September 18, 2015
 
Planning Board Agenda
Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, September 24. View the full agenda for that meeting here.
M-NCPPC "Best in Nation" with Unprecedented Sixth Gold Medal Award Win

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) today won the prestigious 2015 National Gold Medal Award for excellence in Parks and Recreation Management. The Gold Medal is one of the highest professional awards available to parks and recreation agencies throughout the country and involves a stringent qualification and judging process.  The Gold Medal Award is presented annually by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

M-NCPPC has a long history of Gold Medal successes, winning the prize in 1973, 1977, 1984 and 2003. M-NCPPC won its fifth Gold Medal in 1983 for leadership in special recreation and outstanding community achievement in serving people with disabilities. This year's win secured the agency's sixth Gold Medal. No other agency in the country has ever won six. Learn more here.
Public Hearing on Westbard Sector Plan Will be Held September 24

The Montgomery County Planning Department has posted the Public Hearing Draft of the Westbard Sector Plan on the Department's web site in advance of the Planning Board meeting on Thursday, September 24.


During the September 24 session, the Board will hold a public hearing for the Westbard Sector Plan from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Planning Department headquarters (8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD) when the community is invited to comment on the Plan's recommendations.

Time slots to testify are limited, so the public is encouraged to call 301-495-4605 or go online to sign up to testify. Learn more here.
MD 97 Brookeville Project

The Maryland Department of Transportation's State Highway Administration (SHA) invites interested persons to attend an informational meeting about the reinitiation of the MD 97 Project in Brookeville, Montgomery County. SHA has refined the previously selected alternative that will reduce the steadily increasing traffic in the Town of Brookeville, improve traffic operations and safety on MD 97, and preserve the Town's historic character. The project extends approximately 0.72 mile along MD 97 from south of Gold Mine Road to north of Holiday Drive. The informational meeting will reacquaint the public with the project background and the purpose and need. Members of the project team will explain why the previously selected alternative has been refined. Maps and other displays will be available for review, and SHA representatives will answer project-related questions and address comments and concerns. No formal presentation will be given. You may arrive at any time during meeting hours and walk through the display area at your own pace.
County Residents Invited to Comment on Digital Feedback Map of County Roads and Bikeways to Help Advance Bicycle Master Plan
 
The Montgomery County Planning Department launched its Bicycle Master Plan with community meetings in September so the public can learn more about the goals and methods of this Countywide effort.

The first public meeting was held on September 8 in Burtonsville, MD and the second event was held on September 9 in Germantown. Three subsequent meetings will take place during September and October in Silver Spring, Wheaton and Bethesda.
 
The different locations allow County residents to pick the one that is most convenient for them so they can more easily participate in the planning process. Visit the Bicycle Master Plan web page for more information about these kickoff meetings. Learn more here.

The Bicycle Master Plan Scope of Work was also presented to the Planning Board during their September meeting. Learn more here.
3rd Annual Friendship Picnic

Join Montgomery Parks and the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights on Sunday, September 20, 2015 at Wheaton Regional Park for the 3rd Annual Friendship Picnic. The event brings together and celebrates the diverse communities of Montgomery County to share their cultures, traditions and faiths. Food, beverages and entertainment for the entire family will be provided. For more information, click here.
NEW: Day to Serve & National Public Lands Day 2015

Montgomery Parks is very excited to once again be taking part in Day to Serve and National Public Lands Day (NPLD) in September 2015. Day to Serve events are taking place from September 10 to October 11 and NPLD events are scheduled for the weekend of September 26-27. To participate and view more info, click here.
Community Meetings
  • SHA Public Meeting Announcement - MD 195- Carroll Avenue Bridge Rehabilitation 
    The Maryland Department of Transportation's (MDOT) State Highway Administration (SHA) is beginning a major rehabilitation project of the MD 195 (Carroll Avenue) Bridge over Sligo Creek and Sligo Creek Parkway this fall. Park Trails will remain open as Sligo Creek Parkway will be used as a detour. Visit MontgomeryParks.org for more info.
Park Projects:
 
