In Montgomery County, all development projects go through rigorous application review processes that ensure adherence to zoning and planning regulations, including public noticing requirements. These processes also allow community members to provide testimony before the developer can advance to the permitting process and begin to build. Typically, these processes take several months to many years as multiple applications for a single project move thorough staff analysis and agency coordination, before Planning Board’s review and approval.

Montgomery County, however, offers a fast-track process that speeds up the review of priority projects that meet certain conditions.

Tevis Place

Expedited Approval Plans, which consolidate multiple applications and cut the review timeline in half for certain projects focused on housing, job creation, and attracting biohealth industries, were spearheaded by the Montgomery County Council and supported by the Montgomery County Planning Board as a way to help streamline the development review process and help meet our housing and economic development goals.

There are four eligible development types: Mixed-Income Housing Community, Commercial to Residential Reconstruction, Biohealth Priority Campus, and Job Creation Projects. Each of these represents projects that invest significantly in the county’s economy and expand our ability to house people at different price points.

Expedited Approval Plans

Mixed-Income Housing Community projects are intended for residential development with deep and broad levels of affordability. Streamlining these projects underscores the important role they play in supporting our county’s mission to equitably increase housing supply.

Meanwhile, Commercial to Residential Reconstruction development projects take vacant, underutilized commercial buildings and convert them into housing, simultaneously tackling widespread housing shortages and high office vacancies.

When it comes to Biohealth Priority Campus projects, we aim to attract and retain private sector biohealth companies in the county by making it easier to build facilities and expand existing ones. This is especially important in decreasing our county’s reliance on federal jobs.

Job Creation Projects are available to companies within particular industries that add 200 or more new jobs on-site within two years of occupancy. This actively entices private investors and major employers to the county, expanding our tax base and job opportunities for our communities.

With these development types, our goals are clear. A larger, more diverse housing supply. More jobs, in innovative fields, decreasing reliance on a few sectors, and promoting economic prosperity. Ultimately, they make the county economically competitive in the DMV region.

A focus on economic competitiveness, a pillar of Thrive Montgomery 2050, requires Montgomery County to attract new talent, foster innovation, support business growth, and create job opportunities that benefit residents, employers, and communities across the county.

A competitive advantage for Montgomery County

Shortening the amount of time needed to review a project brings predictability and certainty to investors. It helps build confidence that these projects will move quickly through the development process, and these fast-tracked projects can help bring positive changes to our communities. The bottom line is that using this tool makes it more attractive to do business in our county, allowing us to invest in the companies who will invest in our future.

As prices have risen, our housing supply—stunted by decades of underbuilding—has continued to not meet demand. Expedited reviews are one tool we can utilize to bring certainty and efficiency to the development process, to help get needed housing built quickly.

Even though this process is shorter, it is just as rigorous as other development review efforts. Noticing requirements and opportunities for public testimony remain intact and important parts of the process. The Expedited Approval Plan applications are evaluated against our zoning rules, master plan requirements, building codes, pedestrian safety guidelines, and for other considerations such as environmental impact. Despite the plan name, these are not on a guaranteed approval track.

The process is working

The shortened review time is made possible through prioritization and efficiency. Planning combines sketch and site plan reviews which usually occur at different times. Typically, they take 90 days and 120 days, respectively, but with expedited applications, the reviews are combined and applicants are guaranteed a Planning Board hearing within 65 days. This hearing provides an opportunity for residents to give testimony on the proposed project, along with other opportunities to provide comments along the way.

Some plans that have gone through the expedited process include Tevis Place (Mixed Income) in North Bethesda and 20300-20350 Century Boulevard (Commercial to Residential) in Germantown. Tevis Place, a multi-family mixed-income housing project, will offer up to 154 units once construction is complete. Concurrently, Century Boulevard is replacing a commercial building that has at least 50% vacancy with 353 multi-family dwelling units. Other applications include the Bethesda Crescent and the Sonina Apartments. These projects will provide at least 17.5% affordable housing units through the Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit ordinance (MPDUs), increasing the availability of regulated affordable housing. These transit-oriented developments are prime examples of the value this fast track brings to our county. And housing is just one way that expedited approval plans can benefit our communities. Projects in our mixed-use Commercial/Residential zones must also provide other public benefits like green space, connectivity, public art etc. as prioritized by the area’s master plan.

By offering this avenue for development, we support a vision of the county that focuses on thriving residential spaces, successful business partnerships, and strengthened economic competitiveness.

Our county’s economic competitiveness is a shared responsibility

We encourage you to continue to come to meetings, engage with planners, and let us know how development projects are going for you and your community. Expedited reviews are a major step forward for Montgomery County, as we rise to meet the challenges of high construction and development costs, slowing housing starts, an uncertain economy and continued federal cuts. We will continue to strategically plan the future of Montgomery County’s economy with our partners, including the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation, the Planning Board, and the County Council.

The Expedited Approval Plan program is only one part of Montgomery Planning’s broader effort to support economic competitiveness. Through our master planning program, we are identifying strategic opportunity sites, planning for future growth, and helping ensure that transportation, infrastructure, and public facilities can support new investment. We are also continually looking for opportunities to modernize processes and improve customer service.

Montgomery County’s future competitiveness will depend on our ability to attract investment, support employers, expand housing opportunities, and prepare communities for growth. Montgomery Planning is committed to doing its part by providing more certainty, reducing delays, and helping transform great ideas into projects that strengthen our economy and improve quality of life for generations to come.

About the author
Jason Sartori joined Montgomery Planning in January 2016 and served as the Chief of the Countywide Planning and Policy (CPP) Division from 2019 to 2023 before his appointment as Planning Director in 2023. Jason previously served as the Associate Director of the National Center for Smart Growth at the University of Maryland. While there, he led numerous projects related to affordable housing, transportation modeling, opportunity accessibility metrics, economic development, and growth visioning and scenario evaluation.