Below are examples of Thrive Montgomery 2050 outreach events held from 2018 to 2021. Download the comprehensive list of outreach events.
September 27, 2021 : Town of Somerset Thrive Montgomery 2050 Forum
Montgomery Planning Director Gwen Wright presented an overview of the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Planning Board Draft in an online forum hosted by the Town of Somerset.
October 28, 2020: Audubon Naturalist Society
Montgomery Planning Director Gwen Wright and Planning staff provided an overview of the Plan’s Working Draft Plan, hosted by ANS Conservation Department at Audubon Naturalist Society.
June 24, 2020: Pints with a Planner Online Happy Hour
On Wednesday, June 24, Montgomery Planning hosted their second Pints with a Planner, focused on the topic of Housing. Planning Board Chairman Casey Anderson and Housing Planner Lisa Govoni discussed why the rent is too #$%! high and what policies we’re exploring in Thrive Montgomery 2050 to make housing more affordable and attainable.
June 2020: Community Chats
Montgomery Planning hosted a series of virtual community chats, providing an opportunity for a deeper dive into the Draft Vision and Goals. A representative from each working group facilitated these short meetings. We invited community members to submit questions in advance of the chats through Montgomery Planning’s website, by email and through our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The community was able to follow along on social media using the hashtag #ThriveMontgomery2050. Watch the Community Chat videos on our Distance Engagement page.
May 2020: Ask Me Anything
In May 2020, Planning Director Gwen Wright hosted this virtual townhall series to introduce the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Draft Vision and Goals to the community. The first three meetings were in English with live Spanish translation; the fourth, featuring Planning Board vice chair Natali Fani-González, was in Spanish with live English translation. Watch the videos of Gwen Wright’s introduction and all four sessions on our Distance Engagement page.
April 28, 2020: Pints with a Planner Online Happy Hour
While social distancing due to COVID-19, Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson and Planning Board Member Partap Verma hosted an online happy hour to discuss the pandemic’s impact on planning for the future of Montgomery County. Participants were able to write questions and comments in the meeting chat and have them answered by the hosts.
January 27, 2020: Thrive Montgomery 2050 Transportation Summit
The Thrive Montgomery 2050 Transportation Working Group hosted a Transportation Summit on Monday, January 27 to facilitate discussions on what the future might hold and how we should plan for it to achieve a transportation network that functions well for everyone.
December 12, 2019: Thrive Montgomery 2050 Preliminary Issues Outline presentation to the Planning Board
Staff presented the preliminary issues to be addressed in the Issues Report, to be delivered to the Board in February 2020.
November 7, 2019: Briefing to the Planning Board
The Montgomery County Planning Department briefed the Planning Board on the progress made since May 2019. View the presentation. Watch the briefing.
November 5, 2019: Shifting the Paradigm: A Night of Collective Imagination
The Montgomery County Planning Department collaborated with the Gandhi Brigade to host a screening of the documentary film The Paradigm Shift(s), a creative take on how decisions we make today impact the lives of future generations. Following the screening, planners shared information regarding Thrive Montgomery 2050 and engaged student film makers in a dialogue about the role of creativity and planning in shaping the future. Planners encouraged students to explore ideas about making Montgomery County more sustainable, creative and equitable into the future.
October 5, 2019: Taste of Bethesda
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at the Taste of Bethesda food and music festival in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle.
October 5-6, 2019: Burtonsville Placemaking Festival
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at the Burtonsville Placemaking Festival at the Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center.
September 22, 2019: Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at the Wheaton Arts Parade and Festival in Wheaton Veterans Urban Park.
September 21, 2019: Montgomery Hills Street Festival
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at the Montgomery Hills Street Festival.
September 21, 2019: Poolesville Day Festival
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at the Poolesville Day Festival, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Whalen Commons Park.
September 20-27, 2019: Long Branch Festival Week
The Thrive Montgomery 2050 planning effort was part of Long Branch Festival Week, held to reimagine a livelier and friendlier downtown in Long Branch.
September 20, 2019: Park(ing) Day
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at Park(ing) Day when Montgomery Planning will transformed a parking space at Fenton Street and Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring.
September 15, 2019: FutureFest
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at FutureFest at the Silver Spring Civic Building.
August 23, 2019: Beer and Wine Garden Party
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at a Beer and Wine Garden Party at the Sandy Spring Museum.
August 6, 2019: National Night Out
Community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County with Montgomery Planning staff at National Night Out, a community event focused on raising awareness about crime and drug prevention, at the Mid-County Regional Services Center in Silver Spring.
June 30, 2019: Sunday Funday, Wheaton Veterans Urban Park
As part of Thrive Week, community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County. These ideas were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist.
June 29, 2019: Nando’s Spicy Saturday Nights, Downtown Silver Spring
As part of Thrive Week, community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County. These ideas were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist.
June 28, 2019: South Germantown Recreational Park Splash Park and Mini Golf
As part of Thrive Week, community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County. These ideas were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist.
June 27, 2019: Yappy Hour, hosted by Montgomery Parks, Bethesda
As part of Thrive Week, community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County. These ideas were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist.
