The update of this Sector Plan is underway. Please see Bethesda Downtown Plan for more information.
Approved and Adopted July 1994
View the Bethesda Central Business District Master Plan (1994) [pdf, 12 MB]
The complete document is represented by the index below:
- Abstract & Table of Contents
- The Future of Bethesda
- 1.1 Vision
- 1.2 Goals
- 1.3 Sector Plan Highlights
- Land Use and Zoning Plan
- Transportation
- Streetscape Plan
- Environmental Resources Plan
- Community Facilities Plan
- Historic Resources Plan
- Implementation
- 1.4 – Maryland Planning Act of 1992
- 1.5 – General Plan for Montgomery County
- Sector Plan Framework
- 2.1 Role and Planning History of Bethesda
- Description of Sector Plan Area
- Role of Bethesda
- Planning History
- 2.2 – Sector Plan Profile
- People
- Land Use and Employment
- Housing
- 2.1 Role and Planning History of Bethesda
- Planning and Design Objectives
- 3.1 Land Use Objectives
- Employment Growth
- Housing and Neighborhoods
- Retail
- “Cultural District” Theme
- 3.2 Urban Design Objectives
- General Objectives
- Urban Form
- Open Space
- Pathways
- 3.1 Land Use Objectives
- Land Use and Zoning Plan
- Introduction
- Chapter Organization
- 4.1 The Metro Core District
- 4.2 The Transit Station Residential District
- 4.3 The Old Georgetown Road Corridor
- 4.4 The Battery Lane District
- 4.5 The Woodmont Triangle District
- 4.6 The Wisconsin North Corridor
- 4.7 – The East Bethesda Transition Area
- 4.8 – The Montgomery Triangle Corridor
- 4.9 – The Town of Chevy Chase Transition Area
- 4.10- The Wisconsin South Corridor
- 4.11 -The Brandley Boulevard District
- 4.12 – The Arlington Road District
- 4.13 -The Edgemoor Transition Area
- Transportation Plan
- 5.1 – Plan Objectives and Strategies
- 5.2 – Transportation Demand Management
- 5.3 – Public Transportation
- Existing Rail and Bus Transit Service
- Proposed Loop Bus Circulation
- Future Silver Spring-Bethesda Trolley
- 5.4 – Pedestrian Circulation
- 5.5 – Bicycle Network Plan
- 5.6 – Parking
- 5.7 – Highway System Plan
- Capacity
- Annual Growth Policy Group Designation
- Roadway System Improvements
- Neighborhood Protection
- Streetscape Plan
- 6.1 Plan Objectives
- 6.2 Area-wide Recommendations
- 6.3 District Recommendations
- 6.4 Staging Priorities
- Environmental Resources Plan
- 7.1 Plan Objectives
- 7.2 Air Quality
- 7.3 Solid Waste Management
- 7.4 Noise
- 7.5 Stormwater Management
- 7.6 Water Supply and Sanitary Sewerage
- Community Facilities Plan
- 8.1 Plan Objectives
- 8.2 Human Services
- 8.3 Parks, Recreation and Open Space
- 8.4 Public Security
- 8.5 Educational Facilities
- 8.6 – Other Public Facilities
- Historic Resources Plan
- 9.1 Plan Objectives
- 9.2 Introduction
- 9.3 History of Bethesda
- 9.4 Master Plan Sites
- 9.5 Sites Under Consideration for Historic Designation
- 9.6 Historic Designation
- Implementation
- 10.1 Zoning
- 10.2 Staging and the Annual Growth Policy
- 10.3 Bethesda Urban Partnership
- 10.4 Capital Improvements Program (CIP)
List of Figures
1.1 Aerial of Downtown Bethesda
1.2 General Plan
2.1 Regional Location
2.2 Location Within Montgomery County
2.3 Sector Plan Area
2.4 Existing Employees in 1991
2.5 Redevelopment Potential
2.6 Retail Space by Category
3.1 Framework Concept
3.2 Building Height Limits
3.3 Views and Focal Points
3.4 Urban Form Principles
3.5 Open Space Concept
3.6 Open Space Principals
3.7 Pathways and Places
3.8 Pathway Principles
4.1 Existing Land Use – Spring 1991
4.2 Existing Zoning
4.3 Zoning Plan
4.4 Districts
4.5 Metro Core District: Future Land Use
4.6 Metro Core District: Recommended Zoning
4.7 Metro Core District: Urban Design Guidelines
4.8 Hot Shoppes Site: Illustrative Concept
4.9 Hot Shoppes Sites: Urban Form Diagram
4.10 East-West highway and Wisconsin Avenue: Illustration
4.11 Bethesda Theatre Cafe, Beta Lot, Lot 42: Property Sizes
4.12 Bethesda Theatre Cafe: Illustrative
4.13 Transit Station Residential District: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.14 Low-Rise, High-Density Housing Prototype
4.15 Transit Station Residential District: Illustrative
4.16 Transit Stations Residential District: Urban Design Guidelines
4.17 Old Georgetown Road Corridor: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.18 Old Georgetown Road Corridor: Urban Design Guidelines
4.19 Battery Lane District: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.20 Battery Lane District: Urban Design Guidelines
4.21 Woodmont Triangle District: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.22 Norfolk Avenue: Illustrative
4.23 Fairmont Avenue: Mixed Street Illustrative
4.24 Woodmont Triangle District: Urban Design Guidelines
4.25 Wisconsin North Corridor: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.26 Wisconsin North Corridor: Urban Design Guidelines
4.27 East Bethesda Transition Area: Future Land Use
4.28 East Bethesda Transition Area: Recommended Zoning
4.29 East Bethesda Transition Area: Urban Design Guidelines
4.30 Montgomery Triangle Corridor: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.31 Montgomery Triangle Corridor: Urban Design Guidelines
4.32 Town of Chevy Chase Transition Area: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.33 Town of Chevy Chase Transition Area: Urban Design Guidelines
4.34 Wisconsin South Corridor: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.35 Wisconsin South Corridor: Urban Design Guidelines
4.36 Bradley Boulevard District: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.37 Arlington Road District: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.38 Arlington Road District: Urban Design Guidelines
4.39 Arlington Road District: Illustrative
4.40 Edgemoor Transition Area: Future Land Use and Recommended Zoning
4.41 Edgemoor Transition Area: Urban Design Guidelines
5.1 Conceptual Loop Bus Route
5.2 Trolley Station Alternatives
5.3 Pedestrian Access Improvements
5.4 Bikeway Classes
5.5 Bicycle Network Plan
5.6 Capital Crescent Trail Street Level Route-A2
5.7 Metro-Bradley Bikeway-C (Capital Crescent Trail to Metro)
5.8 Public Parking Requirements
5.9 Street and Highway Plan
5.10 Potential Street Improvements and Pattern Change
5.11 Proposed Changes for Arlington Road District
5.12 Mixed Streets: Illustrative
5.13 East-West Highway Cross Section
6.1 Streetscape Plan
6.2 Street Types
6.3 Paving Plan
6.4 Street Lighting Plan
6.5 Street Tree Plan
8.1 Existing and Proposed Community Facilities
9.1 Historic Resources
List of Tables
5.1 Identification of Sector Plan Strategies for Improved Transportation in the Bethesda CBD
5.2 Bikeways: Locations and Classes
5.3 Highway Classification in Bethesda CBD
9.1 Bethesda CBD Historic Resources
10.1 Housing Incentives in DBD Zones
10.2 Staging of Sector Plan Development in the Bethesda CBD