Placemaking is about making public spaces more useful and welcoming for the people who spend time in them. Placemaking puts planning into action. Our team works with neighbors, businesses, and county partners to create simple, short‑term improvements that bring energy to a place. These projects help people connect to their community and get excited about bigger, long‑term plans.
Here are some photos of our previous placemaking initiatives which demonstrate that placemaking can be as simple as adding chalk art or as big as turning a parking lot into a gathering spot.
Placemaking Strategic Plan
Learn more about the goals, strategies and the Planning Department’s role in Placemaking as described in our Placemaking Strategic Plan.
Goals of Placemaking Strategic Plan
Goal 1
Use placemaking projects to support a competitive local economy.
Goal 2
Equitably distribute placemaking projects to provide access to high-quality outdoor space for everyone.
Goal 3
Use placemaking projects to help achieve the county’s Climate Action Plan goals.
Goal 4
Improve the mental and physical health of individuals and communities through placemaking.
Goal 5
Use placemaking to foster pride of place throughout the county.
Goal 6
Encourage public entities with ownership of the public realm to prioritize placemaking.
Goal 7
Minimize barriers for residents, property owners, and developers to encourage more placemaking projects in the county.
Goal 8
Maximize the impact of Montgomery Planning’s annual investment in placemaking projects.