Silver Spring Streetscape Standards Update

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View the Approved Standards

The Silver Spring Streetscape Standards were approved by the Planning Board on December 5, 2019.

Background

The Silver Spring Streetscape Plan Technical Manual has been updated to provide standards for private and public development within the downtown business district. Since the approval of the 2000 Silver Spring CBD Sector Plan, Silver Spring has become a major urban center with a lively mix of shops, restaurants, offices, residential and civic uses. These components need to be connected into an attractive, cohesive and safe environment with comfortable and accessible sidewalks, street trees, paving and planting details that reflect best practices.

The new streetscape standards are an update to the 1992 Silver Spring Streetscape Standards and take into consideration the best practices in street tree planting, paving and furnishings. They have been created to provide guidance to property owners and public agencies such as the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, the Maryland State Highway Administration, The Silver Spring Urban District and the Montgomery County Planning Department staff. Intensive public feedback and testimony have contributed to the approved and published standards.

Montgomery County Planning staff collaborated extensively with landscape and urban design consultant, Rhodeside and Harwell, Inc. of Alexandria, VA in the development of the new streetscape standards. They worked with Planning Staff during a two-year process to survey current conditions and established an advisory committee to provide ideas and develop the final document. The Planning Department supervised and coordinated this work, determined outcomes at various milestones and publicized and communicated with the public and business community. The Streetscape Standards were approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board in December 2019. The Standards are intended to be a living document that will be updated as downtown Silver Spring evolves and best practices in streetscape design change and innovate.

Last Updated: May 11, 2023

Topics

Montgomery County
Planning Department
2425 Reedie Drive, 14th Floor
Wheaton, MD 20902

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