Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment

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Montgomery Planning (M-NCPPC), in partnership with the City of Takoma Park, has the unique opportunity to update portions of the 2000 Takoma Park Master Plan with the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment.

The Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment will re-envision the areas near and along Maple and Lee Avenues, the Erie Center and the Washington Adventist Hospital and University campuses. The planning team will work with community members and other stakeholders, throughout the planning process to reimagine the area’s future.

Public Hearing Draft of the Plan

Download appendices:

Appendix A – Community Engagement and Outreach
Appendix B – Demographics
Appendix C – Development Profile
Appendix D – Environment
Appendix E – Historic Preservation
Appendix F – Housing
Appendix G – Parks
Appendix H – Schools and Community Facilities
Appendix I – Transportation

Download a flyer that explains the plan: English | አማርኛ | Español | Français

Download a brochure with a self-guided tour of the Plan Area.

On April 20, 2023, Montgomery Planning staff provided the Planning Board with an overview of the preliminary recommendations for the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, including land use, zoning, transportation, environment, parks and open spaces, housing and community facilities. Watch the presentation: English | አማርኛ | Español | Français

Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment Plan Boundary

View map full-screen | Download map PDF with text description

The Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment will address properties located within the approved plan boundary that includes the Washington Adventist Hospital and University campuses, the Erie Center (located at the intersection of Flower Avenue and Erie Avenue), and multi-family properties, parks and the Takoma Park Community Center located along Maple Avenue.

This plan boundary was determined by the Montgomery County Planning Board in coordination with the City of Takoma Park. It was approved by the Planning Board on September 30, 2021. The planning team will also assess and study any potential impacts to properties outside the plan boundary that are within the larger study area of the plan.

Process and Timeline

A minor master plan amendment, like the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, revisits a specific portion of the approved and adopted master plan and reexamines certain elements, often to address a change that was not anticipated at the time the adopted master plan was approved.

Montgomery Planning and the City of Takoma Park will work with the community to achieve a plan that incorporates the needs of stakeholders, anticipates changes to come, and retains the unique character and diversity of the area.

As part of the plan’s initial kick-off, Montgomery Planning staff presented the minor master plan amendment process and its anticipated time frame to the Takoma Park City Council on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. The plan’s Scope of Work and the Plan Area Boundary Report were completed in September 2021 during the pre-planning phase.

Before the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment can be approved and adopted, the City of Takoma Park’s Mayor and Council will first review and approve the plan. From there, the Montgomery County Planning Board will conduct its review. The Montgomery County Council will conduct the final review and approve the final Plan.

In recent years, the Montgomery County Council and the M-NCPPC have approved and adopted two Sector Plans for communities in Takoma Park and adjacent areas, the 2012 Takoma-Langley Crossroads Sector Plan and the 2013 Long Branch Sector Plan. These plans, in addition to the 2021 Retail in Diverse Communities Study, will inform the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment process.

Plan Timeline

Pre-Planning

March 2021: The City of Takoma Park and Montgomery Planning signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment.

March 24, 2021: Montgomery Planning staff made a presentation to the Takoma Park City Council regarding the process and schedule for the Plan. Council agenda item | Meeting video (beginning at 18:54)

June 14, 2021: Montgomery Planning staff made a presentation to the Takoma Park City Council regarding draft scope of work and project boundaries. Council agenda item | Meeting video

July 7, 2021: City of Takoma Park planning staff made a presentation to Takoma Park City Council, and Council unanimously approved Resolution 2021-22 on the proposed boundary of the Minor Master Plan Amendment. Council agenda item | Meeting video (beginning at 01:27:57)
Phase One: Listening, Fall 2021 – Spring 2022

Scope of Work
September 30, 2021: The Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Minor Master Plan project boundary and Scope of Work. This formally kicked off the two-year Minor Master Plan process. View the Scope of Work presentation.

Existing Conditions
March 2022: The planning team presented the Existing Conditions of the plan area to the Takoma Park City Council (March 9), the community (March 29) and the Montgomery County Planning Board (March 31). Download the Existing Conditions presentation: English | አማርኛ | Español | Français.

