First session on July 20 examined the overall zoning strategy, as well as transportation infrastructure and school capacity
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, completed the first of five work sessions to review the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan. The session, held on Monday, July 20, 2015 at the Planning Department headquarters, addressed the proposed zoning strategy for Downtown Bethesda as it relates to building density and height increases, and considered transportation infrastructure and school capacity.
View the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan Public Hearing Draft.
View the Power Point Presentation from the July 20 Worksession #1.
The new Sector Plan recommends increasing density in Bethesda by approximately 20 percent with greater increases around centers of activity and gathering spaces, including the Farm Women’s Cooperative Market, Bethesda Metrorail Station and Veteran’s Park.
The July 20 work session also addressed how transportation elements in the Sector Plan would be affected by the zoning changes. Staff determined that all intersections within the Plan area will continue to operate at acceptable levels of congestion to the year 2040 under the proposed land use vision.
School capacity was another topic of the work session. The Downtown Bethesda Sector Plan is within the service areas of Bethesda Elementary School, Westland Middle School and Bethesda Chevy Chase High School where enrollment increases will have an impact on their available capacity. The Plan includes designation of the former Lynbrook Elementary School as a future operating elementary school. Other school options were presented during the Working Draft presentation of the Sector Plan to the Planning Board on May 21, 2015.
Finally, the initial Planning Board work session examined modifications to the density averaging rules relating to sites in the Plan area. This planning tool allows square footage to be sent from one site to another site in the Plan area to create or enlarge parks, protect significant community landmarks and promote affordable housing.
Future Planning Board Work Sessions
Planners are summarizing all public testimony received from the June 24 public hearing through July 2, when the public record for the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan closed. Based on this testimony, they are preparing recommendations for review by the Planning Board at the September and October work sessions. The fall work sessions will include a district-by-district zoning review of Downtown Bethesda, as well as analysis of proposed parks and open spaces, high performance areas and affordable housing.
All work sessions will be held at the Montgomery County Planning Department headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910). The four remaining sessions are scheduled for September 17, October 5, October 22 and November 12.
At the conclusion of this series, the Planning Board’s recommendations will be incorporated into the Draft of the Sector Plan and sent to the County Council for additional work sessions and approval. Final Council action is anticipated in spring 2016.
Background on the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan
Launched in 2014, the new Plan builds on the success of Downtown Bethesda by offering ways to strengthen its centers of activity – Bethesda Row, Wisconsin Avenue corridor, Woodmont Triangle and other established and emerging districts – over the next 20 years. Among its recommendations are a high performance area that incentivizes more energy-efficient buildings, new parks, tree-lined streets and innovative storm water management. The priority of the plan is to make Bethesda into a truly sustainable downtown – economically, socially and environmentally.
Other goals of the plan focus on:
-A mix of housing options, including preservation of market-rate affordable apartments and new moderately priced dwelling units in exchange for development incentives.
-New and/or expanded civic greens at Veteran’s Park, Bethesda Farm Women’s Cooperative Market and Capital Crescent Trail.
-Economic competitiveness within the region based on new development, public amenities and proximity to transit, including Metrorail and proposed Purple Line light rail.
The Plan serves as an amendment to the approved and adopted 1994 Bethesda Central Business District Sector Plan and the 2006 Woodmont Triangle Amendment to that Sector Plan.
View the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan Public Hearing Draft.
For questions or comments about the Bethesda plan, please email bethesdadownplan@montgomeryplanning.org