Development Review Process Workgroup

The Montgomery County Planning Department, the Montgomery County Executive, and the Montgomery County House of Delegates Delegation are forming a workgroup to examine the county’s process for reviewing and approving development projects, with a special focus on ensuring the county remains economically competitive.

Under county law, reviewing new development projects in the county, prior to permitting to build, is a collaboration between Montgomery Planning and several county and state agencies, with the Planning Board providing final approval of development proposals. Requirements and procedures that guide the development review process are set in the county code, for which the County Council has the ultimate authority to change and approve through legislation.

Workgroup members

Chair: Delegate Lesley Lopez (D-District 39)
Representatives:

Montgomery Planning: Robert Kronenberg, Christina Sorrento
Montgomery Parks: Henry Coppola
Montgomery County Council: Pam Dunn and Livhu Ndou
Montgomery County Executive’s Office: Meredith Wellington and Tom Lewis
Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services: Ehsan Motazedi
Montgomery County Department of Transportation: Tim Cupples
Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection: Steven Shofar
Director of the Montgomery County Office of Racial Equity & Social Justice: Tiffany Ward
Maryland State Highway Administration: Kwesi Woodroffe
WSSC: Karem Carpio
Pepco: Danielle Freedman
Washington Gas: David Shults
Development Community: Katherine Kubit, Gary Unterberg
Broader Community: Amanda Farber, Charisse Scott
Senator Ben Kramer’s office: Diane S. Jones

Workgroup principles

The workgroup will support the following principles:

Montgomery County residents and applicants for development approvals deserve the best and most efficient process, while neither minimizing public participation, racial equity and social justice, nor compromising on safety, transportation access, or environmental standards in approved plans.
Montgomery County has the assets to be the best county in the region for economic development and improving the development review process will help ensure a better economic development environment for all.
All parties are striving to create the best Montgomery County that we can and recognize that every person’s experience tells a story that needs to be heard and respected.

Development Review Process Workgroup Listening Sessions:

Thursday, June 22, 2023 – Occurred from 2 to 4 p.m. at County Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, 3^rd floor Hearing Room, Rockville, MD 20850. Watch the meeting on demand.
Tuesday, July 18, 2023 – Occurred from 2 to 4 p.m. at the M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters, 2425 Reedie Drive, 2^nd floor, Wheaton, MD 20902. Watch the meeting on demand.
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 – Virtual-only meeting was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Watch the meeting on demand.

View written correspondence to the workgroup

Participating at the Listening Sessions

Community members are invited to provide feedback at each of the public meetings on the development review process. Participants will have two minutes to speak. The workgroup members are interested in:

Your specific experiences with the development review process.
Suggestions on improving the development review process.
Your experiences with the development review process in other jurisdictions.

In addition to the public listening session meetings, the Development Review Process Workgroup will meet on a regular basis between June and September as stated below. The meeting schedule is subject to change, so please check our website for updates. The community is welcome to watch the meetings through a livestream (also available on demand under the “Speakers and Special Events” tab).

Friday, June 9, 2023 – The hybrid meeting was held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (Watch the June 9 meeting on demand).
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 – The hybrid meeting was held from 2 to 6 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters. (Watch the June 27 meeting on demand)
- DRC Retreat Slides | Montgomery Planning Presentation
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters. (Watch the July 12 meeting on demand)
Friday, July 28, 2023 – The hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters. (Watch the July 28 meeting on demand)
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters. (Watch the August 8 meeting on demand)
Thursday, August 24, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters. (Watch the August 24 meeting on demand)
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (Watch the September 13 meeting on demand)
Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (Watch the September 20, 2023)
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 – Hybrid meeting was from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters

About Montgomery County’s development review process

The Montgomery County Planning Board is the sole legal authority for the subdivision process in Montgomery County pursuant to the State Land Use Article.

The Montgomery County Planning Board reviews development applications and subdivision requests to ensure that our county— and your community—is a great place to live, work and visit. During the development review process, Montgomery Planning staff works jointly with the applicant and community members to ensure that proposed development is in accord with the Subdivision of Land Article, Zoning Ordinance, General Plan, master plan recommendations and other regulations and guidelines. Montgomery County’s development review process is largely delegated to the Montgomery County Planning Department by the Planning Board. Montgomery Planning works closely with Montgomery County Government Executive branch departments such as the Department of Permitting Services and Department of Transportation as well as utility companies and other agencies and stakeholders.

