The Planning Board has
transmitted a new how-to manual spelling out the full range of requirements
(some old, some new) for those interested in developing land in Montgomery
County to the County Council. Although the manual requires Council approval,
the Board will be adopting the procedures as interim measures as of Nov. 1,
pending Council approval.
Any portion of the
manual that requires changes to county law will not be implemented until the
law is changed.
The manual covers
all types of development plans – project, preliminary, site, plan amendments,
etc. – and aims to clarify the process for developers, staff and the general
public. It covers submittal, review and approval procedures and could result in
a shortened timeframe for reviews.
Under the guidelines, all development applicants must increase
public notification efforts by sharing building proposals with neighbors and
civic associations, hosting community meetings and posting signs on proposed
building sites.
It also ensures that all planners follow the same set of
rules, including a checklist for project reviews that includes verifying that
the proposal follows guidelines in the county’s community master plans,
analyzing land use, transportation and environmental regulations and promoting
design excellence, among other tasks.
Under a new two-step application intake process, development
applicants will receive confirmation that an application is complete before
formally submitting it for review. Previously, staff would start and stop
reviews because of incomplete applications, creating extra work for applicants
and planning staff.
See
an advance copy at www.mcparkandplanning.org/development/development_manual/index.shtm.