Media Center

Planning Board to Consider Agreement with Team to Build New Agency Headquarters, Mixed-Use Development

SILVER SPRING, MD – Under a proposed agreement, the Montgomery County Planning Board and private development team SilverPlace, LLC could convene interactive design workshops (charrettes) with the community as early as January 2008 to lay the groundwork for SilverPlace – a project slated to include a new Park and Planning headquarters, condos, rental units, retail and open space at Georgia Avenue and Spring Street.

The non-binding agreement (formally known as a memorandum of understanding) is scheduled for discussion and action at the Planning Board’s public session on Thursday, November 8 at approximately 1 p.m. Residents and community organizations are invited to attend and testify at the hearing. View the proposed agreement.

The agreement establishes the roles and responsibilities of the Planning Board and the development team in the project’s initial stages, which involve developing a design concept for and working out the details for moving forward.  More detailed and substantive agreements are expected later. 

“The most important element is the requirement for a fresh look at the design of the entire public-private project through a series of charrettes,” explained Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson. 

“The charrettes will match design talent with public perspectives to produce a concept that meets the Commission’s need for a headquarters and sets a new standard for public buildings and urban open space. We also want to provide an exemplary housing development that accommodates a wide range of incomes, respects and fits well into the neighborhood while exceeding environmental standards.”   

At the charrettes, architects will begin putting ideas to paper and obtaining input for initial design proposals from outside experts, community members and staff who will eventually move into the headquarters. The community design phase is expected to take up to 10 months. 

Under the proposal, the Park and Planning Commission will negotiate a future agreement to sell part of its property to the private development team to build the residential and retail components of the project. Another agreement will spell out the range of costs and fees associated with design and construction.

To address the lack of affordable housing in the county, SilverPlace will include a minimum of
30 percent affordable residences. Like all new or proposed public projects in Montgomery County, SilverPlace will meet “silver” or higher environmentally friendly standards set forth by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

In 2005, Park and Planning officials released a competitive request for proposals for the SilverPlace project. Among the three development teams who responded with a proposal, SilverPlace, LLC was ranked the top contender. During the competition for the project -- for illustrative purposes only -- development teams submitted conceptual architectural renderings for the site. The Board has made no decisions on the design or placement of buildings.

Along with considering the first agreement for SilverPlace, the Board will consider a request for funding to the County Council to begin the design phase and convene the charrettes with stakeholders.  The funding request may be up to $4.9 million and will cover the cost of the project’s schematic design.

WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:
Proposed agreement between the Planning Board and SilverPlace, LLC 

WHEN:
Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007 – approximately 1 p.m.

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

 

Montgomery County Planning Board to Host Public Hearing on Local Enforcement

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on its new plan to clarify its enforcement rules and procedures on Thursday, October 25 at approximately 4:30 p.m. at its headquarters in downtown Silver Spring. Interested community members and organizations are welcome to attend and testify.

The proposed rules and procedures spell out a consistent way for the Planning Board to address alleged violations of approved development plans and Montgomery County’s forest conservation law. The Board is seeking to develop a single set of fair, efficient, understandable and easily administered rules that apply to any alleged violation under the Planning Board’s jurisdiction.

The enforcement procedures are part of the Board’s ongoing effort to clarify key board procedures including how public hearings are conducted, how development applications are accepted and how Planning Board decisions are enforced.

The draft rules under consideration cover enforcement proceedings, pre-hearing procedures, the role of a hearing officer, the board’s decision-making process and how appeals are handled.  The draft rules govern process only. They do not change the laws or regulations the board enforces.

WHO:
The Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:
Public hearing, Draft enforcement rules and procedures

WHEN:  
Thursday, October 25, 2007 – approximately 4:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

Economic Development Expert to Detail Arlington’s Planning Successes Before Montgomery County Planning Board

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board will learn more about how its neighbor to the south transformed a car-centric, aging community into a vibrant mix of homes, business, retail, office and entertainment along Metro’s orange line at a 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25 presentation.

