Rental Housing Study Briefing

In response to concerns raised about affordable housing, and particularly market-rate affordable housing, during discussions of the Long Branch and Glenmont Sector Plans, Park and Planning proposed and the Council funded a county-wide Rental Housing Study. The Planning Department provides this background on the purpose of the study.

The economic trends of Montgomery County and the Metropolitan DC region have exacerbated a rental housing shortage. And providing the appropriate housing stock to meet the demand for affordable housing is a challenge. The purpose of the study is to identify Montgomery County's rental housing issues and needs, and offer holistic and sustainable approaches to meeting them. A goal of the study is to help guarantee long term affordability of rental housing for a diverse range of households. The study will provide recommendations for increasing the availability of affordable rental housing by determining factors that contribute to increased housing costs, identifying best practices that could be implemented to preserve and add to the affordable rental stock, and recommending potential changes to current policies and programs. 

At yesterday's briefing on the study, we learned that 33 percent of all residential housing units are rental units; that 74 percent of renter households earn less than 100 percent of area median income; and that only 19 percent of rental units are affordable to households earning less than 50 percent of area median income.

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee will start looking at these issues and recommendations on October 2. Read the full study or watch the briefing.

Updated PHED Schedule

Here's the updated schedule for the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee, including new meeting dates for continued work on the Bethesda Downtown Plan:

• March 13, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 20, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 27, 2:00 -- Bethesda Downtown Plan
• March 28, 2:00 -- Supplemental appropriation for WorkSource Montgomery; Bill 38-16 Housing and Building Maintenance Standards; Bill 39-16 Housing and Building Maintenance Standards; Executive Regulation 27-16 Schedule of Fees for Permits, Licenses and Certification; Wheaton Redevelopment financing plan
• April 3, 2:00 ZTA 16-20 Overlay Zone Bethesda

All of the committee meetings will be televised live and on demand, so tune in to County Cable Montgomery if you want to follow along. You can get agendas and background information at the Council Meeting Portal.

PHED Schedule for Bethesda Downtown Plan

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee started its work on the Bethesda Downtown Plan on January 23 with a comprehensive overview. We expect to work on this plan until mid-March, and we will add more worksessions if they are needed. I encourage you to check the committee calendar regularly as things do change sometimes, but here is the schedule we expect to follow for the next few weeks: 

• February 6, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, schools and fiscal impact
• February 13, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, continued
• February 27, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, transportation
• March 6, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, continued
• March 13, 2:00, Bethesda Downtown Plan, ZTA 16-20--Overlay Zone

All of the committee meetings will be televised live and on demand, so tune in to County Cable Montgomery if you want to follow along. The Council held three public hearings on the Bethesda Downtown Plan on October 18, 19 and 20, but you can still send your comments to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. We want your input, and we give equal weight to written and oral testimony. You can get agendas and background information at the Council Meeting Portal.

We have not yet scheduled a date for the full Council to consider the Bethesda Downtown Plan.

Council Approves Landlord-Tenant Bill

On Tuesday we unanimously approved amended Bill 19-15 that addresses issues with landlord-tenant relations. The Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee held five worksessions on the bill that would make several changes to the landlord-tenant law principally aimed at enhancing the existing rights of tenants and improving the quality of rental housing through increased inspections.

The major provisions of approved Bill 19-15 will:

• Provide tenants with greater transparency about their rights and obligations under a lease.
• Require the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to inspect a sample of every multi-family rental property over the next two years to establish baseline information about the condition of the County’s rental housing stock.
• Focus ongoing enforcement resources on properties with significant health and safety issues and properties with numerous code violations.
• Provide clearer information about the state of rental units in the County via improved data collection and publication.
• Provide many benefits to tenants that should improve the stability and quality of their living arrangements. 

Other provisions in the bill will:

• Require each lease to include a plain language summary of a tenant’s rights and responsibilities.
• Require DHCA to conduct a two-year intensive inspection schedule (twice the current number of inspections, prioritized by need).
• Require DHCA to provide annual reports to Council and County Executive about past and upcoming year inspections. 
• Require certain properties to be inspected more frequently than the current triennial schedule (based on type and severity of violations).
• Require landlords to pay the cost of subsequent inspections, if a property needs multiple inspections for uncorrected violations.
• Require that tenants can make certain repairs when authorized by the DHCA director or his designee, if DHCA orders a repair and the landlord fails to correct the issue in the allotted time.
• Requires lease renewal terms of two years, if the landlord is offering renewal.

