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Kensington Sector Plan

Overview

On March 20, 2012, the County Council approved the Kensington Sector Plan, which creates a long term planning framework for Kensington including a reinvigorated Town Center. This Plan updates the 1978 Town of Kensington and Vicinity Sector Plan, articulating the Kensington communities’ vision and guiding the area’s physical development over a 20-year period.

The new Plan generally retains existing densities, using mixed-used zones (Commercial Residential/Town and Commercial Residential/Neighborhood) to allow residential development along with commercial uses. The zones, which require developers to provide public benefits, will result in well-designed projects on livelier streets that include wide, tree-lined sidewalks, plazas and other gathering spaces, and opportunities to preserve neighborhood businesses.

The plan also recommends creating a village center near Kensington’s MARC station, with mixed-use development and open space for public gatherings.

To view the 2012 Approved and Adopted Kensington Sector Plan, please click here [PDF]. The County Council’s resolution can be downloaded by clicking here.

Kensington Sector Plan Design Guidelines [PDF] help establish strategies to integrate how various development proposals will affect the Town of Kensington’s public realm.

Kensington Sector Plan

Download the Planning Board draft of the Kensington Sector Plan [PDF] (pdf, 6.3 MB), which was revised in March 2011. The County Council approved the draft in March. View the Council resolution [PDF] (pdf, 1.5 MB) that approves the plan. View the plan appendix.

Past Events

  • March 20, 2012: County Council approves the Kensington Sector Plan
  • December 5, 2011: PHED committee meeting
  • December 1, 2011 / November 22, 2011: Chevy Chase View community meeting and presentation to the PHED committee
    View presentation [PDF] (1.8 MB)
  • July 28, 2011: Staff presents Draft Urban Design Guidelines to Planning Board
    View presentation
  • July 25, 2011: Town of Kensington Council meeting on the proposed urban design guidelines
  • June 9, 2011: Planning Board worksession and approval of Planning Board Draft
  • June 2011: Planning Board transmits Planning Board Draft to Executive and Council
  • May 12, 2011: Planning Board Worksession
    View presentation [PDF] (3.5 MB) summarizing public hearing testimony
    View presentation [PDF] (3.6 MB) on urban design framework
  • April 28, 2011: Planning Board Public Hearing on revised Sector Plan
  • March 28, 2011: Presentation to Kensington Town Council on revised zoning recommendations
    View presentation [PDF] (1.6 MB)
  • March 17, 2011: Planners presented Staff Draft of Sector Plan with revised zoning recommendations to the Planning Board and request a public hearing date
  • July/September 2009: Planning Board work sessions
  • July 9, 2009: Planning Board public hearing
    View the public hearing draft of the Kensington Sector Plan [PDF] (pdf, 6 MB)
  • May 21, 2009: Staff presents Sector Plan draft to Planning Board
    View Sector Plan draft [PDF] (6 MB)
  • April 16, 2009: Presentation of preliminary recommendations to the Planning Board
  • March 19, 2009: Community Meeting [PDF] (pdf, 7.2MB)
    Summary of meeting participants’ ideas, comments, questions and concerns.
  • September 15, 2008: Discussion of Kensington Sector Plan Scope of Work [PDF] (pdf, 381KB)with Montgomery County Planning Board.