The talk by Terry Holzheimer, the latest expert in the board’s popular Growth Management Speaker Series, will focus on the innovative planning, funding and regulatory approaches that resulted in the well-regarded Ballston and Clarendon communities. The speaker series, which began last spring, informs the Planning Board on topical issues as it grapples with how to shape the future of Montgomery County.

Holzheimer, Arlington County’s director of economic development, participated in the effort to revitalize the Columbia Pike corridor, along which Ballston and Clarendon are located. Beginning in 1998, city officials and interested residents and business leaders worked on a long-range plan to improve the area, including economic development, land use and zoning, urban design, transportation options, and open space and recreation.

Holzheimer will discuss the county’s use of an innovative planning code that emphasizes attractive public spaces and features simple, clear prescriptions for developers about height and other building elements. Visitors to Arlington today see a lively urban street filled with pedestrians, bicyclists and transit-users, a mix of traditional homes and high-rise condos, and complementary retail and office.

Before coming to Arlington, where he has worked in various roles for the past six years, Holzheimer served as Loudoun County, Virginia’s director of economic development from 1989 to 1996.

WHO:
Terry Holzheimer, director of economic development, Arlington County, Virginia

 
WHAT: 
Presentation on the evolution of planning in Arlington, Virginia 

WHEN:  
Thursday, October 25, 2007 – 7 p.m.

WHERE: 
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

M-NCPPC Names D.C. Administrator as New Executive Director

 

 

SILVER SPRING, MD – Samuel J. Parker Jr., and Royce Hanson, chairman and vice chairman of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) today announced the appointment of Oscar S. Rodriguez to the position of M-NCPPC executive director.

Rodriguez, an accomplished manager with more than 25 years of experience in city management and government administration, is currently the director of resource management for the District of Columbia, heading the City Administrator’s Office. He has served the District in various executive positions prior to this assignment, including Interim Chief Procurement Officer in the Office of Contracting and Procurement for the District of Columbia, and previously headed D.C.’s Center for Innovation and Reform.

As Executive Director, Rodriguez will serve as Chief Administrative Officer of M-NCPPC, a regional agency set up under Maryland state law and charged with conducting land use planning and acquiring and preserving park land and open space in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, as well as directing the public recreation program in Prince George’s County. The bi-county agency employs over 2,000 career staff and more than 5,000 seasonal employees and operates under a $345 million budget. 

In his new position, Rodriguez will be responsible for coordination of the M-NCPPC budget; administration of Commission-wide policies and procedures; direction of a centralized personnel system including recruiting, training, merit regulations, affirmative action, collective bargaining, labor/employee relations, compensation and benefit plans; and the overseeing of central administrative support for operating departments. 

He will also serve as corporate secretary in the execution of policy and legal documents for the Commission. The executive director is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Prince George’s and Montgomery County Planning Boards, which together make up The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Rodriguez began his career as a budget and financial analyst before progressing to several positions in local government in Texas, including assistant city manager/director of planning for the city of Del Rio, city manager for the city of Eagle Pass, and assistant city manager for the city of Austin. Before joining the District of Columbia government in 2005, he was senior municipal adviser for the International City Management Association, providing advice and technical assistance to local governments throughout the world.

Rodriguez has also provided advice on municipal services, financial management improvement and organizational development projects through Latin America as consultant to several organizations, including the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program.

“Oscar Rodriguez brings an outstanding depth and breadth of experience to the position of Executive Director,” said Chairman Parker. 

“We are confident that his considerable knowledge and management skills will be of great benefit to the Commission and its employees,” added Vice Chairman Hanson.

For additional information on The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, log on to www.mncppc.org.

 

County Parks Host Maryland Emancipation Day Events; Commemoration Highlighted by Talk on Plans for New African American History Museum on the National Mall

SANDY SPRING, MD—Maryland Emancipation Day is Saturday, November 3 and the Montgomery County Department of Parks is partnering with the Friends of Oakley Cabin and the Sandy Spring Slave Museum for this annual commemoration.

“Our featured program for this year’s events is highlighted by Historian John W. Franklin,” said Parks Education and Outreach Planner Susan Soderberg. “We are happy to have Mr. Franklin join us to talk about future plans for the new National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall.”

