Montgomery Planning Archives - Page 14 of 22

Community Invited to Workshops for University Boulevard Corridor Plan

Published April 12, 2023 at 9:32AM

Workshops in April and May will discuss opportunities and challenges for the plan area. The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is inviting the community to attend a series of workshops for the University Boulevard Corridor Plan. The meetings will be held in a workshop format and will feature staff presentations on existing conditions followed by facilitated discussions on topics such as housing, land use, parks and open spaces, and neighborhood aspirations for the plan area. The workshops comprise of two in-person meetings and two virtual meetings for two different geographic areas along the University Boulevard Corridor plan area to allow a more focused conversation on specific parts of the plan area.

I-495 to Dennis Avenue Workshop: Focused on the University Boulevard Corridor plan area, from I-495 to Dennis Avenue

Montgomery Planning Board Schedules May 4 Public Hearing on Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan

By MCS Staff

Published March 30, 2023 at 3:00PM

Community encouraged to sign up to testify and continue providing feedback on draft plan that recommends better access to public transportation, housing, retail, and pedestrian connections along U.S. 29/Columbia Pike

The Montgomery County Planning Board will hold a public hearing Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. on the Montgomery County Planning Department’s Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan. At its March 23 meeting, the Planning Board added its comments and accepted the Working Draft of the plan as the Public Hearing Draft, which the public is encouraged to review and provide in-person or virtual testimony. Read the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Public Hearing Draft. Sign-up to testify in-person or virtually at the May 4 public hearing.

Montgomery County Forest Conservation Laws amended to achieve “No Net Loss of Forest”

By MCS Staff

Published March 25, 2023 at 7:41PM

Approved amendments to Montgomery County will achieve greater forest planting and forest conservation in the county

Per Montgomery Planning: The Montgomery County Planning Department’s work to achieve a more balanced approach to forest conservation in Montgomery County through its No Net Loss Initiative has resulted in the passage of Bill 25-22 by the Montgomery County Council. Bill 25-22, along with a County Council resolution to adopt Montgomery County Planning Board Regulation No. 25-22 on Forest Conservation, will amend Chapter 22A of the Montgomery County Code and Chapter 22A of the Code of Montgomery County Regulations.

County Executive Marc Elrich Disapproves Planning Board Appointee James Hedrick; County Council President Glass Responds Via Statement

By Patrick Herron

Published March 24, 2023 at 9:34PM | Updated March 25, 2023 at 10:59AM

County Executive Marc Elrich’s memorandum to County Council Oresident Evan Glass, disapproving the appointment of James Hedrick to the Montgomery County Planning Board, and Glass’ statement in response, can be seen below:

“Section 15-103 of the Land Use Article of the Maryland Code provides for the County Executive to approve or disapprove appointments of commissioners to the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. On March 1, 2023, the Council submitted the appointment of James Hedrick to me for consideration.

Montgomery Planning to present first draft of Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan to Planning Board March 23

By MCS Staff

Published March 18, 2023 at 7:29AM

Plan seeks to improve transit access, housing and shopping options, and pedestrian connections along U.S. 29/Columbia Pike; community invited to continue to participate during Planning Board public process

The Montgomery County Planning Department will present the Working Draft of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan to the Montgomery County Planning Board during its weekly meeting on Thursday, March 23. During this meeting, the Planning Board will have the opportunity to provide initial feedback, accept the Working Draft Plan as the Public Hearing Draft, and set the date for a public hearing to receive additional community feedback. This is the first step prior to the Planning Board conducting work sessions to review and revise the draft plan and then submitting the draft plan to the County Council for its public review and final approval.

Montgomery County Council Seeks Applicants for Montgomery County Planning Board Chair and a Planning Board Member

By MCS Staff

Published March 14, 2023 at 6:44PM

Applications must be received no later than Monday, April 3, 2023 at 5 p.m. The cover letter should indicate if you wish to be considered for the chair position. Acting Planning Board members are eligible to apply for these positions.

Members generally serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and each member must be a resident and registered voter of Montgomery County when appointed.

Montgomery Parks and Planning departments present Spring 2023 Semiannual Report to the county council

By MCS Staff

Published March 9, 2023 at 9:00AM

The Montgomery Parks and Montgomery Planning(opens in a new tab) departments presented their Spring 2023 Semiannual Report to the Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The presentations showcased key projects, park activities and plans from the past six months, and initiatives that will be completed over the next six months and beyond. The presentation is given to the County Council every spring and fall and allows County Councilmembers to provide feedback to Montgomery Parks and Planning leadership and staff. Watch the Spring 2023 Semiannual presentation to the County Council here or read highlights available below.

Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Jeff Zyontz began the presentation by highlighting the work of the temporary acting Planning Board. “I’m grateful to Commissioners Cherri Branson, David Hill, and Amy Presley – over the last four months, they were engaged and dedicated to the task they were given, including approving 133 individual regulatory items in addition to recommending approval of master plans for the County Council’s consideration. I look forward to working with the new Planning Board members.”

Montgomery County Council appoints James Hedrick, Mitra Pedoeem and Shawn Bartley to the Montgomery County Planning Board

By Patrick Herron

Published February 28, 2023 at 7:36PM

“The Council appreciates Cherri Branson, David Hill and Amy Presley for serving as temporary Planning Board members. Their work was essential to providing continuity of service and building a bridge to the new Planning Board. Additionally, we thank all those who applied to serve on the Planning Board and encourage residents to stay engaged and informed about land use and planning issues.”

In Oct. 2022, the Council appointed five temporary Planning Board members to ensure continuity of operations at the Montgomery County Planning Board and maintain services for residents. The three newly appointed Planning Board members will serve out the unexpired terms of the prior members and are registered voters of the same political party as the prior Planning Board members. Shawn Bartley will serve as the Republican member until June 14, 2024. Mitra Pedoeem will serve as the unaffiliated member until June 14, 2025. James Hedrick will serve as the Democratic member until June 14, 2026.

Montgomery County Planning Board and Planning Department Announce March 2023 Calendar of Events

By MCS Staff

Published February 26, 2023 at 9:18AM

The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department have announced their March 2023 calendar of events and meetings. Residents can participate in Planning Board meetings by testifying in-person, testifying virtually, over the phone, and by watching the meetings on the Planning Board’s live stream. Community members may also testify by sending in written comments to the Planning Board. Information about submitting written testimony and testifying in front of the Planning Board can be found below. Contact us for accessibility accommodations.

For more details, review the list of events below and visit www.montgomeryplanning.org. These events are subject to change. To sign up to testify for Planning Board meetings, please go to the sign up to testify page and view individual agendas. Agendas are usually made public 10 days prior to the start of a meeting. Consult the Development Review Committee (DRC) and Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) websites for their agenda information.

Community Invited to Attend Two Public Meetings in March on University Boulevard Corridor Plan

By MCS Staff

Published February 26, 2023 at 9:16AM

Newly launched plan focuses on improvements surrounding a three-mile stretch of University Boulevard/MD 193 between Wheaton and the Capital Beltway

The Montgomery County Planning Department will host two community meetings in March to provide updates and receive additional feedback on the University Boulevard Corridor (UBC) Plan. The UBC Plan effort launched in November 2022. At the meetings, to be held in-person at Northwood High School on Wednesday, March 8, and on Zoom on Tuesday, March 14, Montgomery Planning will report back on the feedback it received during the UBC Plan’s first community meetings held last fall and provide additional information on transportation-related elements of the plan.

Planning Board Votes Not to Recommend Historic Designation for Former Weller’s Dry Cleaning Site

By MCS Staff

Published February 25, 2023 at 10:31AM

The Montgomery County Planning Board voted to not recommend historic designation for the former Weller’s Dry Cleaning site in Silver Spring at a public hearing on Thursday, February 23. The County Council makes final decisions on historic designations of properties in the county. The site was part of a proposed amendment to the county’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Read the amendment. Watch the video from the February 23 Planning Board public hearing.

About the former Weller’s Dry Cleaning site: The former Weller’s Dry Cleaning site (8237 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD) was originally identified for evaluation as an historic resource over twenty years ago in the 2002 Historic Sites Survey Report: Silver Spring Central Business District. The 2022 Silver Spring Downtown and Adjacent Communities Plan directed Montgomery Planning to evaluate the Weller’s Dry Cleaning site designation as a Master Plan Historic Site. This site consists of a Googie-styled commercial store and sign constructed in 1961 within the Thayer Avenue commercial area in Downtown Silver Spring. The Googie style is a popular, but relatively rare, mid-20th century roadside commercial architecture that is a subset of the Modern Movement of architecture. Architects popularized the style in California where the intention was to attract motorists traveling at 35 miles per hour or more to stop and patronize roadside businesses. The design of the former Weller’s Dry Cleaning building and sign engaged the everyday consumer with modern and popular architecture in lieu of the high-style austerity of the International, Brutalist, and Expressionist styles. Very few examples of this architectural style remain intact in the county or region. View the December 2022 Weller’s Dry Cleaning Master Plan for Historic Preservation Designation Form.