Approved Bill 19-15 also provides tenants with greater access to information including:

• Improvement of the availability of landlord-tenant handbooks.
• Requiring landlords to provide tenants with more information about utility bills in older buildings.
• Requiring landlords to give 60 days’ notice if the landlord intends to terminate the tenancy at the end of a lease term, and 90 days’ notice for all rent increases.
• Requiring DHCA to publish certain data from the annual rental housing survey on its web site.
• Requiring that tenant organizations be allowed to use available meeting space for free once per month.

County Maintains AAA Bond Rating

Good news: Montgomery County has maintained its Triple-A bond rating for 2016 from three Wall Street bond rating agencies. Fitch, Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s all affirmed the “AAA” rating – the highest achievable -- for the County. They all termed the outlook for Montgomery County as “stable.”

The Triple-A bond rating enables Montgomery County to sell long-term bonds at the most favorable rates, saving County taxpayers millions of dollars over the life of the bonds. The rating also serves as a benchmark for numerous other financial transactions, ensuring the lowest possible costs in those areas as well.

The County has held an AAA bond rating since 1973 and is currently one of just 45 of the more than 3,000 counties nationwide with the top rating from all three rating agencies.

Public Forum on Small Cell Antennas

Update 10/25/16: Check out the Council's new web page featuring information on cell antennas. You may find the link to the frequently asked questions especially helpful

***

This meeting will provide an opportunity to learn about pending telecommunication tower applications and to ask questions about existing and proposed County regulations. Here's the full press release:

The Montgomery County Council from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26, will hold an informational forum at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg on a proposal that would allow for the installation of small cell antennas and poles in public rights-of-way. The meeting will provide an opportunity to learn about pending telecommunication tower applications and to ask questions about existing and proposed County regulations.

Ridgeview Middle School is located at 16600 Raven Rock Dr. in Gaithersburg.

The meeting will be recorded by County Cable Montgomery (CCM) and broadcast numerous times on Cable Channels 996 (high-definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. Times of the rebroadcasts have yet to be determined. The recording of the meeting also will be available via streaming through the Council web site at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8.

The Council is now considering proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 16-05, sponsored by Council President Nancy Floreen, which would allow telecommunications poles no higher than 30 feet in various zones with standards for their construction. The Council held a public hearing on the proposal on July 19.

As people are disconnecting from the traditional wired telephone and use their cell phones for far more than voice communication, there is a greater demand for wireless services in residential areas. The telecommunications industry can meet this need with small antennas on short poles.

Under the Federal Communications Act and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, the County may not unreasonably discriminate among providers of functionally equivalent services, may not regulate in a manner that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the provision of personal wireless services, must act on new tower applications within 150 days and must make any denial of an application in writing supported by substantial evidence in a written record. The statute also preempts local decisions premised directly or indirectly on the environmental effects of FCC allowed radio frequency (RF) emissions.

Antennas may be placed on utility poles.  Some neighborhoods have underground utilities without utility poles; however, most neighborhoods have street light poles. The new equipment cannot be supported on existing residential street light poles. An applicant intends to replace the existing street light pole with a pole that could accommodate antennas and a street light.  These poles would be less than 30 feet tall compared to the traditional oversized cell towers that rise high above the areas in which they are erected.

The current Zoning Ordinance requires a conditional use approval for every new pole, no matter how short the pole. Councilmember Floreen proposed the ZTA in the belief that standards for 30-foot poles will offer the community and the providers with a more predictable approach to moving forward on improvements in County wireless service.