Trail Work in Parks
 
Bikers and Runners should use caution as improvements are taking place on several trails in Montgomery Parks:
  • UPDATE: Capital Crescent Trail tree work continues south of Dorset Avenue to the DC Line with trail access intermittingly being interrupted. PEPCO will be on the trail September 21, 2015 replacing a utility pole. Please watch for flaggers and use caution around work areas. 
  • UPDATE: Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail Storm water management work is scheduled to continue this fall, between Franklin Street and Knowles Avenue. Trail will be intermittingly closed. Please follow detours.
  • Western Piedmont Trail is closed below Hyattstown Mill where the trail crosses Little Bennett Creek for installation of a new bridge. Work is expected to continue for a year.
  • Paint Branch Trail will have restricted use between Randolph Road and Fairland Road due to WSSC work.  
For more information on Montgomery Parks Trails please visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.
24th Annual Harvest Festival: October 3, 2015
 
Join Montgomery Parks at the Agricultural History Farm Park for the 24th Annual Harvest Festival, on Saturday, October 3, 2015.  Featuring live farm animals, scarecrow making, a corn maze, farm house tours, garden tours, antique farm equipment, candle making, hay rides, an archaeology dig, working farm animal demonstrations and more! Click here for more information.
Brookside Gardens Parking Update
 
Parking at Brookside Gardens for the Wings of Fancy Exhibit and general garden access may be limited, due to ongoing construction. Visit parking alternatives and the Garden Gateway project for more information.
Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center Scheduled To Be Closed
 
The Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center will be closed through September 30th for major facility renovations, including the installation of central air conditioning. Click here for more info.
Trail Sign Installation Project on Rock Creek Trail
 
Signage Installation for better wayfinding on the trail and adjacent neighborhood trail connectors leading to main trail continues south on the 14 mile Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail. Please use caution around work areas scheduled to go from Rock Creek Regional Park- Lake Needwood to the DC Line. For more information, click here.
Montgomery County Planning Department and Potomac Valley AIA Hold Design Excellence Award Program on October 22
 
The Montgomery County Planning Department is inviting everyone with an interest in excellent architecture, landscape architecture and urban design to attend "Celebrate Design" on Thursday, October 22 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building (1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD).

The winner of the Planning Department's first annual Design Excellence Award competition will be announced during the celebration, which will also include the annual awards ceremony of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Potomac Valley Chapter. One of the highlights of the evening will be a presentation on the business case for design excellence by land use strategist Christopher Leinberger, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Learn more here.
American Institute of Architects Honors M-NCPPC's Clare Lise Kelly with Kea Medal for her Advocacy of Montgomery County's Modern Heritage
 
SILVER SPRING, MD - The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is pleased to announce that staff senior architectural historian Clare Lise Kelly is this year's recipient of the Paul H. Kea Medal from the Potomac Valley chapter of the American Institute of Architects. She is being recognized for making a significant and exemplary contribution to the profession through her architectural advocacy.

Kelly serves as Research and Designation Coordinator for the Historic Preservation Office of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Montgomery Modern: Modern Architecture in Montgomery County, Maryland, 1930-1979, to be published in October 2015. Learn more here.
Update to Subdivision Staging Policy To Be Discussed at Open House
 
The Montgomery County Planning Department is updating the Subdivision Staging Policy (formerly called Growth Policy) for review and approval by the County Council by November 15, 2016. The intent of the Subdivision Staging Policy is to ensure public facilities, particularly schools and roads, are adequate to meet the needs of new development and growth. Learn more here.
The Rock Spring Master Plan Kick Off Meeting Recap
 
The Rock Spring Master Plan kicked off their work on reimaging the Rock Spring. Watch the recap here.
Montgomery County Bicycle Master Plan Kickoff Meeting Recap
 
The Bicycle Master Plan is underway with a series of kickoff meetings happening around the County. Watch the recap here.

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