Council Approves Aspen Hill Minor Master Plan Amendment

After months of technical analysis and considerable community input, the Council approved the Aspen Hill Minor Master Plan Amendment which will provide opportunities for re-use of the former Vitro/BAE property in a way that focuses on design and encourages pedestrian use.

The plan creates mixed-use options for redevelopment of a long-empty office building and neighboring properties. Based on neighborhood concerns, we restricted the "big box" potential for the Vitro/BAE site while providing flexibility for future retail and possible residential use.

The area being addressed covers about 14 acres west of Connecticut Avenue near Aspen Hill Road. The vacant Vitro/BAE property encompasses ten of those acres. At the time the Council reviewed the 1994 Aspen Hill Master Plan Amendment, the Vitro/BAE office building was occupied and the Master Plan supported the continued office focus.

We are grateful to the Aspen Hill community for its tireless commitment to its neighborhood's future. We listened long and hard to the concerns of residents in crafting a sustainable solution for this challenging site. The passage of this plan paves the way for much-needed and long-anticipated redevelopment in the area.

Council Approves White Oak Master Plan

The Council approved the much-anticipated White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan transforming the area on the east side of the County around the Route 29 corridor and the Food and Drug Administration into a community of vibrant mixed-use centers. With the passage of this plan, we are realizing a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create the opportunity for robust employment and amenities in the eastern part of the County after a generation of moratoria.

The plan, which covers approximately 3,000 acres, amends portions of the approved and adopted 1997 Fairland Master Plan and portions of the approved and adopted 1997 White Oak: Master Plan. The White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan area is bounded by the Capital Beltway on the south, Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park on the west, U.S. Route 29 and Cherry Hill Road on the north and Prince George’s County on the east.

The plan recommends rezoning commercial areas to the Commercial/Residential (CR) zones, which allow a broad range of commercial uses, including general offices, technology and biotechnology, research and development, hospitals, educational institutions, some manufacturing and production. It also allows multi-family residential and supportive retail services to create a complete community.

The Food and Drug Administration, which will bring thousands of employees and visitors to the White Oak area, will serve as a catalyst for additional growth. The County is pursuing development of a major life sciences center on its 115-acre property known as Site 2 and has partnered with Percontee, owners of the adjacent 185-acre site, to create the potential for a 300-acre mixed-use development. Adjacent to both of these parcels is a nearly 50-acre property for the planned relocation of Washington Adventist Hospital.

The plan recommends a prominent civic promenade be part of the project. Mixed use zoning will encourage a combination of commercial, residential and retail uses within the compact, walkable center.

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.

White Oak Master Plan Overview Changed to June 17

There has been a change to the Draft White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan schedule I announced last week. So that all Councilmembers can benefit from the Planning Board's overview of the draft plan, we will hold it at the full Council meeting on June 17 instead of at the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee meeting on June 16. There will be no PHED meeting on June 16.

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

Public Hearings on Transit Corridors Plan

Let us know what you think about Bus Rapid Transit and other elements proposed in the Planning Board Draft of the Countywide Transit Corridors Functional Master Plan. Public hearings are scheduled for September 24 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Sign up to testify by calling 240-777-7803. If you can’t make the hearings, you can e-mail your testimony to have it included in the public record.

The Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee will hold worksessions on the Plan on October 11, 14, 18 and 21. These meetings are open to the public. They are also broadcast live and on demand on County Cable Montgomery.

Council Approves Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan

Yesterday we approved the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan with amendments addressing specific aspects of the plan after several months of work by the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee and the full Council.

The plan will significantly alter the small community located along Connecticut Avenue near the Beltway interchange. The Purple Line is planned to go near Chevy Chase Lake, and the plan includes certain staging of the redevelopment to be coordinated with the progress in building the future east-west transportation line that will connect the Bethesda and New Carrollton Metrorail stations.

The Chevy Chase Lake plan has involved many opinions from residents, current business owners and developers concerning the changes to the 1990 Bethesda-Chevy Chase Master Plan. Issues involved included how quickly development would be allowed to proceed, the height of buildings, increasing the amount of new housing to be allowed and the future of the current Chevy Chase Lake shopping centers on the east and west sides of Connecticut Avenue.

We reduced the maximum height of new buildings on the Chevy Chase Lake East shopping center from the 150 feet recommended by the Planning Board to 120 feet. We also educed heights on properties closest to existing homes including on Newdale Mews, Arman’s gas station and the eastern portion of the Housing Opportunities Commission property.

