From June 26 to June 30, residents, public officials and community groups gathered to launch Thrive Montgomery 2050, a vision for the future of the county
SILVER SPRING, MD – Through Thrive week, a series of five community events throughout the Montgomery County from June 26 through June 30, the Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), invited county residents to envision the future of the county.
Thrive Week officially kicked off Thrive Montgomery 2050, our chance to figure out – together – how Montgomery County can be a great community over the next 30 years. The Montgomery County Planning Department organized Thrive Week to generate ideas and excitement about participating in Thrive Montgomery 2050 activities over the next few months.
View the recaps:
- June 26: Shady Grove Farmers Market Video | Pictures
- June 27: Bethesda Yappy Hour Video | Pictures
- June 28: South Germantown Recreational Park (Splash Park and Mini Golf Facility) Video | Pictures
- June 29: Nando’s Spicy Saturday Nights in Downtown Silver Spring Video | Pictures
- June 30: Wheaton Sunday Funday Video | Pictures
During the events in Bethesda, Boyds, Rockville, Silver Spring and Wheaton, residents discussed their vision for Montgomery County in 2050 with County Councilmembers, Planning Board commissioners and planners. Together, they imagined and exchanged ideas about: What do we want Montgomery County to be like, look like, feel like in 30 years? What does Montgomery County need to have in the coming decades for you and your family to stay here?
The possibilities, hopes, concerns and wonderings shared during Thrive Week—and over the next few months—will inform Thrive Montgomery 2050, the update to Montgomery County’s General Plan. Last comprehensively updated in the 1960s, the General Plan is Montgomery County’s long-range policy framework which informs the shape and character of every neighborhood in Montgomery County, the types of community facilities and amenities that serve residents and businesses, and the ways we travel throughout the county.
“Thrive Week is the first step in developing a shared vision to maintain what is great about the county while taking the actions needed to thrive over the next three decades,” says Planning Director Gwen Wright. “The ideas offered by the community during Thrive Week – and throughout the Thrive Montgomery 2050 process – will help us determine priorities in envisioning our county’s future.”
During Thrive Week, community members’ thoughts about the future of Montgomery County were recorded in words and pictures by a graphic artist. The following are among the many possibilities participants shared for Thrive Montgomery 2050:
- Build more affordable housing, including more senior living options.
- Create more parks and open spaces, including dog parks, in urban areas.
- Reduce traffic congestion and offer more public transportation options.
- Increase safety, walkability and bicycle infrastructure on streets.
- Address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Install more charging stations for electric vehicles.
- Establish wellness centers and gathering spots to build community.
Thrive Week was just the beginning. To share your thoughts on how to keep Montgomery County thriving to 2050 and beyond, residents can:
- Take the Thrive Montgomery Quiz
- Look for Thrive Montgomery 2050 at community events over the next few months.
- Join the Thrive Montgomery 2050 email list to get the latest updates (including event alerts).
- Leave a comment through the Thrive Montgomery website
For more information, visit thrivemontgomery.com.
For videos and photos of the Thrive Week events, go to the Thrive Week Outreach web page.
What is Thrive Montgomery 2050?
What does your future look like? And how does the community where you live, work and play support your vision for your future—and that of your family?
Montgomery County has seen significant and rapid social, environmental, technological, demographic and economic shifts since the 1964 General Plan, and more changes are anticipated over the next few decades. It is necessary to update—together—the county’s long-term guiding framework for growth and development, the General Plan, to determine how to proactively manage change in the future and address the challenges and opportunities from technological, social, environmental and economic change.
Thrive Montgomery 2050 is our chance to figure out—together—how Montgomery County can be an inclusive, prosperous and resilient community over the next 30 years. It’s about how we respond to future opportunities and challenges in the county. Together.
Through Thrive Montgomery 2050, we’ll identify and examine the changes occurring, consider what we want for tomorrow, then develop a shared vision that allows us to keep what we love about Montgomery County while taking the actions needed to thrive over the next 30+ years.
The plan will draw on your vision, ideas and care for your community, best practices, expert analysis and innovative responses.
We are starting out with three core themes for the General Plan Update:
Economic health: We want to ensure a vibrant, strong and competitive economy by supporting small businesses and business innovation, and attract and retain a high quality, diverse workforce.
Community equity: We want to create a place where all residents have equal access to affordable housing, healthy foods, employment, education and more.
Environmental resilience: We want to preserve our natural and built resources and use the best strategies to fight climate change and mitigate the impact of development on the land.
Let’s ensure a vibrant economy, equity for all residents and a healthy environment through 2050 and beyond.
Let’s plan to thrive. Together.