Sessions will focus on the Department’s planning legacy in preserving farmland, creating public open spaces and zoning for affordable housing, and ways of advancing those achievements
Silver Spring, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), is sponsoring a three-part Winter Speaker Series in 2017 that celebrates 90 years of planning achievements since the M-NCPPC was founded in 1927. Speakers will present strategies for the future that build on past accomplishments in preserving farmland, creating open spaces and zoning for affordable housing.
The presentations, which will include question-and-answer discussions, will be held at the Planning Department headquarters auditorium (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
Session 1: From Farmland to Agritourism
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
The 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve in Montgomery County is one of the most studied and emulated programs of its kind. This session will address current efforts to expand agritourism and support farm-to-table businesses within this land conservation area. Farmers will draw on their experiences to convey the challenges and successes of operating businesses within the Ag Reserve.
Speakers: Caroline Taylor, Executive Director of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance
Tanya Spandhla, Passions to Seed Farm
John Fendrick, Rock Hill Orchard
Session 2: From Parks to Energized Open Spaces
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Montgomery County has established a rich variety of parks for recreation, relaxation and civic engagement. This session presents new ways of activating and programming public open spaces in urban, mixed-use areas of the county.
Speakers: Joe Forkin, Vice President for Operations and Development, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Rachel Newhouse, Planner, Montgomery County Department of Parks
Session 3: From Innovative Zoning to Housing for All
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Montgomery County’s moderately priced dwelling unit (MPDU) program is believed to be the nation’s first inclusionary zoning law that gave a density bonus allowance to builders for providing affordable housing. This session examines innovative approaches and tools that will provide more affordable housing options for all county residents in the future.
Speakers: Clarence Snuggs, Director, Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Stephanie Killian, Manager, Affordable Housing, Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Kyle Talente, Principal, RKG Associates
David Cristeal, Director, Housing Division, Arlington County
The Winter Speakers Series is free and open to the public and planning professionals. Credit for certification maintenance (CM) for members of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) attending the series is pending.