SILVER SPRING – It takes a long time for someone to develop a site in Montgomery County. The development review process can take months, as planners gather comments from representatives of local agencies and apply relevant, but often conflicting, regulations. Moreover, many development applications must go through a multi-step process three times.
Planners think they can do better. The County Council and Planning Board members have asked them to review the development review process with an eye to streamlining, while maintaining the scrutiny that plans typically undergo.
Residents, property owners, developers and anyone interested in development in Montgomery County are invited to weigh in on streamlining proposals or generate their own ideas at three community meetings in the coming weeks.
Planners will discuss changes that could require each development plan to go to the Board only once, encourage greater consistency by having a single set of reviewers guide a plan from start to finish, identify conflicts earlier in the process, and reduce staff and Planning Board review time.
The meetings will encourage participation by using a small group, facilitated format to gather comments. The third and final meeting will take place at the regularly scheduled Zoning Advisory Panel meeting and focus on changes needed in the Zoning Code. After the meetings conclude, planners will report to the Planning Board with their recommendations.
What:
Development review process review community meetings
When:
7:30 p.m. December 9, January 6, and January 20
Where:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring
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