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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
  • Brian Kelly, Representing Academia
  • Damon Orobona, Member of the Development Community
  • Paul Mortensen, Ex-officio Member, Senior Urban Designer in the Director’s Office

Submission Requirements

  1. Schedule a Design Advisory Panel review date with the Design Advisory Panel Liaison.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

2023 Schedule

  • January 25, 2023
  • February 22, 2023
  • March 22, 2023
  • April 26, 2023
  • May 24, 2023
  • June 28, 2023
  • July 26, 2023
  • No August 2023 Meeting
  • September 27, 2023
  • October 25, 2023
  • November 29, 2023 (Fifth Wednesday due to the holiday)
  • No December 2023 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.

Next Meeting:  

June 28, 2023, Submissions due: June 14, 2023

Past Meetings: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

January 25, 2023 


November 30, 2022

October 26, 2022

July 27, 2022

June 22, 2022

May 25, 2022

April 27,2022

February 23, 2022

November 17, 2021

October 27, 2021

September 22, 2021

July 28, 2021

March 24, 2021

February 24, 2021

January 27, 2021

September 23, 2020

July 22, 2020

June 24, 2020

May 27, 2020

February 26, 2020

January 22, 2020

November 20, 2019

October 23, 2019

September 25, 2019

May 22, 2019

April 24, 2019

March 27, 2019

January 7, 2019

November 28, 2018

October 24, 2018

September 26, 2018

July 25, 2018

June 27, 2018

May 23, 2018

April 25, 2018

April 4, 2018(note: this meeting was rescheduled from March 21 due to weather)

February 28, 2018

December 13, 2017

November 29, 2017

November 8, 2017

Last Updated: May 24, 2023