Just How Does a New Park or Grocery Store Get Built? Watch Montgomery County’s New Instructional Video

SILVER SPRING, MD – To better inform Montgomery County residents and others interested in parks and development issues in Maryland’s largest jurisdiction, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission produced a 14-minute video explaining the agency’s role in the community.

The video, “Building Great Communities: Montgomery County, Maryland,” sheds light on how the agency works to maintain the area’s high quality of life. The outreach tool was the result of a public education partnership between M-NCPPC’s Montgomery County staff and County Cable Montgomery, the public TV arm of the Montgomery County Council.

Aimed at those who may be unfamiliar with planning but are interested in learning how the Department of Parks and Planning Department work, the video will be shown as part of selected Montgomery College courses, including civics classes for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Viewers will learn more about how Montgomery County park staff and land-use planners acquire and manage popular parks, design thriving communities, establish environmental protections, and preserve working farms and cultural sites.

The video answers such questions as how new parks get built; the role of the Planning Board; how master planning manages growth in communities; how development projects get approved; what the county’s 400 parks offer visitors; and how to volunteer in the parks.

The presentation, available on DVD and VHS, makes a great kickoff to a community meeting. Check out “Building Great Communities” at your county library or see our online version . Request a free copy by contacting (301) 495-4604 or alexandra.teaff@mncppc-mc-org.