Residents and property owners invited to discuss proposed zoning and open space preservation
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, invites business owners and residents to discuss the Montgomery Village Master Plan at a meeting on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 from 7-9 p.m. at the Watkins Mill High School cafeteria (10301 Apple Ridge Road, Gaithersburg, MD).
Department of Planning Department staff will recap the frequently asked questions from the February 9 meeting and will focus on the proposed land uses for the former Montgomery Village golf course. In addition, the Montgomery Village Overlay Zone will be explained as a strategy for retaining and preserving open spaces within the Village. During breakout sessions, staff invites participants to discuss their concerns and ideas about proposals related to the former golf course and Village Overlay Zone.
The PowerPoint presentation and other materials from the February 9 MV Matters meeting are posted on the MVMatters webpage. The purpose of that event was to explain that the existing Town Sector Zoning for the commercial centers will be replaced by new zoning categories. Open space and recreational opportunities for Montgomery Village were also discussed.
At breakout sessions on February 9, participants discussed the proposed zoning and visions for each of the commercial/employment areas within Montgomery Village in detail. Based on input received, staff revised the preliminary recommendations for the Village Center and Professional Center, and introduced a new mixed-use concept along Lost Knife Road, extending from Montgomery Village Avenue to Odenhal Drive.
The date of the next MV Matters meeting, which will be devoted to the overall master plan recommendations, will be announced at the February 25 event.
What is MV Matters All About?
MV Matters is a series of outreach events meant to engage the community in the Montgomery Village Master Plan. Village residents are invited to learn about specific subject areas, such as urban design, land use, parks, environment and transportation at the sessions. Through the meetings, planners have received initial feedback from residents on what they view as the most valuable places in the village. For more information on the Scope of Work for the Montgomery Village Mater Plan, go to www.montgomeryplanningboard.org/meetings_archive/
Stay Connected:
Sign up: for the Montgomery Village Master Plan eNewsletter
Call: the MVPlan Hotline for updates on upcoming planning events: 301-495-4723
Learn More: www.montgomeryplanning.org/mvp
Use: #MVPlan
Master Plan Background:
Montgomery Village has not been part of a Master Plan review since the 1985 Gaithersburg Vicinity Master Plan, nor has it been the subject of a discrete County master plan in the past. Although Montgomery Village was within the boundaries of both the 1971 Gaithersburg Vicinity Master Plan and the 1985 Master Plan, neither plan contains recommendations or guidance for this community because the Village fell within the Town Sector Zone, which did not allow the rezoning of properties for a 50-year period that comes to a close in 2015. When the Planning Department initiated an update to the Gaithersburg Master Plan in 2007, Montgomery Village was originally included within its boundaries. However, with large swaths of land on both sides of I-270 presenting different planning issues and challenges, the Planning Department realized the area was too big to be analyzed effectively.
In 2008, the Planning Department divided the large Gaithersburg Master Plan area into two planning efforts – one for the west side of I-270, which became the Great Seneca Science Corridor Master Plan (GSSC) – and one for the east side of I-270 – Gaithersburg East. In 2014, the County Council directed the Planning Department to further refine the Gaithersburg East Plan to have one plan for Montgomery Village and one plan for the remainder of Gaithersburg East. The Council also directed the Planning Director to work efficiently on the Montgomery Village Plan, with the goal of having a draft plan transmitted to the Council within 12 months of the plan start date, because it wanted the zoning to be reassessed holistically before the prohibition on piecemeal rezoning of Town Sector property expired in 2015.