The new zoning will allow the development of a mixed-use community on the Chevy Chase Lake East shopping center including retail, commercial and residential development. The approved plan also requires the redeveloped shopping center to include public open space and amenities that make it an appealing destination for the entire community.

The sector plan recommends mixed-use zoning for most of the other properties in the Chevy Chase Lake Center.

The Chevy Chase Lake shopping center on the east side of Connecticut Avenue, which has existing development approvals, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a Housing Opportunities Commission mixed-income project will be allowed to redevelop immediately after the properties are rezoned as part of an upcoming Sectional Map Amendment because they meet the criteria for Stage 1 development.

The remaining property owners will have to wait until construction begins on the Purple Line between Silver Spring and Bethesda before they can begin applying for development approvals. This will ensure that a significant portion of new development will be completed at approximately the same time that construction is completed on the Purple Line.

Planning Smarter Open House this Saturday

Want to know more about how the Montgomery County Planning Department helps create great communities? Check out this Saturday’s open house to get a crash course in how good planning results in great communities. The event is particularly great for those who are not familiar with the Planning Department or the work that they do. Eleven exhibits will be set up throughout the building, focusing on the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite, Historic Preservation, three master plans including Wheaton, Chevy Chase Lake, and the White Oak Science Gateway, the minor master plan amendment process, a major development in each of the three geographic areas, interactive GIS maps and rapid transit. There will even be a city building activity for children. If you can’t attend but still want to learn more, visit the virtual open house.

Planning Smarter Open House
10 a.m.- 1 p.m. Saturday, October 6
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
www.montgomeryplanning.org/planningsmarter

Council Approves Kensington Sector Plan

Today, five years after work began, we approved the Kensington Sector Plan which will guide the long-term redevelopment of the Town of Kensington and surrounding area. Because of collaboration among neighbors, planners, and municipal and county elected officials, we have been able to create and approve a plan that will achieve the two goals we all have agreed on—revitalizing the area’s commercial core and preserving residential communities.

The plan addresses factors such as land uses, building heights, changes to street patterns, and preservation the area’s historic character. It incorporates infrastructure improvements to reduce traffic congestion, creates new buffers between commercial districts and residential neighborhoods, and protects the unique character of Kensington. While this plan serves as a long-term vision, residents still have opportunities to weigh in on individual projects as they are submitted to the Planning Board.

The plan encourages redevelopment of an area near the downtown train station into a visible center of town life. At the same time, it includes language about the importance of transitions to residential neighborhoods. To facilitate the transitioning, we directed the Planning Board to develop new zones (CRN and CRT) that will create a buffer between commercial and residential areas.

I want to thank all who participated for their advice on the Sector Plan. Together, we have been able to craft a plan that will create opportunities for more vibrant shopping, living and dining for the residents of Kensington. We all agreed on the importance of revitalizing the area while also preserving the community character and addressing traffic issues. I believe this plan does just that in a way that takes into account many different viewpoints. Advocacy and collaboration have been important parts of this process, and the plan has benefitted tremendously from them.

Council Approves Wheaton Sector Plan

The Council approved the new Wheaton Sector Plan, which establishes a vision for future private sector redevelopment of this vibrant and diverse community. We rezoned large portions of the area to encourage mixed use development, including retail, office and residential, while protecting surrounding residential neighborhoods. We hope incentives in our new family of commercial/residential (CR) zones will preserve small businesses while allowing for large-scale development and adding the creation of a tree canopy as a priority. It has been a great collegial effort among planners, community members and the Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee, and I think it does a good job of accounting for a wide variety of needs and visions.

Great Seneca Science Corridor Passed

Today we voted unanimously to approve the “Great Seneca Science Corridor” Master Plan. The long-term plan—formerly known as the Gaithersburg West Master Plan—will allow the area near Shady Grove Road and Darnestown Road to develop into one of the nation’s premier areas for scientific research and development.

The Council has studied the proposal intently since last fall. A major portion of the plan involves the former Belward Farm that was purchased by Johns Hopkins University. The university has sought to incorporate that land as part of the area’s development.

On April 13, the Council reached key agreements on the plan, including reduction of the maximum allowable existing and proposed commercial space in the plan from the proposed 20 million square feet to 17.5 million square feet. An amendment was added to require the County’s Planning Board to work with existing neighborhoods to monitor evolving transportation issues of the plan.

