Meetings at County Council Office Building in Rockville provide opportunities for the community to comment on the Planning Board Draft of the Plan
Silver Spring, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, approved the Planning Board Draft of the Westbard Sector Plan on December 17, 2015 for transmittal to the Montgomery County Council and Office of the County Executive. The Council has now scheduled two public hearings for this Sector Plan.
The first hearing will be held on Tuesday, February 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD, Council Hearing Room). This meeting was originally scheduled for January 26, but was rescheduled due to the recent snowstorm. It will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery Channels Comcast 6, RCN 6 and Verizon 30 and streamed live online. View the County Council Agenda webpage.
The Montgomery County Council will hold a second public hearing for the Westbard Sector Plan on Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Office Building (100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD, Council Hearing Room). This meeting was originally scheduled for January 26, but also had to be rescheduled due to the inclement weather. It will be televised live on County Cable Montgomery Channels Comcast 6, RCN 6 and Verizon 30 and streamed live online. View the County Council Agenda webpage.
Currently, there is a wait list to testify at these hearings but interested speakers can register online for a possible time slot or call 240-777-7803 for more information. Speakers can also provide written testimony by sending it by mail to the Montgomery County Council (100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850) or by email to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. All testimony must be received by 10 a.m. on the day of the hearing to be added to the record.
Current Draft of Plan Reflects Changes from Work Sessions
The Planning Board previously held three work sessions on the Westbard Sector Plan to address schools, transportation, land uses, zoning, open spaces and historic and cultural resources. A fourth work session was held to finalize zoning language for specific properties in the Plan area. The Planning Board’s revisions are reflected in the newest draft of the Sector Plan.
These changes affect some building heights, address the need for community-serving uses, increase affordable housing requirements in certain circumstances and add restrictions to commercial uses in areas abutting single-family residential neighborhoods.
View the Planning Board Draft of the Westbard Sector Plan.
Background on the Westbard Sector Plan
The new Sector Plan is the first effort since 1982 to develop a unified vision for Bethesda’s Westbard area, which is located near Friendship Heights and the District of Columbia. The Plan builds on the assets of the community by offering ways to improve neighborhood retail, existing light industrial areas, housing options and recreational and open spaces over the next 20 years.
Recommendations in the Westbard Sector Plan focus on:
-Encouraging more housing choices.
-Revitalizing older retail areas.
-Emphasizing low-scale development of five to seven stories.
-Preserving local light industrial uses.
-Restoring the Willett Branch stream as a public amenity.
-Creating better access to the Capital Crescent Trail.
-Establishing new gathering spaces and parks.
-Enhancing walkability with sidewalks shaded by street trees.
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