April 21, 2022: Montgomery Planning staff briefed the Planning Board on the historical and cultural resources of the plan area. View the April 21 presentation.
Phase Two: Visioning, Fall 2022 – Winter 2023

The planning team presented the Community Engagement Update to the Takoma Park City Council (September 14) and the Montgomery County Planning Board (September 15). Download the full report, presentation, and one-page explainer: English | አማርኛ | Español | Français.
On January 25, 2023, the planning team presented to the Takoma Park City Council on the Plan process to date, including background on the project, a summary of the findings, and the timeline moving forward. Download the January 25 presentation slides.
Phase Three: Refining, Winter 2023 – Spring 2023

The planning team presented the Working Draft to the Takoma Park City Council (May 24) and received a resolution to approve the Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft and to set a Public Hearing for September 14 (June 7).

On June 8, the planning team presented the Working Draft to the Planning Board and requested the Board to approve the Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft and to set a Public Hearing for September 14. Download the staff report and the Public Hearing Draft.
Phase Four: Sharing, Spring 2023 – Winter 2024

Planning Board - Public Hearing/Work Sessions
County Council - Review/Public Hearing/Work Sessions
Approval and Adoption
Sectional Map Amendment

Equitable Engagement

A great plan starts with you! Throughout the engagement process, the planning team will explore how to best highlight and reflect the interests of community members through urban design, architecture, and open space planning.

Equitable engagement is one of three major themes of Thrive Montgomery 2050, Montgomery County’s General Plan, and central to all of Montgomery Planning’s work. The planning team will use a three-pronged approach to engage community members: meeting one-on-one with neighborhood leaders; building working partnerships with civic groups and connecting them to community advocates; and resolving localized problems from the ground up with grassroots community support.

This process starts with the Listening Phase to gather important feedback from community members about what they like and would like to change about the plan. Subsequent phases will present preliminary ideas, solicit further stakeholder input, and share the finalized plans widely. This will include a variety of virtual and in-person feedback opportunities in multiple languages.

The feedback and other information gathered during the engagement process will be used by the planning team to establish the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints of the plan area. This will assist in formulating and refining plan goals and recommendations.

Sign up for Montgomery Planning’s Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment eLetter to receive alerts about engagement opportunities and plan progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Minor Master Plan Amendment?

Each community within Montgomery County has a master plan that creates a comprehensive view of land use trends and future development, like the 2000 Takoma Park Master Plan. These plans make recommendations related to land uses, zoning, transportation, schools, parks, and community and public facilities, and they address housing, historic preservation, pedestrian and trail systems, and environmental issues.

A minor master plan amendment, like the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, revisits a specific portion of the approved and adopted master plan and reexamines certain elements, often to address a change that was not anticipated at the time the adopted master plan was approved. The Minor Master Plan Amendment may offer new recommendations, or it may reconfirm the existing plan recommendations.
I work and/or live in Takoma Park. How will the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment impact me?

The Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment provides the Takoma Park community with the opportunity to shape a better future for the Plan Area. The plan also creates the potential for increased public benefits and amenities, including improved access to and availability of public transit and pedestrian infrastructure, parks and open space, and additional community facilities.

All decisions will be guided by community input, so join the conversation! Montgomery Planning will provide plenty of ways for community members to get involved in the decision-making process. Keep in mind also that, even once the Minor Master Plan Amendment is approved, it will likely take years to be fully realized—so any changes won’t be immediate.
I live outside the plan boundary; how will I benefit from the process?

Although zoning and land use changes are limited to properties within the Plan Area, the plan will ensure that new development is integrated effectively into the existing community. Additionally, recommendations will likely include ways to improve transportation and environmental impacts beyond the Plan Area in Montgomery County, and public amenities will further benefit the entire community.
What is Washington Adventist University’s role in this process?

The Washington Adventist University is a major stakeholder in Takoma Park more broadly, and it supported the initiation of the Minor Master Plan Amendment, which in part will seek a creative solution for the vacant Washington Adventist Hospital site. The University envisions additional student and faculty housing as a part of the area’s future, and the planning team will explore recommendations that best address everyone’s goals.
Are Washington Adventist University and Washington Adventist Hospital part of the same organization?

No. While both have affiliations with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, they are two separate non-profit organizations with separate boards of trustees and leadership. Washington Adventist University has plans to purchase the Washington Adventist Hospital campus in the near future. This land is part of the plan area for the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment.
What will happen to the Washington Adventist Hospital site?

The planning process will look at potential opportunities for future uses of the hospital campus, with recommendations based on information gained from both expert analysis of the site and the engagement of community stakeholders including property owners and local government.  The final recommendations will incorporate site potential, needs of property owners, and the goals and desires of other stakeholders, including area residents.

Connect with the Planning Team

Submit a question to the planning team on the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment.

Last Updated: September 14, 2023

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

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