The proposed redevelopment of Olney Golf Park into a 235-townhouse community has reached its first major step in the county approval process, with Montgomery Planning staff recommending approval of the requested rezoning.
Pulte Home Companies is seeking to redevelop the approximately 22-acre Olney Golf Park property along Georgia Avenue at Emory Church Road. The proposal would replace the longtime driving range and golf facility with up to 235 townhouses.
The Montgomery County Planning Board is scheduled to consider the proposal during its Thursday, September 24 meeting. Planning staff is recommending approval of Local Map Amendment No. H164, which would rezone the property from RE-2 to CRNF .75, C 0.0, R .75, H 50. Staff is also recommending approval, with conditions, of an associated Forest Conservation Plan involving easement and priority forest removal.
According to Maryland Newsletters, the proposed community includes a mix of five townhouse products ranging from 16 to 24 feet wide, with both front-load and rear-load units. Planning staff determined that the proposed redevelopment is consistent with the 2005 Olney Master Plan, citing the property’s location along Georgia Avenue and the mix of existing uses in the surrounding area. The Master Plan calls for a wider variety of housing types in Olney and identifies Georgia Avenue as an area with greater transit opportunities.
The Planning Board’s consideration does not represent final approval of the project. If the application moves forward, the rezoning will continue through the county’s review process, including consideration by the Hearing Examiner and ultimately the Montgomery County District Council. A public hearing before the Hearing Examiner is currently scheduled for Monday, November 2, Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6, beginning at 9:30am.
Olney Golf Park addressed the potential redevelopment earlier this year after reports of the proposed sale began circulating. In a March message to customers, the business confirmed that the property was under contract but emphasized that the redevelopment remained in its early stages and was dependent on county approvals. “For today and the foreseeable future, nothing is changing,” Olney Golf Park said at the time.
Ownership said last spring it expected the golf facility to remain open for approximately two years, although that timeline could change depending on how quickly the approval process moves forward. The business said its driving range, lessons, fittings, camps, club repair and other services would continue as usual in the meantime.
The property has operated as a golf facility for decades. Pulte’s proposal would represent a significant change for the site, but several additional approvals would still be required before redevelopment could begin.
