{"id":7252,"date":"2021-04-10T10:08:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-10T14:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/?p=7252"},"modified":"2021-05-19T16:01:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T20:01:28","slug":"thrive-explained-whats-the-problem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/montgomeryplanning.org\/blog-design\/2021\/04\/thrive-explained-whats-the-problem\/","title":{"rendered":"Thrive Explained: What\u2019s the Problem?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Thrive
\nMontgomery County\u2019s first General Plan, the \u201cWedges and Corridors\u201d plan, helped make this one of the most desirable places to live and work in the United States. We built excellent parks and schools, preserved land for farming, facilitated the growth of urban centers and construction of mass transit, and shaped the development of attractive suburban subdivisions.<\/p>\n

Today, however, our residents are older, more diverse, and less likely to live in traditional family arrangements. We have evolved from a bedroom community to a complex jurisdiction with urban hubs, mature residential neighborhoods, and rural landscapes. Competition for talent, jobs, and economic opportunities is much more intense. Technology is changing how we work, shop, and live, influencing planning and real estate development in unprecedented ways.<\/p>\n

The combination of these changes compels us to take a clear-eyed look at our strengths and weaknesses. While the Wedges and Corridors Plan was visionary, its implementation in some cases produced unintended consequences and in others simply failed to anticipate challenges.<\/p>\n

\"urtonsville

Burtonsville Crossing is a largely vacant shopping center off Old Columbia Pike. Formerly a bustling strip mall in the center of town, Burtonsville Crossing was home to a Giant grocery store, several popular eateries, and even a large party supply store. For nearly a decade, Burtonsville Crossing has suffered from disinvestment and attrition of commercial tenants. It holds a place in the hearts – and stories – of older residents, but to the younger generation and newcomers it\u2019s known as a parking lot good for burnouts and turning donuts.<\/p><\/div>\n

Beyond growth management<\/h3>\n

Thrive Montgomery outlines strategies to accommodate growth in ways that not only make room for new residents but also improve the quality of life for the people who are already here.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n

I\u2019ve spilled a lot of ink on the subject<\/a> of<\/a> growth<\/a> forecasts<\/a> so I won\u2019t repeat that discussion except to note that while Montgomery County is growing more slowly than in the past we still can expect about more 200,000 people over the next 30 years. With 85% of our land already developed or otherwise constrained, that will be a difficult task by itself.<\/p>\n

\"Map

The amount of unconstrained land in Montgomery County is extremely limited, so a more compact form of development is essential to accommodating even the limited rate of growth forecast for coming decades.<\/p><\/div>\n

Thrive Montgomery outlines strategies to accommodate growth in ways that not only make room for new residents but also improve the quality of life for the people who are already here. This means not just managing growth but using it to solve problems.<\/p>\n

Economic performance and competitiveness<\/h3>\n

Our quality of life depends on attracting and retaining employers and, in turn, the employees they need. Montgomery is in the 99th<\/sup> percentile of counties in household income and educational attainment but our economic performance has been slipping since the Great Recession of 2008.<\/p>\n

The number of jobs in the county grew by 5% from 2004 to 2019 while 20 similarly sized counties across the country grew employment by an average of 21%. Montgomery County experienced the slowest rate of business formation in the DC region from 2010 to 2019.<\/p>\n