Resources
For detailed information on Montgomery County's zoning laws and rewrite-efforts, zoning documents, zoning directories and other policies, review the items below.
Award-winning Zoning Discovery
The first step in rewriting the Zoning Code was to evaluate its current condition. Read the Zoning Discovery, which won the Maryland chapter of the American Planning Association's Outstanding Project or Program award in November 2009. The Zoning Discovery analyzes the current code and suggests the following direction for the rewrite process:
- evaluating the current zones to determine their continuing relevance
- using more tables and graphics to convey complex concepts
- better organization
- accommodating change and recognizing patterns
- updating legal zoning maps to convey more information faster and with greater accuracy
- matching land use to development patterns
- rationalizing development standards to weed out obsolete requirements
Zoning Discovery Appendix
Read the Appendix to the award-winning Zoning Discovery, a compilation of lists, tables, maps, and articles that have been evaluated or produced as part of the Zoning Code rewrite process.
Zoning Montgomery: Approach & Annotated Outline Report
Code Studio has released a draft (1.5MB) of a project approach and annotated outline for the new zoning code!
View their presentation (1.1MB) explaining the report as well as next steps.
Read the public's comments (0.5MB) on the report.
Public Input Reports
Read this summary from the public input session led by Code Studio on September 29, 2009.
Archived Public Input Reports documents can be found here.
Zoning Ordinance
View a searchable, indexed copy of the current Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance online.
Green Papers
Browse our growing collection of Green Papers, short first draft documents on topics relevant to the Rewrite that are meant to stimulate debate.
- April 15, 2009
Green Paper 1: Allowed Land Uses
Green Paper 2: Land Use Districts - June 17, 2009
Green Paper 3: Definitions
Green Paper 4: Approval Procedures
Green Paper 5: Development Standards - October 21, 2009
Green Paper 6: Sustainability
Zoning Advisory Panel (ZAP) Meetings
Review agendas, distributed materials, and audio recordings from the Zoning Advisory Panel’s past meetings, in which members help shape the course of the Zoning Code Rewrite.
- October 20, 2010
Agenda - July 21, 2010
Agenda | Summary of MNCPPC Parking Study | Presentation of MNCPPC Parking Study - May 19 , 2010
Agenda | Watch Video - February 17, 2010
Agenda | Watch Video - January 20, 2010
Agenda
Archived ZAP Meetings documents can be found here.
Zoning Fact Sheets
View an in-progress series of one-page fact sheets that reflect the development standards and building patterns for 30 of the County's 119 zones.
Additional Resources
- Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Urban and Suburban Codes http://www.epa.gov/dced/essential_fixes.htm
- Existing Zoning Review for the District of Columbia (Nelson/Nygaard paper on parking) http://www.dczoningupdate.org/documentframeset.asp?docname=https://www.communicationsmgr.com/projects/1355/docs/NN%20Existing%20Zoning%20Review.pdf
- Zoning Best Practices Review for the District of Columbia (Nelson/Nygaard paper on parking) http://www.dczoningupdate.org/documentframeset.asp?docname=https://www.communicationsmgr.com/projects/1355/docs/NN%20Best%20Practices%20review.pdf
Date of last update: June 8, 2010