In addition to Mr. Franklin’s presentation on the new museum, the Emancipation Day program of celebration, which runs from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm at Oakley Cabin in Brookeville, will include re-enactors, the Magruder High School Choir and re-enactments and music by Kent Courtney. Other Emancipation Day events include:

- An Underground Railroad Experience Hike at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 10:00 am, 16501 Norwood Road. FREE interpreted hike of the 1 ½ mile Rural Legacy Trail from Woodlawn Manor to Sandy Spring.

- Sandy Spring Slave Museum and African Art Gallery Open House, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm, 18524 Brooke Road. Lunch for purchase by Ribs-on-the-Run and FREE entertainment.

- Oakley Cabin Open House, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm, 3610 Brookeville Road. FREE cabin tours and living history demonstrations, hot cider and gingerbread.

November 1, 1864, slaves in Maryland were freed by a new state constitution, making Maryland the first of the Civil War slave states to free, by popular vote, those held in bondage within its boundaries. Before Emancipation Day, Quakers and free blacks in Montgomery County, especially in the Town of Sandy Spring, helped many slaves escape to freedom in the North.  The department’s Rural Legacy Trail commemorates this path to freedom for escaping slaves—through fields and woods across various terrains and environments, past the spring for which the Town of Sandy Spring is named and on to the safe haven of the Quaker Meeting House and town.

Parking for the Emancipation Day events will be available at the Longwood Recreation Center, 19300 Georgia Avenue, for Oakley Cabin; at Woodlawn Manor for the hike; and at the Ross Boddy Center across from the Sandy Spring Slave Museum. A shuttle van will run between Woodlawn Manor and Sandy Spring from 11:00 am until 12:00 noon; and a bus between the Longwood Recreation Center and Oakley Cabin from 11:30 am until 4:30 pm.

All Emancipation Day events will take place rain or shine. Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org for more information or call (301) 563-3400.

# # #

Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Montgomery County Planners to Begin Process to Complete Bike Route along the Intercounty Connector

SILVER SPRING, MD – On Thursday, the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the kickoff of a planning study to craft a cross-county bicycle/pedestrian route that runs along the length of the Intercounty Connector (ICC). The board also confirmed the planners’ strategy to engage the community and key stakeholders in discussions about the location and other details of the route.

The proposed bike route plan will connect pieces of bike path approved with the ICC highway project in one continuous route from east to west. The study will determine ways to connect existing and planned county bikeways and sidewalks to bicycle transportation hubs, such as the Shady Grove metro station and popular county parks like Olney Manor and Northwest Branch. Constructing a trail through the Northwest Branch brings opportunities to connect the ICC bike path with the Matthew Henson Trail and the Rachel Carson Greenway.

Among their priorities, planners want to develop a route that accommodates pedestrians and novice bicyclists as well as expert cyclists and avoid constructing paved trails in environmentally sensitive areas such as Rock Creek Park and Upper Paint Branch Stream Valley Park.

On Thursday, transportation planners also brought details of how they will reach out to bicycle and hiking advocates, park and trail users, and environmentalists by forming an informal advisory group. They also plan to convene experts from the State Highway Administration (SHA) and county agencies in a technical working group, as well as to engage interested residents in public meetings.

Planners will research the issues associated with the route and provide recommendations – developed in concert with the advisory groups and public input – to the board next summer.

The SHA is designing the ICC as an 18-mile controlled access toll road connecting I-370 near the Shady Grove Metro Station to U.S. 1 between Beltsville and Laurel. SHA has committed to implementing seven miles of the ICC bike path as part of the ICC construction.

Ernst & Young Cares Day at Brookside Gardens

WHEATON, MD—Ernst & Young Volunteers made a difference at Brookside Gardens on October 5, 2007! Forty-nine volunteers contributed six hours each, for a total of 294 hours of volunteer service to the Gardens. Volunteers were divided into groups for three separate projects:  Invasive Weed Removal, Stream Clean-up and Light Show Installation.

• The Invasive Weed Removal group cleared a one-acre site of alien invasive weeds from a forest area allowing the native species to return to restore the natural ecological balance in the area.

