Media Center

New Planning Department Website Highlights Current Development Applications

SILVER SPRING, MD – Want to know more about development projects proposed near where you live or work? To help residents, business people and county officials stay abreast of Montgomery County development activity, the Planning Department has launched a user-friendly Development Finder web site that provides details about building applications to be considered by the Planning Board.

The web page is anchored by a map of Montgomery County featuring pinpoint markers wherever applications recently have been filed. Those markers are hyperlinked to a database of applications specifying locations, applicant information, and details of proposed projects.

The online database, called the Development Activity Information Center and maintained by the Planning Department, includes application information such as the size of proposed buildings, numbers of proposed units, forest conservation plans, landscaping, etc. Links allow a user to download original applications, planner analyses and more.

The Planning Board has authority over development projects throughout the county and considers applications at its weekly meetings. For those who want to follow projects through the review process, the Development Finder provides a portal to project details leading up to the Board’s review.

For example, click on a pinpoint in Kensington to learn about a preliminary plan application for a store expansion; related links take a user to the plan drawing that shows the proposed new building footprint, street rights-of-way and parking as well as the original application from the property owner.

The Development Finder includes applications for preliminary plans, site plans, project plans and sketch plans. The web tool highlights projects submitted from July 1, 2010 to the present. If a project has been approved by the Planning Board, the project comes off the list.

The new Development Finder website is one of several online features designed to make county planning transparent and accessible, even for those who unable to attend Planning Board meetings. The Planning Department last year launched an online tool to locate forest conservation easements, maintains an online sign-up tool to sign up in advance to testify before the Board and, jointly with the Department of Parks, runs a weekly e-newsletter informing about upcoming projects and initiatives.

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Creating Effective Urban Design Frameworks the Subject of April 28 Planning Department Speaker Series Event

SILVER SPRING, MD – Montgomery County’s master plans set the stage for redevelopment in strategic places. To help inform master plans underway for various Montgomery County communities, the Planning Department is hosting an urban design expert from Portland with extensive experience in creating frameworks that are fundamental to successful redevelopment.

Arun Jain created the Urban Design Framework for Central Portland, an analysis of the city’s stock of civic spaces and redevelopable properties. The framework provides a basis for planners and city officials to make informed choices for preserving, enhancing or creating great places in the central city. The framework specifies where exceptional development would advance city priorities over the next 25 years by focusing public resources and instilling confidence in private development to build quality projects.

Portland, Oregon is noteworthy for its commitment to transit and successful urban form. Jain’s presentation will provide an in-depth look at the urban design thinking behind some of Portland’s redevelopment initiatives, including the downtown transit mall and the development of the Pearl District, a new downtown neighborhood.

Jain’s work over the past 25 years has focused on how the design of the built environment can improve urban quality of life. When done well, design frameworks can be effective tools for urban and urbanizing areas to prioritize investments in public infrastructure and encourage private development to leverage the most public good. 

Jain has more than 25 years of international experience in practice and academia. He was Portland’s chief urban designer for six years. As a consultant, Jain works across a wide range of scales, geographies and cultural landscapes around the world. From national-level decision-making tools to new towns to main streets, his approach considers context and integration to foster uniqueness and counter uncertainty.

Jain has authored several publications and contributed to books and has spoken at more than 70 major conferences, seminars, workshops and universities around the world. He is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Oregon’s urban architecture program in Portland.

Trained as an architect, Jain holds two masters degrees from the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Design Program. He was awarded the Portland Daily Journal of Commerce’s Newsmaker Award for 2009.

Continuing education credits for planners (AICP credits) are pending. 

The presentations are part of the Planning Department’s Celebrating MoCo speaker series – free, informative sessions about ways to forge great communities. This session is co-sponsored by the Silver Spring Regional Center.

Who:
Montgomery County Planning Department, featuring Portland urban designer Arun Jain

What:
Urban Design Framework for Central Portland, part of the Celebrating MoCo Speaker Series

When:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, 2011

Where:
Silver Spring Regional Center (Spring Room)
One Veterans Plaza (corner of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street)
Silver Spring

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Honoring Earth Day: Parks Energy Conservation Program Saves Tax Payers Millions While Parks Volunteers Add Millions in Value

SILVER SPRING, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks honors Earth Day 2011 with millions in tax dollars saved and millions in value added by parks volunteers. 