Radio America Interview -- What's In and What's Out for 2015

Julie Rios Little and I sat down to talk about what's in and what's out for 2015 for En Sintonía on Radio America. Here's our list:

Electronic cigarettes are OUT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEOjc4um4KQ&index=1&list=PLvk-7RcdeRpS2sAMCbiJiaIwyEL-K8c_5

Measles are OUT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEBCCe197O4&index=2&list=PLvk-7RcdeRpS2sAMCbiJiaIwyEL-K8c_5

Purple Line is IN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdxHHG2s0Wg&index=3&list=PLvk-7RcdeRpS2sAMCbiJiaIwyEL-K8c_5

Aspen Hill is IN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79dlRwKi56s

Zoning Code Enters the 21st Century

Confused about zoning in Montgomery County? You’re not alone. Up until now, only a select few understood the nuances of our 1,200-page zoning ordinance. But now, thanks to the newly overhauled code, zoning information in Montgomery County will be clearer, more accessible and available online. That means residents will be able to participate more effectively in key land use decisions and that small businesses will be able to locate and expand in the county without having to untangle a complicated web of archaic rules. The updated version took effect today.

The new code encourages community engagement. Who has time to sift through ten pounds of paper to find the relevant footnote? An exclusive club of land use attorneys, maybe, but certainly not the average resident. Soon, everyone will be able to access comprehensive information about every property in the county as the new code becomes available in an interactive, online format. Add to this the soon-to-be-launched electronic plans, which will allow residents to access project plans with the click of a mouse, and the mysteries unravel almost entirely.

The County Council, Planning Board and staff at both agencies spent about five years reviewing and streamlining more than 400 land use categories and 123 zones that were originally established in 1977 and augmented piecemeal over the following decades. The new zoning code does away with the traditional approach of land use planning by specific use and employs more flexible zones designed to spur economic development in our communities.

Some folks have expressed concerns that the new code will lead to more development, but I say the new code will lead to better development. With more predictability in the system, businesses will be able to act more nimbly and be more responsive to community concerns. That’s good news in a county that has long been criticized for failing to support job creation.

The modernized zoning code does not change our fundamental commitment to the master plan process. It just simplifies and clarifies the rules for achieving these plans, which increasingly focus development near transit and encourage urban hubs there while preserving agricultural lands and existing communities.

In Montgomery County we are always striving toward efficiency, transparency and openness. The new zoning code goes a long way toward achieving all these goals. What’s more, it fosters innovation, small business and community involvement. I’d call that a win all the way around.

New Zoning Code Takes Effect Thursday

On the day before Halloween we will say "rest in peace" to the old zoning code. Council President Craig Rice, Councilmember Cherri Branson and I will join with County Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson, Planning Board members and staff at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at a park next to Park and Planning Headquarters in Silver Spring for ceremonies to “bury” the County’s Zoning Ordinance that was originally established in 1977. Earlier this year, we approved the first major revision to the ordinance in 37 years. The new regulations go into effect on October 30.

After we bury a copy of the hefty original zoning ordinance in Royce Hanson Park, we will unveil the slimmer, easier-to-navigate new ordinance in an interactive presentation.
           
We will celebrate the modernized code’s clarity and ease of use, which will encourage community engagement and foster innovation. Previously, only experts in land use generally could navigate the zoning ordinance, but now it will be easier for more people to get comprehensive information about every County property in an interactive, online format.

Since its establishment in 1977, the zoning ordinance has undergone more than three decades of piecemeal changes—all of which combined to create a disjointed system where antiquated, complicated rules made the zoning process difficult for individuals to understand. In a coordinated effort to address these issues, the Council, the Planning Board and staff members have spent about five years reviewing, streamlining and overhauling more than 400 land use categories, 123 zones and 1,200 pages of rules.

With more predictability in the system, businesses will be able to act more nimbly and be more responsive to community concerns. That’s good news in a County that has long been criticized for failing to support job creation.

The new zoning code has broader land use categories that are inclusive of an ever evolving marketplace. The rules help to promote smart growth principles with more density allowed in and around transit. In addition, residential uses are generally permitted in commercial zones, which will create more mixed-use developments.

The zoning code rewrite is one example of how the County’s land use evolution is entering an exciting stage of development. The current Council has devoted considerable time to land use issues, and during its four-year term has approved more master and sector plans than any other Council in recent memory.

In addressing master and sector plans around the County, the Council has focused on creating cutting-edge centers for innovation in areas that have historically been underutilized, like the White Oak area.

The revised zoning ordinance is now available at:
www.montgomeryplanning.org/development/zoning/documents/FULLCh_59withzta9.30.14_000.pdf .

