During this Thanksgiving season, the Montgomery County Planning Department is grateful for:
-All the public participation in the planning process for Downtown Bethesda, Westbard, Greater Lyttonsville, Montgomery Village and other communities.
-Continued support of the Purple Line light rail system in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.
-Applying the new Zoning Ordinance, enacted in 2014, to new development across the County.
-The newly launched Countywide Bicycle Master Plan effort to create safer, more up-to-date cycling paths and facilities.
-Updating the Subdivision Staging Policy to ensure public facilities, particularly schools and roads, are adequate for County growth.
-Our first Planning Department Design Excellence Award competition to encourage high quality architecture in the County by honoring projects like the Silver Spring Civic Building, which won our top award.
-Seeking to preserve affordable housing in the County.
-Approval of funding for a geothermal heating and cooling system in our future Wheaton headquarters to help ensure it is the first LEED-Platinum-certified public building in the County.
-Our successful 2015 Winter Speakers Series, “A Once and Future County: Lessons on How Planning Politics Shaped Montgomery County,” that was hosted by Royce Hanson, former chairman of the Planning Board.
-The continuing dedication of Montgomery County residents, businesses, consultants and developers in working to keep our neighborhoods vibrant.
Happy Thanksgiving!