“This month, park visitors will notice new signs posted at certain park facilities about the savings we’ve achieved through our resource conservation program,” said Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford.  “It’s by no coincidence these signs have been posted in time for Earth Day.”

The cost savings signs are featured at Brookside Gardens and Wheaton Ice Arena. Brookside Gardens has seen a reduction of $4,549 in energy costs since 2009.  Wheaton Ice Arena has saved $62,669 in energy costs since 2009. Since the beginning of the program, initiated in July 2003 by the Montgomery County portion of M-NCPPC the estimated cumulative savings (July 2003 through June 2010) is $2,116,395 as a result of the resource conservation program.

“Overall, we’ve made reductions in electricity, natural gas, water and propane usage,” added Bradford. “Parks staff has particularly done well to drastically reduce our water consumption and those associated costs.”

Some of what’s been done includes: upgrades to lighting and temperature controls in park activity buildings and upgrades to lighting at Cabin John Ice Rink, Wheaton Ice Arena, Rockwood Manor, the Lodge at Little Seneca and the parking lot at Olney Manor Recreational Park. Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy will provide for additional LED light conversions for park facilities and street lights.

Programs and projects planned for Fiscal Year 2012 include additional lighting upgrades and a roof water collection and irrigation water pilot project at Cabin John Ice Rink, fleet/vehicle updates, including the use of hybrid vehicles, reducing domestic water use for irrigation and increasing the use of renewable energy. Brookside Gardens is the department’s green park pilot project. 

Parks volunteers have also added millions in value to the parks system over the years. In Fiscal Year 2009, 76,300 hours of service were donated by 8,700 parks volunteers. The estimated value of this service is $1.5 million, equating to 37 work years. In Fiscal Year 2010, 82,422 hours were donated by volunteers serving the equivalent of 40 work years and providing over $1.7 million in value added service to parks.

“Parks volunteers are an invaluable component of our service delivery,” said Bradford. “We appreciate and thank them all for their service.”

On Saturday, April 9, at least 370 volunteers cleaned up streams in Montgomery County parks as part of the annual Anacostia Watershed Earth Day Cleanup.  These parks volunteers removed approximately 470 bags of trash, 111 bags of recyclables and approximately 6,350 pounds of loose trash. 

There are volunteer opportunities in parks across the county year-round.  Look for opportunities to lend a hand at www.ParksVolunteers.org.  And, for more on the Montgomery County Department of Parks, M-NCPPC, visit www.MontgomeryParks.org.

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

Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin, Department of Parks, 7-Eleven and Others Break Ground on New King Street Community Garden

SILVER SPRING, MD— Today, Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin joined the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks, Harvey Maisel of Maisel-Hollins Development Company, representatives from7-Eleven and others to break ground on the new King Street Community Garden located at 7875 Eastern Avenue in Silver Spring.

“I am proud to announce the opening of this new community garden at King Street and Eastern Avenue,” said Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin. “For almost two years, I have worked with the Department of Parks and Mr. Harvey Maisel to open this garden in south Silver Spring.”

Attending today’s groundbreaking ceremony: Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford,  Harvey Maisel of Maisel-Hollins Development Company, representatives from 7-Eleven, Montgomery College, Silver Spring Green, South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association, IMPACT Silver Spring, Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce, Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee, Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board and Silver Spring Regional Center.  

“Community gardens continue to prove wonderfully popular park amenities,” said Montgomery County Department of Parks Director of Parks Mary R. Bradford. “I want to thank Council President Ervin, Mr. Maisel and 7-Eleven for helping us to bring this garden to this community.”

The King Street Community Garden is the result of a three-way lease agreement between the Department of Parks, 7-Eleven and the Maisel-Hollins Development Company, which had plans to develop the site for other uses.

“It is with great pleasure that we can now move beyond meetings and paperwork to prepping the site for gardening. This site, which is located in a densely populated urban area, is more than just a fruitful partnership between the government and private enterprise. It enhances the lives of residents by increasing community access to nutritious foods, and by promoting social interactions among neighbors,” added Ervin.

