Bethesda Downtown Design Advisory Panel

Purpose

The Design Advisory Panel (DAP) is an integral part of the Bethesda Overlay Zone. The primary goal of the Design Advisory Panel is to provide advice and recommendations that will heighten design excellence and improve the quality of architecture, urban design and landscape architecture in Bethesda. The Advisory Panel will be guided by the Bethesda Downtown Sector Plan and the related Design Guidelines.

View the Design Advisory Panel Rules of Procedure (updated September 2020).

Panel Members

Yulia Beltikova, Registered Architect from the Greater Montgomery County Community
Jonathan Fitch, Registered Landscape Architect
Rod Henderer, Bethesda Community Member
Robert Sponseller, Representing Academia
John Tschiderer, Member of the Development Community
Paul Mortensen, Ex-officio Member, Senior Urban Designer in the Director’s Office

Submission Requirements

Schedule a Design Advisory Panel review date with the Design Advisory Panel Liaison.
A minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled Design Advisory Panel meeting, provide the completed Submission Form and drawings for review in PDF format to the Design Advisory Panel Liaison via email. Please note: The Design Advisory Panel Submission Form has been updated. Beginning March 1, 2020, all submissions are required to submit the updated Submission Form.
Please see Submission Form for submittal requirements.

Download Submission Form

The following is an example submission that was well-received for its clarity and completeness:

Upcoming Meetings

Meetings typically take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. These meeting dates and times are subject to change. Currently all meetings are hybrid, both in-person and online. To attend, please email Cashielle Nelson.

2024 Schedule

January 24, 2024
February 21, 2024 (Third Wednesday due to February schedule)
March 27, 2024
April 24, 2024
May 22, 2024
June 26, 2024
July 24, 2024
No August 2024 Meeting
September 25, 2024
October 23, 2024
November 20, 2024 (Third Wednesday due to the holiday)
No December 2024 Meeting

Public Participation

While the DAP meetings are primarily for panel members to consider and comment on proposed developments, meetings should be collaborative, and input from developers, their consultants, and members of the public is encouraged. Because panel members are volunteers, however, the DAP is not expected to meet for more than one hour on any single project.

Members of the public who wish to participate in a DAP meeting should notify the DAP’s staff liaison before the meeting. Those who have not notified the staff liaison in advance may sign up to participate the day of the meeting. Citizens will be invited to participate in the order in which they sign up. In certain cases, there may not be sufficient time for all interested citizens to participate. Members of the public who wish to ensure their comments are considered by the DAP should submit them in writing to the DAP’s staff liaison no later than twenty-four hours before the DAP meeting. Any written comments submitted to the DAP will also be sent to the Planning Board before the Board meets to consider the proposed development.

Although DAP meetings are intended to be informal, it may be necessary in certain cases, such as meetings with many interested citizens, for the DAP to impose equitable time limits on public comments or other reasonable rules of order. When possible, the staff liaison will announce time limits at the start of the DAP meeting.

Meeting Materials

DAP Meeting materials, including agenda and development application submission forms, will be posted one week prior to the meeting. Meetings notes and recordings will be posted generally within one week of the DAP meeting.