Council Appoints Natali Fani-Gonzalez to Planning Board

I'm looking forward to working with our new Planning Board member, Natali Fani-Gonzalez. She's a great communicator, and she has a real sense of Montgomery County. She will make a terrific addition to the team. Here's the full press release:

The Montgomery County Council today unanimously named Natali Fani-Gonzalez to a vacant position on the Montgomery County Planning Board.

Ms. Fani-Gonzalez, a Kensington resident, was one of 25 applicants for the position. The Council interviewed four of those applicants. She will serve a four-year term.

Ms. Fani-Gonzalez is the founder and principal of The Matea Group, a strategic public relations firm based in Montgomery County.

In her letter of application, Ms. Fani-Gonzalez wrote, “During the past decade, I have shown initiative, creativity in problem solving and a commitment to building consensus and excellence in a variety of settings. Through my public relations firm, I have successfully advanced local, state, national and international issues, including global migration and development, the Maryland Dream Act, online privacy and Internet freedom, transparency in elections, access to health care, the national Deferred Action for Undocumented Children, Women’s rights, family economic justice and veteran’s rights.”

Earlier this year, Ms. Fani-Gonzalez was awarded a citation by the Maryland General Assembly for outstanding contributions to the state. 

In her letter of application and in her interview with the Council, Ms. Fani-Gonzalez, who is fluent in English and Spanish, told Councilmembers she could bring a unique perspective to the five-member Planning Board.

“As part of the millennial generation—the largest and most diverse generation in the history of the nation, I will bring a pragmatic vision with a strong social conscience amplified by the use of technology,” she wrote in her letter of application. “Indisputably, the planning of a strong and successful Montgomery County must include the realities of my generation: an innovated, open-minded, achievement-orientated, socially focused, informed and high-tech community.”

White Oak Master Plan Overview Available On Demand

If you missed the Planning Board's overview of the Draft White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan yesterday, it is now available on demand on County Cable Montgomery (choose the June 17 Council session video). The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee as well as the full Council will be looking at the plan next month. Here's the tentative schedule:

PHED Committee meetings:

July 1 – Discussion of transportation issues
July 3 – Transportation issues, continued
July 7 – Discussion of land use issues
July 10 – Land use issues, continued
July 16 – Land use issues, continued

Full Council meetings:

July 22 – Full Council worksession
July 29 – Final vote

To weigh in, e-mail county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Updated White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan Schedule

The White Oak Plan provides the County Council with the opportunity to shape the long-term goals and objectives for the area that spans Hillandale, White Oak/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Cherry Hill. When the federal government consolidated the FDA at the White Oak Federal Research Center, it created the catalyst for business opportunities related to the federal agency. The County will re-examine the master plan as a first step toward realizing those opportunities.

There is tremendous economic development potential in the White Oak area. We are going to work as quickly as we can on this plan so that we can start bringing good jobs to that part of the County sooner rather than later.The Planning Board’s Draft Master Plan envisions the reorientation of the area’s shopping centers from the existing auto-dependent suburban model to a mixed-use area served by transit. Residents there have expressed a desire for expanded dining and shopping opportunities and more jobs closer to home.

The PHED Committee schedule regarding the White Oak Master Plan:

July 1 – Discussion of transportation issues
July 3 – Transportation issues, continued
July 7 – Discussion of land use issues
July 10 – Land use issues, continued
July 16 – Land use issues, continued

The full Council’s schedule regarding the White Oak Master Plan:

June 17 – Planning Board overview of the Draft Plan
July 22 – Full Council worksession
July 29 – Final vote

The meetings will be held at the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. They will be televised live on television or online by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcast will be streamed at: www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/ondemand/index.html. 

The September 2013 Planning Board Draft of the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/PlanningBoardDraft_002.pdf.

The REVISED pages of the Planning Board Draft Master Plan (approved by the Board on December 19, 2013) can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/attachment_1_masterplan_%20revised_pages_web.pdf.

The Planning Board's proposed amendments to the 2012-2016 Subdivision Staging Policy (approved by the County Council on November 13, 2012) that support recommendations in the Draft Master Plan can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/attachment_2_proposed_SSP_amendmentsfinal.pdf.