June 26, 2019: Shady Grove Farmer’s Market
As part of Thrive Week, community members were able to share their ideas about the future of Montgomery County. These ideas were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist.
May 13, 2019: Montgomery County Civic Federation
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the Montgomery County Civic Federation
April 25, 2019: Communications Strategy presented to the Planning Board
Staff presented the communications strategy to the Planning Board for the General Plan. The presentation was prepared by Anne Boyle and presented by communications manager, Bridget Schwiesow.
Staff presentation of the communications strategy to the Planning Board
April 23, 2019: Rodgers Consulting Staff
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to Rodgers Consulting Staff
April 17, 2019: Silver Spring Urban District Board
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the Silver Spring Urban District Board
April 15, 2019: Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
March 29, 2019: Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Executive Luncheon
As part of a conversation on the contributions of Latino small businesses, staff presented on demographic and economic changes in Montgomery County with researchers from American University Center for Latin American and Latino Studies and the University of Maryland.
Staff presentation to the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Executive Luncheon
March 27, 2019: MBIA Chapter Executive Committee
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the MBIA Chapter Executive Committee
March 21, 2019: Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee
March 20, 2019: Germantown Gaithersburg Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee
March 19, 2019: NAIOP Steering Committee
Staff presented key findings from the study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Staff presentation to the NAIOP Steering Committee
February 27, 2019: MBIA Ad Hoc Committee
Staff briefed MBIA Ad Hoc committee on key findings from study of demographic, housing, and employment changes since 1990.
Fact sheet—Montgomery County Trends: A Look at People, Housing, Jobs Since 1990
February 25, 2019: CASA de Maryland Directors
Staff provided an overview of the demographic, housing, and employment changes in Montgomery County since 1990 to staff directors at CASA de Maryland as part of a training day.
Staff presentation to staff directors at CASA de Maryland
February 13, 2019: Winter Speaker Series Session 2
What is Real Resilience? Positioning our Communities to Thrive in Changing Times
Harriet Tregoning, Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Community Planning and Development at the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and a former Planning Director for Washington DC focused on: what will our Region look like in 2050? What are the probable disruptive technological, social, and economic changes coming our way in the next few decades and the impacts these changes may have on the county, the Region and our cities and towns? What can we do to position ourselves to not just endure, but thrive with the changes headed our way?
Winter Speaker Series Session 2 Transcript
Presentations:
General Plan introductory presentation, Tanya Stern, Deputy Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department
Real Resilience: Positioning Montgomery County to Thrive Through Changing Times, Harriet Tregoning, Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Community Planning and Development at the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development and a former Planning Director for Washington DC
January 31, 2019: Planning Board briefing on the Trends Report
Staff briefed the Planning Board on key findings from an extensive analysis of demographic, employment, and housing trends that looked at changes in the county primarily since 1990, when the last refinement of the General Plan was completed.
Staff Report: Demographic, Housing and Employment Trends Report
Montgomery County Trends: A Look at People, Housing, Jobs Since 1990
January 17, 2019: Planning Board briefing by the consultants
The Planning Department hired Rhodeside & Harwell of Alexandria to help develop a conceptual framework and a comprehensive communication strategy for the General Plan Update process. In this briefing, the consultant presented a draft conceptual framework for the General Plan Update based on their initial findings from interviews with leaders in the county government, academic institutions and regional entities.
Consultant’s presentation to the Planning Board, January 17, 2019
January 16, 2019: Winter Speaker Series Session 1
The Planning Department organized its 2019 Winter Speaker Series around the General Plan Update. The first session on January 16, titled Recent General Plan Updates in the Washington DC Region, comprised a panel of current and former planning directors from Washington DC, Loudoun County, and Howard County, who discussed what issues and challenges their general plan updates addressed, how they involved their communities in creating the new plans, and what we should learn from their experience in updating their plans.
Presentations:
General Plan introductory presentation, Gwen Wright, Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department
Washington, DC Comprehensive Plan, Tanya Stern, former Deputy Director of the DC Office of Planning and current Deputy Director of the Montgomery County Planning Department
Howard County General Plan, Valdis Lazdins, Planning Director of Howard County
Loudoun County Comprehensive Plan, Ricky Barker, former Planning Director and Zoning Director of Loudoun County and current Director of Community Planning and Development Services for the City of Rockville
December 4, 2018: Breakfast meeting at Rogers Consulting
Rogers Consulting of Germantown organized a breakfast meeting of real estate professionals and invited the General Plan staff team including the Planning Director Gwen Wright and the Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson to discuss the proposed General Plan Update process, what is a General Plan and why is it particularly important for Montgomery County’s future? how the General Plan Update would be different from other master plans, and what are the major issues, challenges and trends we should be preparing to face in the next 30 years.
July 12, 2018: Planning Board Briefing on the General Plan Update
Staff’s first briefing to the Planning Board on the start of the proposed General Plan Update process. Staff presented a brief history of the General Plan; the issues, trends, and challenges facing the county in the next 30 years that have been identified to date, and staff’s initial thinking about how they planned to undertake this project.
Staff report, General Plan Update briefing, July 12, 2018
Presentation, General Plan Update Introduction, July 12, 2018