Community invited to provide feedback on ideas for paving, plantings, lighting, street furnishings and signage in downtown Silver Spring
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will hold a public workshop on Monday, January 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at its headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring) to discuss the proposed updates to the Silver Spring Streetscape Standards. These standards will guide public agencies and private developers in creating pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalks in downtown Silver Spring.
“We are trying to create unified streets that support shopping and walking, and make the pedestrian experience pleasant and safe,” says lead planner John Marcolin. “The streetscape standards for Silver Spring were last issued in 1992 and need to be updated to reflect current practices for a friendly urban sidewalk experience, stormwater management, bicycle facilities and other environmental factors.”
Learn more about the Silver Spring Streetscape Standards Update.
The purpose of the January 22 public workshop is to get feedback from the community on the proposed guidelines for paving, plantings, lighting, street furnishings, signage and wayfinding. Stakeholders will be expected to review the draft concept and provide comments and suggestions about various streetscape elements. RSVPs are encouraged but not required.
To RSVP for the January 22 workshop, go online to register.
Two more workshops for the standards will be held in January 2018. On Friday, January 19, representatives of county agencies, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Permitting Services and Maryland State Highway Administration, are invited to offer their feedback. On the afternoon of Monday, January 22 following the public workshop, property owners, developers and civil engineers will attend another session to review and comment on the proposed standards.
Once finalized, the streetscape standards will be presented to the Planning Board for approval in spring 2018. They will guide the development review process and require property owners to follow the standards set for the public realm extending from street curbs to building frontage in downtown Silver Spring.
For more information, contact lead planner John Marcolin at tel. 301-495-4547 or by email at john.marcolin@montgomeryplanning.org.