Schedule for White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan

We now have the tentative schedule for the Planning Housing and Economic Development Committee and the full Council's consideration of the Draft White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan. The first of six planned committee meetings is scheduled for June 16. The full Council is tentatively scheduled to meet on the plan on July 22 and to take action on it July 29.

The White Oak Plan provides the County Council with the opportunity to shape the long-term goals and objectives for the area that spans Hillandale, White Oak/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Cherry Hill. When the federal government consolidated the FDA at the White Oak Federal Research Center, it created the catalyst for business opportunities related to the federal agency. The County will re-examine the master plan as a first step toward realizing those opportunities.

There is tremendous economic development potential in the White Oak area. We are going to work as quickly as we can on this plan so that we can start bringing good jobs to that part of the County sooner rather than later.

The Planning Board’s Draft Master Plan envisions the reorientation of the area’s shopping centers from the existing auto-dependent suburban model to a mixed-use area served by transit. Residents there have expressed a desire for expanded dining and shopping opportunities and more jobs closer to home. 

The PHED Committee schedule regarding the White Oak Master Plan:

June 16 – Planning Board overview of the Draft Plan
July 1 – Discussion of transportation issues
July 3 – Transportation issues, continued
July 7 – Discussion of land use issues
July 10 – Land use issues, continued
July 16 – Land use issues, continued

The full Council’s schedule regarding the White Oak Master Plan:

July 22 – Full Council worksession
July 29 – Final vote

The meetings will be held at the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. They will be televised live on television or online by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcast will be streamed at:
 www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/ondemand/index.html.

The September 2013 Planning Board Draft of the White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/PlanningBoardDraft_002.pdf.
The REVISED pages of the Planning Board Draft Master Plan (approved by the Board on December 19, 2013) can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/attachment_1_masterplan_%20revised_pages_web.pdf.
The Planning Board's proposed amendments to the 2012-2016 Subdivision Staging Policy (approved by the County Council on November 13, 2012) that support recommendations in the Draft Master Plan can be viewed at:
http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/wosg/documents/attachment_2_proposed_SSP_amendmentsfinal.pdf

Council Approves Ten Mile Creek Master Plan

This week we gave tentative approval to a limited master plan amendment for the Ten Mile Creek area of Clarksburg that stays close to the original density projected in the 1994 Master Plan for the emerging community but takes significant steps to protect the long-term health of the watershed.

We heard from environmental experts of every description and reduced the area available for development significantly in the Ten Mike Creek drainage area in order to protect the long term health of one of Montgomery County's last remaining environmental resources. Nonetheless, potential development opportunities proposed in the 1994 Clarksburg area plan remain possible under our approach, subject to stringent environmental controls. While the area for development is not as much as some might have preferred, the plan's original intent to ensure a successful Town Center is carried through in the amended plan. The Council carefully balanced environmental issues with community sustainability and ensured Clarksburg's continued ability to thrive. For details, see the press release.

Apply Now for Planning Board Chair

Apply now to fill a position on the Montgomery County Planning Board for the expiring term of Françoise Carrier (Democrat).  Her term will expire on June 14, 2014.  Ms. Carrier, who serves as the Planning Board Chair, has indicated that she will not apply for reappointment.

The Council will designate a new chair in conjunction with the appointment process by designating either the appointee or another sitting Board member to be the chair. If a current member of the Board is designated chair, the new appointee will serve as a board member.

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. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position can be filled by a Democrat, Republican, a voter who declines to affiliate with a party, or a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

The Council will designate a new chair in conjunction with the appointment process by designating either the appointee or another sitting Board member. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on April 7.

In addition to Ms. Carrier, current board members are Casey Anderson (D), Norman Dreyfuss (R), Amy Presley (R) and Marye Wells-Harley (D). Annual compensation for Board members is currently $30,000, and the Chair currently earns $168,450.  The Council expects to set the salary for the Chair prior to the appointment.

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; advice on the planning implications of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its mandatory referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices.

The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP); land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.

The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member can expect to spend at least two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.

Send your letter of application expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, to: Council President Craig Rice, County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Applications can also be submitted via email to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, April 7.  It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline. After the April 7 closing date, Councilmembers will review the letters of application and select applicants for interviews to be held soon thereafter.