• Another group tackled a cleanup of a small stream that runs along Glenallan Avenue. Tires, metal rebar, a signpost with concrete base, trash and invasive weeds proved no match for Ernst & Young volunteers who quickly removed these obstacles. Volunteers filled 10 bags of trash and 3 cart-loads with large items from the stream.

• The Light Show Installation group climbed ladders, stretched, reached, crawled under and around trees and shrubs wrapping lights in preparation for the Garden of Lights Winter Garden Walk.  Staff reports that what this group achieved in one day would take the staff 3 weeks to accomplish!

Thousands of visitors will have a cleaner, brighter Garden in which to relax and enjoy nature because of the efforts of Ernst & Young volunteers. Thanks to Ernst & Young for their commitment to the community and to all the volunteers who contributed to the success of the day.

# # #

Contact for media only:
Leslie McDermott
Brookside Gardens
301-962-1427
Leslie.McDermott@mncppc-mc.org

Technology Enables Planning Board to See the Future in 3D; Planner Presentations Aided by Powerful Technology Tool

SILVER SPRING, MD – Thanks to digital three-dimensional (3D) mapmaking technologies, the Montgomery County Planning Board is beginning to get a bird’s eye view – or the neighborhood pedestrian’s perspective – of future development projects and their potential look when built.

On Thursday, October 18 at approximately 4 p.m., staff will demonstrate the 3D technology as part of a presentation about housing density, specifically issues of infill development. The presentation, using selected digital media – including 3D modeling – allows planners and decision-makers to analyze neighborhoods on a micro and macro scale.

“As the board contemplates proposals that affect the future of communities, the 3D views show realistic models that aid in our decision-making,” said Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson. “We believe this technology will enhance the board’s deliberations.”

Thursday’s presentation will show alternative development scenarios on a residential block in Friendship Heights. Visual models of residential lots with housing developed at varying scales enable county policy-makers to consider development standards and design criteria – such as the percentage of house coverage on a lot, building height and construction materials – as well as roads, streets, trees and other structures. The presentation was developed using sophisticated mapping programs, county land records, conventional two-dimensional historical maps, and record plats and field surveys of existing homes.

Last week, the Planning Board saw a 3D demonstration of community features existing and proposed for White Flint’s future urban design. Those views showed elevated models of key White Flint structures and lots – buildings, roads, parks, civic sites – in relation to the nearby city of Rockville and community of Twinbrook as a visual aid to the White Flint master planning process. 

Future master plan projects in Germantown and Gaithersburg also will use digital tools, including 3D modeling, to inform the board and, ultimately, the County Council in their decision-making.

WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Board 

WHAT:
Demonstration of 3D technology on infill housing  

WHEN:
Thursday, October 18, 2007 – approximately 4 p.m.  

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Md.

Montgomery County Researchers Say 2006 Birth Rate Highest Ever

SILVER SPRING, MD – Researchers for the Montgomery County Planning Department report a record number of births in 2006 – close to 14,000 – a baby boom researchers partly attribute to the county having a large number of women of child-bearing age.

The 13,806 births in Montgomery County in 2006 represent 300 more babies than were born in 2005.  Of those 2006 babies, 40 percent were classified as non-Hispanic white, 26.5 percent were Hispanic, 20.4 percent were black and 13.3 percent were Asian/Pacific Islanders. The largest number of births came from mothers aged 30-34.

Researchers also attribute the increase to the county’s growing population of minorities, who tend to have larger families. By 2005, 43 percent of Montgomery County’s population was categorized as non-Hispanic white, 16 percent black, 14 percent Hispanic and 13 percent Asian/Pacific. (While Hispanics may be of any race, the Census Bureau categorizes “Hispanic” as Mexican, Chicano, Puerto Rican and Cuban – as well as those who indicate origins from Spain, the Dominican Republic or the Spanish-speaking countries of Central or South America.)

Almost 40 percent of Maryland’s Hispanics call Montgomery County home. Hispanic women typically have the highest fertility rates of any group.

