November 6, 2015
 
Planning Board Agenda
Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, November 12. View the full agenda for that meeting here.
Montgomery County Planning Department Announces Calendar of November Events
Master plans move ahead with public meetings and Planning Board work sessions.

The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is pleased to announce its calendar for November 2015. These events offer opportunities for the Board and Planning Department staff to engage with communities within Montgomery County. Review the full list of events below and go online to www.montgomeryplanning.org for more details on projects and plans. Learn more about the November Calendar of Events.
Celebrate Them Apples at Cider Days
 
Come out to Locust Grove Nature Center and learn about cider, apple varieties, and apple history. Sample lesser-known apple types, and try your hand at pressing cider. For more info, click here.
MARC Rail Communities Plan for Boyds and Germantown Launched on November 4 at Public Open House

The Montgomery County Planning Department held a public meeting to discuss the proposed boundaries and receive feedback about the MARC Rail Communities Plan on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at the Upcounty Regional Services Center (12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown, MD).

This plan centers on the historic communities of Boyds and Germantown in western Montgomery County. The stations are located approximately three miles apart along the Brunswick line of the Maryland Transit Administration's MARC system. Each of the two communities has a distinct development pattern and requires a different approach to land uses, design and multimodal access around the stations. Learn more here.
Planners Invite Community to Discuss the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan Working Draft

The Montgomery County Planning Department is inviting interested residents and business owners of the Greater Lyttonsville community to a meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at the Gwendolyn Coffield Community Center (2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring, MD) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to discuss the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan Working Draft.

Planners will provide clarifications and address concerns raised by the community since the release of the Greater Lyttonsville Sector Plan Working Draft on October 2, 2015. This meeting is a chance for the public to ask additional questions and speak with Staff about their concerns prior to the Staff Presentation of the Working Draft to the Planning Board on Thursday, December 17, 2015. The Public Hearing on the Working Draft will take place in February of 2016.

RSVP for the November 18 meeting.
Transportation Considerations for White Flint 2 Sector Plan to be Discussed at Community Meeting on November 18

The Montgomery County Planning Department will hold a community meeting to discuss the White Flint 2 Sector Plan on Wednesday, November 18. The meeting will be held at Rocking Horse Road Center (4910 Macon Road, Rockville, MD) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. County Planners will focus on transportation issues within White Flint 2 and the surrounding area.

Learn more about the White Flint 2 Sector Plan.
The Garden of Lights Returns in 2015!

2015 Garden of Lights Step into a magical winter wonderland illuminated with more than one million dazzling colorful lights shaped into hand-crafted, original art forms of flowers, animals and other natural elements. The Garden of Lights celebrates its 18th season as a Baltimore/ Washington, DC area family holiday tradition.  Tickets go on sale for the winter garden walk through holiday light display on Sunday, November 1. Click here for more information.
Maryland Emancipation Day Celebrations

On November 1, 1864, Maryland freed by a new state constitution all those held in bondage within its boundaries.

Join us the weekend of November 6 - 8 to celebrate Maryland Emancipation Day at historic sites throughout the county! Hike on the Underground Railroad, tour 1800s log cabins, visit a museum dedicated to the legacy of slavery, enjoy living history demonstrations and eat great food! Park events on Saturday and Sunday are FREE, unless otherwise noted, and open to the public. Visit HistoryInTheParks.org. 
The 25th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act Celebration

Montgomery Parks, Montgomery County Recreation, and the cities of Rockville and Takoma Park invite the public to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) at a free event on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The event be held at the Mid-County Community Recreation Center and will feature a host of fun activities including dancing, face painting, crafts, a nature presentation and a special performance by Spencer "Spinny" Johnson formerly of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Park Projects:
 

  • UPDATE: Indian Spring Terrace Local Park: Renovations to the parking lot to improve access will continue through November. Park facilities will remain open but parking lot will be closed. Park users should use caution around construction sites.  
  • Sligo Creek Parkway: WSSC Project will require the parking lot on Sligo Creek Parkway south of Wayne Avenue to be closed for 6-9 months. For more info on WSSC projects in the park, please click here.
  • Ellsworth Urban Park:  Park improvements are underway to construct a new Dog Park. Parts of the park will be inaccessible to the public as work includes improved storm water management and better access to park. Tennis Courts and playground will not be affected. Click here for more info.
  • Waters Landing Local Park: Playground renovations are underway requiring playground to be closed this fall. Work will include storm water management and improved access to park facilities. Public should use caution getting to tennis courts and picnic shelter as paths will be repaved. Click here for more info.
  • Layhill Village Local Park: Improvements are scheduled for better access through October. Portion of the work will require the tennis courts to be temporarily closed. A part of the parking lot and access to the trail will also be closed. Access to the Mid-County Recreation Center and playground will not be affected.
  • NOTICE: Battery Lane Urban Park: Scheduled tennis court improvements have begun closing the courts this fall.  Work, will include the repaving of the asphalt court and temporary relining of court and is scheduled to be completed by November, weather permitting. Permanent color coating of court to be completed in the spring. For further information, please contact click here. 
  • Accessibility Improvements at Potomac Community Neighborhood Park, Pleasant View Local Park, Damascus Regional Park, and Ayrlawn Local Park. For more information on these and other accessibility projects please visit: Accessibility Information for Montgomery Parks webpage.
Trail Work in Parks
 
Bikers and Runners should use caution as improvements are taking place on several trails in Montgomery Parks:
  • NEW: Black Hill Trail Connector Project to build a new shared-use natural surface six-mile trail along the western side of Little Seneca Lake in Black Hill Regional Park is scheduled to begin this fall. Numerous construction phases will take place over the course of the next year until the trail is complete.
  • NOTICE: Black Hill Trail work will close portions of the trail, including bridge work at the Ten Mile Creek tributary to Little Seneca Lake, for repairs. Work areas will close access to the trail head at the end of Ten Mile Creek Road, Osprey Heights Loop, Lake View Loop and Turkey Hill Loop.  The Cool Spring Trail will remain open during the construction which is scheduled to be completed by the Spring 2016.  
  • Rock Creek Trail work continues on the trail in the Rock Creek Regional Park area around Baltimore Road and Norbeck Road begins this October. Project will require partial closure of trail for bridge work, stream work and the repaving of the trail leading to bridge. A detour will be posted when trail repaving begins. Watch for detour signs and use caution around work areas.
  • 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.
  • UPDATE: 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.  
For more information on Montgomery Parks Trails please visit www.MontgomeryTrails.org.
Montgomery Parks and Montgomery Recreation Launch ActiveMONTGOMERY
 
Montgomery Parks, in collaboration with Montgomery County Recreation is launching a new registration system, ActiveMONTGOMERY. The new system replaces ParkPASS and RecWeb, to provide one location, users can access with one username and password to register for classes from either organization. Visit www.ActiveMontgomery.org for more information. 
Watch: The Full Recap From The Design Excellence Award Ceremony
 
It was an exciting night of celebrating excellent design! The Montgomery County Planning Department and AIA Potomac Valley co-hosted an event at the Silver Spring Civic Building that drew 200 people to celebrate the best in design excellence. Watch the recap here.
Watch: Subdivision Staging Policy Update
 
The Subdivision Staging Policy is being update in Montgomery County. Watch this short video to find out why it is so important.
Watch: Interview With Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson
 
Find out what Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson had to say about some of the plans and projects in Montgomery County in this extend interview. Watch here.

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