Montgomery Planning

County’s new General Plan prioritizes racial equity and social justice, economic health, and environmental resilience to help guide growth for the next 30 years

WHEATON, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), welcomed the Montgomery County Council’s approval today of Thrive Montgomery 2050, the update to Montgomery County’s General Plan. The approved plan, which will serve as a framework for the county’s growth for the next 30 years, is the first comprehensive General Plan update in nearly 60 years. The new General Plan takes a data-driven and community-informed approach to recommend how Montgomery County can be more equitable, economically healthy, and environmentally resilient in the midst of major demographic and technological changes.

The Montgomery County Council is immediately seeking new temporary acting members of the Montgomery County Planning Board with expertise in land use, planning, economic development, transportation, and environmental and park issues. Montgomery County residents who are interested in filling these temporary positions must apply to the Council no later than Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. The Council is scheduled to vote on designating the temporary members on Oct. 25. 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. This position can be filled by a Democrat, Republican, a voter who is unaffiliated with a party, or a voter who is a member of another party officially recognized by the Board of Elections.

The annual compensation for Planning Board commissioners is currently $30,000, and the chair currently earns $215,727. The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of master plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of or recommendations on text amendments to the County Zoning Code; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; offering or providing advice on the planning implications of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, WSSC Water, and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting under, its mandatory referral authority, about plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approving of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices.

Like many in the County, I have followed with growing concern the unfolding events at the Park and Planning Commission.  As County Executive, I have not been a participant in the conversations about the details. I think where people are implicated, a resignation is appropriate. This cannot be the end of the conversation on the dysfunction and structural issues at Planning. The Planning Board faces a deficit of trust, and continued questions about management, transparency and process must be addressed.  I stand ready to work with the Council to ensure transparency in choosing the interim members of the board and ensure that the investigations continue.

Beyond the recent reports regarding infighting and questionable behavior and decisions, the Planning Board has also been cited with multiple violations of the Open Meetings Act. Furthermore, the problems with Thrive 2050 and equity and community input should have been recognized and dealt with instead of a push for quick adoption of this significant guide for the next 30 years of development.  As noted by one racial equity consultant hired by the Council, “compressed timeframes are the enemy of equity.”