The Montgomery County Planning Department prepares employment, population and household forecasts for the county each year, working from U.S. Census figures and with other local jurisdictions. The information is particularly useful to Montgomery County Public Schools for forecasting student populations.

Overall, the county’s population is growing less rapidly than in the last century. The number of county residents swelled following World War II, with growth peaking in the 1960s.

During the 1990s, the total number of new residents – 116,300 – represented the largest increase for any jurisdiction in Maryland. Much of that, according to the Census Bureau, was due to increases in the Hispanic and non-white populations.

Today, the population approaches 1 million. The county’s population growth, expected to increase by 7 percent in the next decade, will continue to drive higher birth rates, researchers say.

For the Montgomery County Planning Board, seeking to perpetuate the county’s high quality of life, the baby boom of 2006 reinforces the message that they need to continue to build and maintain quality parks, create pedestrian friendly areas – particularly around schools – and provide first-class recreational activities.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Department of Parks Hosts Town Hall Meeting on Future of Park Recreation Buildings (Activity Centers), Tuesday, October 16

WHEATON, MD—The Montgomery County Department of Parks will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, October 16 to discuss the 31 small and medium-sized park recreation buildings (activity centers) in the county’s parks system. An overview of the agenda follows:

I.     Welcome, introductions, overview of schedule
            Park Planning and Stewardship Division Chief John Hench

II.    Presentation of study findings and overview of potential marketing campaign
           Senior Park Planner Mark Wallis
            Park Information and Customer Service Office Supervising Manager Kate Stookey

III.    Questions & Answers

IV.    Small group breakout sessions on individual park buildings

V.    Information sharing from breakout groups, more Q&A, closing comments

WHO:    
Montgomery County Department of Parks

WHAT:    
Town Hall Meeting on Future of Park Recreation Buildings (Activity Centers)

WHEN:
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
7:00 pm

WHERE:
Brookside Gardens Auditorium
1800 Glenallen Avenue
Wheaton, Maryland

For more on this project, please visit www.ParkPlanningandStewardship.org.

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Montgomery County Planning Board Votes to Purchase 1.3 Acres of Parkland in Bethesda

SILVER SPRING - The Montgomery County Planning Board unanimously voted today to purchase 1.3 acres of land adjacent to Bethesda’s Hillmead Neighborhood Park for $2.5 million – increasing the size of the park to 5.64 acres. 

Located on Bradley Boulevard, the park is home to two basketball courts, a tennis court and playground equipment. A house currently on the newly purchased property will likely be demolished within the next six months.  Eventually, in consultation with the community, the Department of Parks may provide additional recreation facilities on the land. 

Today’s decision to purchase the property for parkland expansion ends a contentious and controversial case that first came to the Planning Board in 2006 when the land owner sought approval to subdivide the property into four lots.

 While that request was approved and the property had potential for redevelopment, neighbors strongly opposed any re-subdivision and since have been working with parks staff, planning staff and the land owner to come to a different resolution. 

Due to the funding source proposed to be used for this acquisition, the Montgomery County Council must grant final approval for the purchase. The Council will take action on the matter in the coming weeks.

All Aboard! . . . Destination Spooky Town, Montgomery County; Department of Parks Trains Set to Leave the Stations

SILVER SPRING, MD—Both Montgomery County Department of Parks trains—at Wheaton and Cabin John regional parks—are set to delight ghosts and goblins of all ages this Halloween.

“The Halloween train is new for Cabin John,” said Cabin John Regional Park Manager Ginny Moxley. “But, we are sure we have just enough boo-power to delight our younger passengers.”

Cabin John Regional Park’s NEW not-so-scary “Eye Spy” Halloween train ride is geared for children 8 years and younger. The holiday train at Cabin John will run from 6:00 – 9:00 pm Thursday through Saturday, October 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27. The park will also show Halloween movies and offer prizes and giveaways. Admission is $5 or $4 dollars with a can of food.

The Haunted Train at Wheaton Regional Park rides again this year too. “This is our third year, creeping out our guests and each year more keep coming out for the thrill,” said Michael Tchou, Wheaton Train and Carousel manager.

