The Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan has entered its next phase following the completion of community engagement on the plan’s preliminary recommendations.
Montgomery Planning said it spent the past several months gathering feedback from residents through open houses, pop-up events, community gatherings, small group conversations, and online comments. According to planners, that input will now be used to help shape the plan’s first formal draft, known as the Working Draft.
As staff prepares the document, planners say they are identifying common themes and areas of agreement, reviewing concerns and questions raised by residents, and evaluating how community feedback aligns with county policies and planning best practices.
The Working Draft is expected to be released this fall. According to Montgomery Planning, it will incorporate community feedback received during the preliminary recommendations phase, continued coordination with county agencies and community organizations, and additional technical analysis and planning review.
After the Working Draft is released, the plan team will present it to the Planning Board during a public meeting. The Board is then expected to schedule public hearings, which planners anticipate will take place in November or December.
Once the hearing schedule is finalized, Montgomery Planning says residents will be able to sign up to provide testimony in writing, virtually, or in person.
Planning staff thanked residents, neighbors, and community partners for participating throughout the process, saying community input has played an important role in shaping the future vision for eastern Silver Spring.
