Top 10 achievements include the launch of four new plans, first Design Excellence Award and revising the Subdivision Staging Policy
Silver Spring, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, presents its 2015 Year in Review. This list represents the most significant accomplishments of the year.
Montgomery Planning 2015 Year in Review:
- Applying the New Zoning Ordinance
Montgomery County took a giant step forward in 2015 by applying the new zoning ordinance to community development to facilitate more vibrant, mixed-use and walkable communities. The new law was enacted late in 2014 and is the most comprehensive update to the county’s land use regulations since they were last reviewed in 1977. - Planning Great Communities
The new Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan and Aspen Hill Minor Master Plan were adopted by the County Council. The Planning Board approved a new plan for Clarksburg Town Center that will enable this community to move forward, after years of troubled development. Progress was made on Master and Sector Plans for Downtown Bethesda, Greater Lyttonsville, Montgomery Village and Westbard, all of which benefited from public meetings throughout the year. Four new plans were launched in July 2015: Rock Spring Master Plan, White Flint 2 Sector Plan, Bicycle Master Plan and MARC Rail Communities Plan. Learn more about community planning efforts throughout the County. - Broadening Public Outreach
County planners reached out to residents who do not typically participate in the planning process. Strategic social media, eletters, videos, Spanish-language presentations and interactive tools improved the quality and quantity of public engagement throughout 2015. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube! - Revising the Subdivision Staging Policy
Planning staff began researching new ideas in transportation and school capacity planning in preparation for drafting new growth policy regulations. This effort kicked off in March 2015 with the Infrastructure Forum co-sponsored with Councilmember Roger Berliner. Since that time, planning staff has been updating criteria and guidance for the administration of the County’s Adequate Public Facility Ordinance (APFO), which matches the timing of private development with the availability of public services. Learn more about the update to the Subdivision Staging Policy. - Launching the First Design Excellence Award
As the amount of available land for development is shrinking and density is increasing, the design quality of buildings, landscapes and streetscapes is becoming increasingly important in the County. In response, the Planning Department expanded its Design Excellence initiative by staging its first award competition to showcase examples of high-quality design that architects and developers should seek to emulate. The top prize was awarded to the Silver Spring Civic Building in October 2015 at a design celebration co-sponsored with the Potomac Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects. View the recap of the winners and a recap of the Celebrate Design event. - Updating the Recreation Facilities Guidelines
The Planning Department began revising and updating the existing Recreation Guidelines, last adopted in 1992, in response to the County’s changing demographics and the need for more varied recreation spaces. With the help of local experts, planners are studying new types of recreation facilities for all age groups to improve the quality of development, particularly in more urbanized areas of the County. The update to these guidelines will continue throughout 2016. Find out more about the update to the Recreation Guidelines. - Launching the Bicycle Master Plan
Work on the Bicycle Master Plan began in April 2015 with an initial focus on the Life Sciences Center near Gaithersburg. Since that time, planners have implemented new online tools, such as the digital Cycling Concerns feedback map and promotional video segments, to spread the word about how stakeholders can get involved in the planning process. Councilmember Hans Riemer’s Second Great Moco Bike Summit as well as the selection of a bicycle advisory group have increased the public’s ability to help steer the plan. Both the Life Sciences Center Separated Bike Lane Network and the White Flint Separated Bike Lane Network, which will help make better connections for pedestrians and bicyclists, have been shared with the community. Learn more about the ongoing Bicycle Master Plan. - Learning from Montgomery’s Planning History
Past planning policies and politics were examined during the Winter Speaker Series, A Once and Future County, held by the Planning Department in early 2015. Undertaken in partnership with former Planning Board Chair Royce Hanson, the public presentations by planning experts addressed relevant topics, from suburban retrofits to corridor cities. View the full recap of the Once and Future County Speakers Series. - Preserving the County’s Modern Past
The Planning Department’s Historic Preservation Office launched the Montgomery Modern initiative in 2013 to increase appreciation of midcentury modern architecture in the County through tours, publications and public programs. In October 2015, the Department published the book, Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930-1979, written by planner Clare Kelly, to document the County’s impressive legacy of midcentury buildings and neighborhoods. - Greening the Department’s Future Home
The Department received a supplemental appropriation from the County Council to add a geothermal heating and cooling system to its new headquarters building in Wheaton, scheduled for completion in 2019. This system will be combined with other eco-friendly features, such as solar panels and green roofs, in hopes of achieving a LEED Platinum rating, which would be a first for a large public structure in the County.
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