At Wheaton, older county ghouls will enjoy Creepy Carousel rides, Haunted Hayrides and new this year the Hall of Jack-O’-Lanterns, in addition to the Haunted Train. Admission at Wheaton is $6 or $5 with a can of food and covers all the attractions. The train at Wheaton rides from 6:00 – 9:00 pm as well, October 13 and 14, 18-21 and 25-30.

For more on Cabin John’s “Eye Spy” Halloween Train, visit www.CabinJohnTrain.com or call (301) 469-7835 and for more on the Haunted Train at Wheaton Regional Park, see www.WheatonTrainandCarousel.com or call (301) 942-6703.

# # #

Contact:
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

Planning Expert to Bring “New Urban” Principles to Montgomery County Planning Board

SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board will learn more about a new planning trend that is transforming suburban communities throughout the country from the president of the Congress for the New Urbanism at a 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 presentation.

The talk by John Norquist, the latest expert in the board’s popular Growth Management Speaker Series, will focus on new urbanism, a planning framework that emphasizes diverse, livable communities with a mix of urban-style uses. The speaker series, which began last spring, informs the Planning Board on topical issues as it grapples with how to shape the future of Montgomery County.

Examples of new urbanism can be found as far away as Portland or as close as Bethesda. Prince George’s County made the news recently when it approved a development featuring single-family houses, townhomes, hotels, a business park and a mix of retail, office and entertainment.

Norquist's work promoting new urbanism as an alternative to sprawl draws on his experience as mayor of Milwaukee from 1988 to 2004, when the city experienced a decline in poverty and saw a boom in new downtown housing. He oversaw a revision of the city's zoning code and reoriented development around walkable streets and public amenities, such as the city's 3.1-mile Riverwalk.

Norquist's topic, “Adding Long-Term Value to Montgomery County,” will delve into how the new urbanist movement applies in Montgomery County and how to reform planning to embrace some of its concepts locally.

WHO:
John Norquist, president, Congress for the New Urbanism

WHAT: 
Presentation on the principles of new urbanism

WHEN:  
Thursday, October 11, 2007 – 7 p.m.

WHERE: 
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD

 

Department of Parks to Host Public Meeting October 23 on Plans for Upper Rock Creek Trail

ROCKVILLE, MD—The Montgomery County Department of Parks will host a public meeting on the Upper Rock Creek Trail Corridor Plan which will include discussion of: creating a continuous shared use trail system linking trails in Rock Creek Regional Park northward to the Patuxent River; providing a challenge mountain bike course at George Carson Farm Park; linking the Rock Creek Hiker Biker Trail to the Lake Frank trail system; and identifying interpretive themes along the trail corridor.

The Upper Rock Creek Trail Corridor is located in the northeastern portion of Montgomery County and extends northward from Rock Creek Regional Park to Rachel Carson Conservation Park and continues to the Patuxent River. During this planning phase, there are several ways to help shape the future of the trail corridor. In May 2006, the Department of Parks kicked off the project with a community meeting to discuss the plan concepts and project opportunities. This is the second public meeting on this project to discuss plan concepts and options.

WHO:    
Montgomery County Department of Parks

WHAT:   
Public Meeting on Upper Rock Creek Trail Corridor Plan

WHEN: 
Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 7:30 pm

WHERE:
Shady Grove Maintenance Facility
16641 Crabbs Branch Way
Rockville, MD 20855   

For more on this project, contact Department of Parks Park and Trail Planning Supervisor Lyn Coleman at (301) 650-4391 or lyn.coleman@mncppc-mc.org. Also, visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org for more and a copy of the meeting agenda.

# # #

Contact:   
Kelli Holsendolph
Media Relations Manager
Montgomery County Department of Parks
301-650-2866

County Planning Board Transmits Recommended Development Review Manual to Simplify Process

The Planning Board has transmitted a new how-to manual spelling out the full range of requirements (some old, some new) for those interested in developing land in Montgomery County to the County Council. Although the manual requires Council approval, the Board will be adopting the procedures as interim measures as of Nov. 1, pending Council approval.

Any portion of the manual that requires changes to county law will not be implemented until the law is changed. 