According to the approved plan, the Great Seneca Science Corridor would allow a maximum of 9,000 dwelling units and approximately 52,500 jobs. Most of the new development cannot proceed until funding is obtained for the Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT). The CCT would be either a light rail or bus rapid transitway transportation system extending from the Shady Grove Metro Station to Clarksburg.

We have worked carefully to establish a plan that will guide Montgomery County’s future for decades as one of the world’s most prominent areas for science. In working toward this goal, we have also listened to the concerns of residents and nearby local jurisdictions. We came out with a plan that would work for those who already live in this area and for the future residents and employees who will be attracted to the Great Seneca Corridor. The decisions we made will benefit all of Montgomery County.

Included in the Great Seneca Science Corridor plan is the proposed creation of a 21st Century Life Sciences Center. The area will include housing and retail uses with the hope that many of those who work in the Life Sciences Center Zone will elect to live nearby and reduce regular use of automobiles.

The plan calls for creation of a Muddy Branch Park that would be a minimum of 12 acres, with a minimum width along Muddy Branch Road of 100 feet. Mission Hills Preserve will create a 200-foot wide buffer between the rear property line of the nearest Mission Hills homes and any buildings on the northern side of Belward. Darnestown Promenade will include a three-acre landscaped buffer (60 feet wide) along Darnestown Road that maintains vistas to the historic farmstead, includes the landmark sign and creates a tree-lined pedestrian path that connects to the on-site path system and the Life Sciences Center Loop. Approximately 44 to 46 percent of the Belward Farm will be maintained as open space.

The Council action significantly strengthens the plan’s section on sustainability and protection of environmental features on specific properties. The plan also recommends reinforcing and expanding the use of green buildings with development seeking to maximize energy conservation and increase renewable energy such as solar, wind and geothermal.

The new community would be chiefly served by I-270 and the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway (CCT), which would be either a light rail or Bus Rapid Transit extension from the Shady Grove Metrorail Station. The plan calls for the Urban Square at the CCT station to be “a hub of daily activity with space for special events and gatherings, as well as some community retail for the convenience of CCT riders, workers and area residents.”

Learn More About Master Plans

Do you want to know more about what master plans mean to you? This week at our twice annual update, the Maryland-National Capital Planning Commission reminded us that planners will happily visit civic and homeowner associations to explain how the revision process works, how you can participate, and what it will mean to the future of your community.

What Do You Think?--The Courage of Planning

In his September 19 Washington Post article, The Courage of Planning, Roger K. Lewis makes poignant observations about what goes into and what should come out of a master plan, paying particular attention to the balance of current needs and future growth management.

For example, he says, “Perceiving that increased density means increased traffic congestion, voters are understandably skeptical about any plan calling for higher densities, even if the plan calls for transportation improvements.” He adds that “visionary master plans are necessary to create a reasonably durable framework prescribing the location and form of new development and redevelopment for generations to come.”

Certainly we must apply a delicate mix of art and science to try to respect current communities and anticipate the needs of communities whose residents have not even been born. Take a look at the article and let me know what you think.

Remember, we have a busy year for master plans. We’ve just completed the Germantown Sector Plan, and we will undertake the Gaithersburg West Master Plan, the White Flint Sector Plan and the Kensington Sector Plan over the next several months.

Four Master Plans Coming Up

After a bit of a hiatus from master plan revisions, we now have four of them lined up for approval. Master plans serve as vision statements for our communities’ growth over the next 30 years, and they include zoning recommendations, future transportation plans, parks and green space. We revise them about every 20 years or as circumstances change, although we sometimes review smaller areas called sector plans more frequently. We take our master plans very seriously here, and we use them as a guide for all of our land use decision-making.

Once approved by the Planning Board, a plan goes to the Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee (PHED) and then on to the full Council. We’re currently considering the Germantown Sector Plan and expect to complete it this month. For the Gaithersburg West Master Plan, we’ll hold a public hearing on September 15, followed by PHED work sessions through October and Council action in December. Then we’ll take up the White Flint Sector Plan with a public hearing on November 6, PHED work sessions through January and final action in February. Finally, we’ll look at the Kensington Sector Plan with a public hearing in January, PHED work sessions in February and action in March. To get Council agendas by e-mail visit e-Subscription.