This process ensures that new development applications are consistent with the adopted master plan and the Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance as well as considering the impact on the environment, quality of design, compatibility with neighboring uses and the availability of public facilities (water and sewer, transportation, schools). Throughout the development review process, Montgomery Planning staff works jointly with applicants and neighbors to address issues of concern before the Planning Board reviews applications. For example, depending on the findings for a development application, staff may recommend that proposed development projects dedicate land for roads, schools, parks or recreation facilities. Montgomery Planning staff then continues to work with applicants, neighbors and state and local agencies to find common ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we have a development review process?

Land development projects need legal rights bestowed by local government agencies (called “entitlements”), to proceed to construction. That process ensures development meets all the necessary state and county laws—including zoning, land use, density, entrances and exits, stormwater management, well and septic, fire access, environment and forest conservation, adequate public facilities, and more. Development projects must also implement and substantially conform to the recommendations of the adopted long-range plan and associated area master plan.
How can I find out more about a pending development application and share my thoughts or questions?
How long is the typical review process?

The Zoning Code and subdivision regulations set specific review times for each type of application—90 days for Sketch Plans and 120 days each for Preliminary Plans and Site Plans—although different types of applications for the same project are sometimes submitted at the same time and reviewed concurrently. Applicants, Planning staff, and other public agency staff work diligently and in good faith to meet these timelines. On occasion, for reasons unique to each application, the standard review periods do not allow enough time to make sure all the necessary standards are met, and applicants request an extension. In this event, the Zoning Code allows the Planning Director to extend a review once, for 30 days, at their discretion, but otherwise the Planning Board must approve any extensions in a public session.
How are other agencies involved in the development review process?

Other agencies provide input throughout the process, including through the Development Review Committee (DRC) meetings. Agencies are required to make a recommendation of either approval or denial before they can be heard at the Planning Board, and the DRC structure allows applicants to ask questions and resolve issues regarding technical comments from agency staff at its biweekly public meetings. The DRC includes representatives from the Planning and Parks Departments, County agencies dealing with transportation, stormwater, fire safety, the environment, and housing, the State Highway Administration, and utilities. Typically, each application goes to the DRC once, at the beginning of the review process, to ensure that applicants have sufficient time to discuss the technical comments members of the public.
How is the DRC review of regulatory applications different than the DPS review of permits?

The interagency DRC looks at the development project as a whole. It includes representatives from the Planning and Parks Departments; county agencies dealing with transportation, stormwater, fire safety, right-of-way, the environment, and housing; the State Highway Administration; and utilities. The committee allows applicants the opportunity to ask questions and resolve issues and conflicts regarding technical comments agency staff have provided on their development applications at the DRC’s biweekly public meeting. Typically, each application goes to the DRC once, at the beginning of the review. DPS is a standalone county department under the County Executive who reviews permits for sediment and erosion control, demolition and building permits. During the development review process, DPS provides technical review of zoning compliance, stormwater management, fire and rescue, well and septic, and certain elements within public county roads. After the Planning Board approves a development application, DPS is also responsible for reviewing and issuing required building and access permits, and final stormwater management, and other approvals. During building and site construction, DPS staff further inspect and monitor for compliance with Planning Board approvals, and it permits and conducts final reviews and inspections when construction is complete.
How can residents get other questions about the process answered?

Provide Feedback

Community members are also invited to submit written comments for the Development Review Process Workgroup to consider. Email development@montgomeryplanning.org and Meredith Wellington at meredith.wellington@montgomerycountymd.gov. The public comment period is open until September 1, 2023.

Community input will inform the Workgroup’s report on its findings and recommendations that must be delivered to the Montgomery County Delegation of the Maryland General Assembly by October 15, 2023.

Let us know your thoughts about the development review process.

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News

Community invited to testify at final Development Review Process Workgroup listening session on Wednesday, August 2 at 6 p.m. – virtual only

Community invited to testify at final Development Review Process Workgroup listening session on Wednesday, August 2 at 6 p.m. – virtual only
Community members have shared their experiences with the county’s development review process at tw...
Community invited to give feedback at second listening session July 18 about Montgomery County’s development review process

Community invited to give feedback at second listening session July 18 about Montgomery County’s development review process
Community members encouraged to sign up to testify about their experiences with the county’s devel...
Community members provide feedback on Montgomery County’s development review process

Community members provide feedback on Montgomery County’s development review process
Community members shared their experiences with the county’s process at listening session led by S...
Community members invited to give feedback on Montgomery County’s development review process on June 22, July 18 and August 2

Community members invited to give feedback on Montgomery County’s development review process on June 22, July 18 and August 2
Public invited to give feedback at a series of public meetings hosted by State Delegate Lesley Lopez...

Last Updated: September 27, 2023

Montgomery County
Planning Department
2425 Reedie Drive, 14th Floor
Wheaton, MD 20902

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