 The manual covers all types of development plans – project, preliminary, site, plan amendments, etc. – and aims to clarify the process for developers, staff and the general public. It covers submittal, review and approval procedures and could result in a shortened timeframe for reviews.

Under the guidelines, all development applicants must increase public notification efforts by sharing building proposals with neighbors and civic associations, hosting community meetings and posting signs on proposed building sites.

It also ensures that all planners follow the same set of rules, including a checklist for project reviews that includes verifying that the proposal follows guidelines in the county’s community master plans, analyzing land use, transportation and environmental regulations and promoting design excellence, among other tasks.

Under a new two-step application intake process, development applicants will receive confirmation that an application is complete before formally submitting it for review. Previously, staff would start and stop reviews because of incomplete applications, creating extra work for applicants and planning staff.

 See an advance copy at www.mcparkandplanning.org/development/development_manual/index.shtm.

Brookside Gardens to Benefit from Ernst & Young’s Day of Service

WHEATON, MD—Leading professional services firm Ernst & Young LLP announced that on Friday, October 5, more than 700 employees would volunteer a day of service in the Greater Washington area. Ernst & Young has a strong focus on corporate social responsibility. 50 of those employees were assigned to work at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD.  The projects included:

- Helping to install twinkling lights on trees and shrubs for the “Garden of Lights” outdoor winter garden walk which opens to the public November 17, 2007 to January 6, 2008.

- Pulling alien/invasive plants

- Removing trash from a stream bed within Brookside Gardens. 

As a small thank you for all of their hard work, Brookside Gardens gave each Ernst & Young volunteer a complimentary pass to the “Garden of Lights”.

# # #

Contact for media only:
Leslie McDermott
Brookside Gardens
301-962-1427
Leslie.McDermott@mncppc-mc.org

Planning Board to Consider Cohesive Vision for MD 355/I-270 Corridor: 11 Communities Linked by Jobs, Housing, Amenities

SILVER SPRING, MD – Montgomery County planners have long eyed the land surrounding Route 355 and Interstate 270 and as an area for growth. On Thursday, the Montgomery County Planning Board will discuss ways to link the communities that stretch along its 27-mile length through a coordinated approach to job development, transit, parks, the environment, arts and entertainment, and a mix of housing types.

Planners are nearing the final stage of a detailed study of the MD 355/I-270 corridor that identifies innovative strategies to connect Bethesda, White Flint, Twinbrook, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Germantown and Clarksburg under a common vision and identity. The study sets the stage for master plans in progress for many of those communities. Each master plan forecasts approximately 15 years of land use and other improvements in a more detailed look at each community. 

The Planning Board’s MD 355/I-270 corridor study recommends ways to bring more consistency to MD 355, which changes from an eight-lane expanse in White Flint to a two-lane former country road in Clarksburg. The study looks at how to improve the road’s functionality and design as well as how to ease transitions between population centers.

It also suggests economic development strategies centered on science and technology, reflecting the influx of high-tech jobs along the I-270 corridor. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University, which owns land along the corridor, and the University of Maryland are participating in the study process.

The large-scale study also identifies common approaches to combat environmental concerns, like reducing the amount of paved parking lots to improve water quality and offering alternatives to driving through mass transit and an integrated trail network to raise air quality.

Finally, the MD 355/I-270 study looks at health and lifestyle issues for current and future residents. By creating opportunities for people to live near employment and retail centers, planners envision walking and mass transit to replace driving, improving the health of both people and the environment.

The board will consider the concept study at a work session on Thursday. While work sessions are open to the public, the board uses its work sessions to interact with and get background from staff, and public testimony is limited.

However, as the board reviews upcoming master plans in the corridor, they will include aspects of the study in each discussion. Residents have ample opportunity to get involved in master plans, starting with meetings scheduled in the community and culminating with a public hearing before the Planning Board. The Twinbrook Master Plan public hearing has been set for Nov. 15.

WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Board

WHAT:
Work session on I-270/Route 355 concept study

WHEN:
Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007 – approximately 7:30 p.m.

WHERE:
Park and Planning Headquarters
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, Md.