Draft recommendations set a renewed vision for Clarksburg communities between I-270 and MD 355; plan now moves to County Council for review and approval
WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), voted on Thursday, December 4, 2025, to approve the Planning Board Draft of the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan and transmit it to the Montgomery County Council for its public review process. The draft plan is an update to the 1994 Clarksburg Master Plan, reimagining the underdeveloped areas of Clarksburg east of I-270 and west of Frederick Road (MD 355), which have largely remained unchanged over the past 30 years and present an opportunity for growth.
The draft version of the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan is being updated to reflect the Planning Board’s revisions following a series of work sessions this fall. The final version, the Planning Board Draft, will be transmitted to the County Council and posted to the plan website.
“The Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan presents a unique opportunity to reimagine an area that has untapped potential,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “The plan’s recommendations foster a forward-looking vision that supports economic vitality, environmental stewardship, and inclusive growth. This plan will help ensure Clarksburg grows in a way that reflects the aspirations of its residents and business owners and strengthens its role in the county’s future.”
The plan’s recommendations, developed by the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of The M-NCPPC, respond to decades of limited development east of I-270 by proposing mixed-use zoning, improved transportation infrastructure, and the preservation of natural and historic resources to support a thriving, connected community.
“Through extensive community engagement and careful analysis, our planners crafted recommendations that respond directly to Clarksburg’s evolving needs,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “This draft plan introduces strategic zoning changes, housing affordability measures, and infrastructure improvements that reflect local priorities and countywide goals. It’s a blueprint for thoughtful implementation that honors Clarksburg’s character while guiding its next chapter.”
Key draft recommendations
Following community engagement and analyses of the plan area’s current conditions and expected future trends, the following key recommendations align a new community vision for Clarksburg with adopted county plans, policies, and priorities:
- To create opportunities for economic growth and to achieve the plan’s goals for the area, the Planning Board does not recommend historic designation for the former COMSAT Laboratories building. Instead, the Planning Board recommends acknowledging the building’s historic significance and supports mitigation measures for any proposed partial or full demolition.
- Retain a planned new highway interchange with I-270 at Little Seneca Parkway Extended to serve the southern portion of the plan area.
- Connect Observation Drive through the plan area in coordination with future development, shifting the previously planned roadway alignment away from sensitive environmental areas and residential neighborhoods.
- Rezone existing employment-oriented zones to commercial-residential zones to add greater development flexibility with modest increases to maximum allowable development density.
- Establish an expectation that all new residential developments should provide a minimum of 15% of their total units as Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.
- Preserve land along the stream valleys of Little Seneca Creek and its tributaries by private conservation easement or by establishing or expanding public parkland.
- Designate the Community of Faith United Methodist Church and the Clarksburg Heights subdivision as historic sites in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation.
More about the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan
The Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan is an update to the 1994 Clarksburg Master Plan and Hyattstown Special Area Study, which was last revised with the 2011 Clarksburg Master Plan and Hyattstown Special Study Area Limited Amendment and the 2014 Ten Mile Creek Area Limited Amendment. The plan area consists of approximately 969 acres and is generally bounded by I-270 to the west, West Old Baltimore Road and Little Seneca Greenway to the south, Clarksburg Road to the north, and Frederick Road (MD 355) to the east.
The sector plan area represents one of the last remaining districts of the 1994 Plan yet to be fully realized. Many circumstances have changed in the 30 years since the 1994 Plan’s adoption and the planning team believes that its vision for the sector plan area as a light industrial and employment-oriented district is no longer viable. The potential to contribute to the local community as a new mixed-use, transit-oriented activity center in Clarksburg is a guiding principle of the planning team’s approach to the plan update. The plan integrates policy guidance from countywide plans and initiatives, including Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan, Complete Streets Design Guide, Thrive Montgomery 2050, the Climate Action Plan, and Vision Zero, as well as employs a robust outreach and engagement strategy to create a plan that advances racial equity and social justice.