Thrive Montgomery 2050 wins a Maryland Department of Planning Sustainable Growth Award for Sustainable Communities

December 14, 2023 10:19 am

Secretary Flora presents MD sustainable award to Artie Harris
Montgomery Planning receives state recognition for outstanding achievement in advancing the state’s aspirations for sound growth and development policies

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), is honored to receive a Maryland Department of Planning Sustainable Growth Award for Thrive Montgomery 2050, the update to Montgomery County’s General Plan approved and adopted in October 2022. Thrive Montgomery 2050 takes a data-driven and community-informed approach to frame the county’s growth over the next 30 years, and its recommendations detail how Montgomery County can be more equitable, economically healthy, and environmentally resilient amid major demographic and technological changes in that time.

Thrive Montgomery 2050 promotes sustainability and vibrancy for Montgomery County’s communities through compact growth, more transit and walkable communities and complete communities where residents can access housing they can afford, services and transportation options close to home as well as providing equitable access for the county’s diverse residents.

“The Maryland Department of Planning is so pleased to celebrate Thrive Montgomery 2050 for its outstanding realization of our ‘12 Planning Visions,’” said Rebecca Flora, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning. “Plans like this ensure a bright, inclusive future for this state, and we look forward to following Montgomery County’s journey toward equity, sustainability, and economic health in the coming decades.”

The Maryland Sustainable Growth Awards honor significant achievements by individuals, businesses, organizations, and local governments to further the “12 Planning Visions” adopted by the Maryland General Assembly. The awards promote exemplary work that represents or inspires collaboration, innovation, conservation, community impact and quality of life.

“We are so honored by the Maryland Department of Planning’s recognition of Thrive Montgomery 2050,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “This plan envisions accessible, mixed-use centers and corridors that connect county residents, employees, and visitors to each other and the region—in other words, a truly cohesive and sustainable community. This award is a fitting tribute to both the internal innovation and countywide cooperation that went into the plan’s creation, and I am grateful to the Montgomery County Council for their support and approval of it. We look forward to working together to implement the recommendations in this important plan.”

“For the county to grow and evolve, we must create places where housing that residents can afford, transit, and businesses can successfully coexist and where we can meet our spatial, environmental, and development goals in an equitable way, and that’s what Thrive Montgomery 2050 aims to do,” said Planning Director Jason Sartori. “Its three main outcomes—environmental resilience, economic health and community equity—are rooted in the Maryland General Assembly’s ‘12 Planning Visions,’ we’re thus thrilled to receive this Sustainable Growth award and to celebrate these shared achievements.”

Key recommendations in Thrive Montgomery 2050 include:

Focus on growth in downtowns, activity centers, and along key corridors—with amenities serving existing and new residents while preserving our open spaces.
Prioritize racial equity and economic competitiveness—throughout the county and especially in East County.
Emphasize walking, biking, rolling, and transit—to reduce car traffic, minimize emissions, and keep everyone safer in their travels.
Embed social connections and public health into our land use planning—because thriving depends on more than just new development.
Enhance public and private spaces alike with arts and culture—because quality of place is integral to quality of life, as well as shared economic health.
Target place-based environmental sustainability and resilience—so growth happens in already-dense places and the Agricultural Reserve and parkland remain protected for future generations.