more information, contact lead planner Phillip Estes at Phillip.Estes@montgomeryplanning.org.