Letters of application and resumes are made public as part of the appointment process, and are available for public review. The interviews are conducted in public and may be televised. A resume of professional and civic experience should be included with each letter of application. A financial disclosure statement of assets, debts, income and family property interests will be required to be filed by each applicant.  Only the ultimate appointee will be required to make the financial disclosure statement available to the public.

Zoning Code Rewrite Finished

Today we finished our work on the first proposed major changes in the Zoning Ordinance since 1978. We had reserved additional time this afternoon, all day on Thursday and part of next Tuesday for worksessions if needed, but those sessions are now cancelled.

We took straw votes on many proposed revisions to the zoning ordinance, but those votes remain tentative decisions until our final, formal vote on a date to be determined in February.

If you have been following along, you know the PHED Committee held numerous worksessions over a six-month period in 2013 on revisions that were recommended by the Planning Board. The full Council held the first full-day worksession on proposed revisions yesterday.

You can view Council sessions on demand at County Cable Montgomery beginning the day after the meeting.

PHED Draft of Zoning Code Rewrite Now Available

The PHED Committee's draft of the Zoning Code Rewrite is now available on the Montgomery Planning Web site. This draft includes all the changes made by the PHED committee in addition to plain language edits, corrections, and clarifications. The full Council will hold worksessions to discuss the PHED draft on January 14, 15 and 16.

Zoning Code Rewrite Session 14

On Monday the PHED Committee will hold its second worksession to address issues raised at the November public hearings on the Zoning Code Rewrite. The session begins at 1:00, and you can follow along on County Cable Montgomery. Also, check out the recently revised FAQ page. To have your comments on the rewrite included in the public record, e-mail county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Council Approves Long Branch Sector Plan

On Tuesday we approved the Long Branch Sector Plan that will guide revitalization of that section of Silver Spring. With this plan, we hope we have created incentives for positive commercial redevelopment, while protecting the needs of existing community members. Using the Purple Line as a catalyst for redevelopment, the plan protects the area's character, its affordable housing and its small neighborhood-oriented businesses.

 

The plan recognizes that development of the Purple Line—the proposed east-west transit line that will connect the Bethesda and New Carrollton Metrorail stations—will have significant impact on Long Branch and its real estate values. To prevent a loss of market affordable units, and potential displacement of lower-income residents, we amended the plan to retain the zoning on most of the existing multi-family developments.

 

The approved plan continues implementation of programs to make Long Branch a more walkable community, with an emphasis on pedestrian safety.

 

Among the items addressed in the approved plan was designation of the Flower Theatre on the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The plan is specific about retaining certain parts of the structure, including the theatre façade, two adjoining shoulders and a second wall to a depth of 40 feet from the theatre building line. The plan also calls for implementation of design guidelines to encourage compatible and appropriate future development nearby. The plan states that new buildings along Flower Avenue should not rise above the theatre’s height.

 

In efforts to help preserve affordable housing in Long Branch, the plan recommends CRT Zone optional method density incentives for developers. It also recommends the targeted use of tax credits and other financing tools that support public/private partnerships. The plan encourages live/work units in appropriate locations and provides for a range of unit sizes, including those accommodating larger families.

 

The approved plan encourages the retention of small businesses and neighborhood-serving commercial uses.

Revised FAQ Page on Zoning Code Rewrite

If you still have questions about the Zoning Code Rewrite, check out the recently revised FAQ page. Here is just one example of what you can find there:

Q: Why are non-residential buildings allowed in R-60 and R-90 if they will introduce non-residential uses into single-family neighborhoods?

A: Non-residential buildings do not introduce non-residential uses into single-family neighborhoods. The uses that are allowed in a zone are determined by the Use Table in Section 3.1.6. Currently, in single family zones, the code allows for uses such as churches, day care facilities, non-residential offices, libraries, schools, etc. The provisions for nonresidential buildings will establish standards that do not currently exist for the buildings that contain these uses. These buildings would only be permitted if they contain a use that is legal, as outlined in Section 3.1.6. The purpose of creating the nonresidential building is to protect residential neighborhoods from the impacts of non-residential uses. For example, there are currently no limits on density for non-residential uses in the R-90 or R-60 zones. The proposed draft represents a substantive change that limits the density of uses located in non-residential buildings and requires increased street frontage, setbacks for parking lots, larger side setbacks from neighboring residential properties, and screening.