The King Street Community Garden features 29 plots, each of 200-square-feet, with water and deer fencing available. More than 50 applications were received for gardening at this location.  The location is full with all plots assigned. Weather permitting the site will open to the gardeners later this month.

“One of the greatest benefits of community gardens and parks in general is the way they bring communities together through shared spaces and experiences,” added Bradford.  “For example, many community gardeners have told us how they’ve met their neighbors for the first time at the garden in the parks or shared what they’ve grown with one another. In real ways, these parks are making a difference in their lives and getting people outdoors.”

Ervin was instrumental in launching the Department of Parks community gardens program in May 2009: “I first became interested in community gardens when a resident from Eastern Village Cohousing asked about community gardens in the downcounty area at a meeting. Since then, I have become an avid supporter of the Community Gardens program, which has opened seven sites in parks and two sites on MCPS property,” stated Ervin.

In two short years, the parks community gardens program has grown to include more than 600 community gardeners on 10 locations operated by the parks department throughout the county: Bradley Park, Briggs Chaney, Emory Grove Center, Fenton Street Local Park, King Street, Maple Avenue, Parklawn, Rocking Horse Center, Sligo Mill Overlook and South Germantown Recreational Park.

“Since there is high demand for the County’s other community gardens, I look forward to continuing to collaborate with many more organizations in the future,” noted Ervin.

For more information on the Department of Parks community gardens program, visit www.ParksCommunityGardens.org.  

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

Neil Greenberger
Public Information Officer
Montgomery County Council
240-777-7939

Department of Parks Launches New Website Showcasing Park Development Projects

SILVER SPRING, MD—Today the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks launched its newly redesigned website—www.ParkProjects.org—which features park development projects in Montgomery Parks.

“In communities where we are planning, designing or constructing new facilities, park neighbors are very interested in what’s going on and when it’s going to be completed,” said Mitra Pedoeem, Chief of the Park Development Division for M-NCPPC, Montgomery County Department of Parks. “We also rely on communities a great deal to share their input with us during the development process about what they want to see in the parks.”

The website, www.ParkProjects.org, is a tool to keep the community informed about the status of park development projects and inform them on projects needing public input. The newly redesigned site includes a search feature, which allows residents to check on the status of park projects by zip code, area of the county or development status.  The site also features detailed information on projects and information on the parks department’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Another feature is a step-by-step outline on how parks are built.  In addition, there are resources online for contractors hoping to do business with the Department of Parks on projects.  

“We have a very talented team in place in the division, dedicated to meeting the needs of the public,” added Pedoeem.

The department’s Park Development Division is charged with acquiring parkland, designing, constructing and developing parks, and completing major renovations of parks through the planning, preparation and implementation of the parks department’s CIP. The division is comprised of landscape architects, engineers, project managers, construction managers, inspectors and land acquisition specialists.

The Park Development Division has won several recent awards for its work at various parks, including Waverly-Schuylkill Neighborhood Park, the Matthew Henson Trail, Seneca Stone Barn at Woodstock Equestrian Park and Dowden's Ordinary Special Park in Clarksburg.

To check out the newly redesigned site and learn more about park development in Montgomery Parks visit www.ParkProjects.org.

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

Dig into the Past! Department of Parks Hosts Annual Archaeology Day, Saturday, May 14

DERWOOD, MD—The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County Department of Parks with the Archaeology Society of Maryland, Mid-Potomac Chapter hosts its annual Archaeology Day at Needwood Mansion, 6700 Needwood Road in Derwood, from 10:00 am through 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 14.

“Archaeology Day is really an introduction to archaeology for all ages,” said Department of Parks Archaeologist Heather Bouslog. “Previous participants have found antique toys, pottery pieces, animal bones—and some have even found a new career or brand new hobby!”

Archaeology Day features a public dig at Needwood Mansion with Parks Archaeologist Heather Bouslog and archaeology program volunteers. The day’s activities also include tours of the Needwood Mansion, storytelling and old-time games and crafts. The cost is $8 per person and $15 per family. Participants are reminded to bring a bag lunch and to wear digging clothes.  

The Department of Parks archaeology program, identifies, manages and interprets over 200 archaeological sites on parkland. The program is supported by a dedicated team of 60 volunteers.

Volunteer opportunities are available year-round with the parks archaeology program. There are also summer camps for children (ages 9 -13) this June and July.  Teens (ages 14 and up) can participate in an archaeology leader training workshop this June.

For more on the Department of Parks archaeology program, including volunteer opportunities and information on summer camps, visit www.ParksArchaeology.org.

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Archaeology Day
Saturday, May 14, 2011
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Needwood Mansion
6700 Needwood Road, Derwood
Cost: $8 per person/$15 per family
More information: www.ParksArchaeology.org

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

Redeveloping Challenging Urban Spaces the Subject of April 13 Planning Department Speaker Series Event

SILVER SPRING, MD – With large parts of Montgomery County and the Washington, D.C., region built out, much future development will occur within previously built areas. To learn from those who have gone before us, the Planning Department is hosting a Toronto architect whose firm specializes in urban redevelopment and infill.

Architect Deni Poletti has worked extensively to design mid- and high-rise residential and mixed-use buildings for challenging infill sites in Toronto and the Middle East. With his firm, CORE Architects, Poletti integrates creative solutions within narrow profit margins, developing designs that truly work in small spaces.

Poletti’s presentation will cover construction, materials, interior layouts and exterior design of narrow-floor- plate buildings. Attendees will benefit from his experience in mixed-use design applied in Toronto, one of the biggest condo markets in the world. 

His presentation will highlight projects that married design solutions with the economic needs of his clients, including:

• a very narrow site with parking challenges
• sites with historic building components
• odd-shaped sites

Poletti is a principal in Core Architects, Inc., where he has been responsible for the design and execution of a numerous residential, hospitality and retail projects. Poletti’s extensive experience with urban development issues and his understanding of the impact of architectural design on the general public has made him sought after in both the public and private sectors. He has been instrumental in expanding the firm’s hospitality and residential portfolio nationally and internationally. 

Continuing education credits for architects (AIA/CES credits) are approved for one hour learning unit. 

The presentations are part of the Planning Department’s Celebrating MoCo speaker series – free, informative sessions about ways to forge great communities. This session is co-sponsored by the American Institute of Architects Potomac Valley chapter.

Who:
Montgomery County Planning Department, featuring Toronto Architect Deni Poletti

What:
Infill Done Right:  The Design, Economics and Regulations for Redeveloping Challenging Urban Spaces

When:
6 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Where:
Torti Gallas and Partners
1300 Spring Street, Suite 400
Silver Spring

MEDIA ADVISORY: Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin Joins Department of Parks, 7-Eleven and Others for King Street Community Garden Groundbreaking

SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin will join the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), Montgomery County Department of Parks, representatives from 7-Eleven and other community leaders for the groundbreaking of the King Street Community Garden located at 7875 Eastern Avenue in Silver Spring, Wednesday, April 20 at 10:00 am.  

The opening of this community garden location is more than two years in the making. Council President Ervin’s leadership was instrumental to making this gardening location available to the public. Ervin worked with all parties to secure a three-way lease agreement finalized in March between the Department of Parks, 7-Eleven and the Maisel Development Company, which had plans to develop the site for other uses.

The new King Street Community Garden will join 9 other community garden locations managed by the Montgomery County Department of Parks, including two other recent additions on Montgomery County Public Schools land. The parks department is now accepting applications for its lottery for gardening at this location. The site will offer at least 20 plots, 200 square feet each in size for an annual fee of $30 per plot.  A lottery application for gardening at the King Street location for the 2011 season is available online at www.ParksCommunityGardens.org.  The garden will open mid-April, weather permitting.

WHO:     
Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin
M-NCPPC, Montgomery County Department of Parks
7-Eleven representatives
Montgomery College
Silver Spring Green
South Silver Spring Neighborhood Association
IMPACT Silver Spring
Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce
Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee
Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board
Silver Spring Regional Center

WHAT:    
King Street Community Garden Groundbreaking

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
10:00 am

WHERE:  
King Street Community Garden
7875 Eastern Avenue, Silver Spring MD

For more information on the Department of Parks’ community gardens program, visit www.ParksCommunityGardens.org.   

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

Neil Greenberger
Public Information Officer
Montgomery County Council
240-777-7939