November 27, 2015
 
Planning Board Agenda
Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, December 3. View the full agenda for that meeting here.
Montgomery County Planning Department Announces Calendar of December Events
Planning Board wraps up 2015 agenda with work sessions devoted to plans for Bethesda, Westbard and Lyttonsville

The Montgomery County Planning Department is pleased to announce its calendar for December 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 December Calendar of Events.
Planning Department and Up-County Regional Services Center Will Hold Meeting on November 30 to Discuss Planning and Development in Damascus
Community open house will focus on goals of Damascus Master Plan and pending applications for new development in the area

The Montgomery County Planning Department is co-hosting a community meeting on Monday, November 30, 2015 with the Up-County Regional Services Center to discuss pending development applications in Damascus and their relationship to the Damascus Master Plan. The event will be held at the Baker Middle School cafeteria (25400 Oak Drive, Damascus, MD) from 7 to 8:30 p.m. RSVPs are not required. Before the meeting, planning staff will be available to answer questions from 6 to 7 p.m. The first presentation will provide an overview of the Damascus Master Plan, followed by details of pending development applications for the Woodfield Commons apartment complex and the townhouses and detached homes of the Armstrong property. The event will conclude with a question-and-answer session. Learn more.
Montgomery County Council Will Hold December 1 Public Hearing on the Planning Board Draft of the Montgomery Village Master Plan

The Montgomery County Planning Department present an overview of the Planning Board Draft of the Montgomery Village Master Plan to the County Council during the day on Tuesday, December 1, 2015. Following this brief presentation, the Council's public hearing on the Plan will start at 7:30 p.m. on December 1 in the Council Hearing Room at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

At the hearing, residents and property owners are invited to comment on the Master Plan's draft recommendations for land use and zoning, transportation networks, parks and open spaces.

To testify at the December 1 hearing, community members can sign up online or call 240-777-7803. The deadline to sign up is 10 a.m. on December 1.

Speakers should bring 15 copies of their testimony to the hearing and provide a written copy at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing; email to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Past PowerPoint presentations of the Plan goals and other materials from MV Matters meetings are posted on the Montgomery Village Master Plan webpage.
Update to Transportation Guidelines for Subdivision Staging Policy Will Be Discussed at December 3 Planning Board Meeting

The Montgomery County Planning Department is updating the Subdivision Staging Policy (formerly called Growth Policy) for review and approval by the County Council in fall 2016. The intent of the Subdivision Staging Policy is to ensure that public facilities, particularly schools and roads, are adequate to meet the needs of new development.

A public forum addressing the policy update was held on Monday, October 19, 2015 at the Montgomery County Planning Department. Planners provided an overview of the Subdivision Staging Policy and answered questions about infrastructure and growth, particularly about school capacity. Learn more here.
Montgomery Parks Thanksgiving Weekend Operating Hours

Please find details on Montgomery Parks operating hours and programming for Thanksgiving Day weekend here.
Annual Play Lot Sealing Program to Begin

Montgomery Park Staff will begin preparing play lots for the winter season. This work requires lots to be closed for a 24-hour period to allow sealant to dry.  For more information on play lots scheduled timelines, click here.
Mark your calendars for Montgomery Parks Winter Events!

Ice skating, garden of lights and winter solstice celebrations. All taking place in Montgomery Parks this season. Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org/festivals for all the details.
Montgomery Parks is seeking input for future updates to Wheaton Regional Park

Park planners are looking to the public for input on future updates to the Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan.

The plan, dating back to 1987, is being updated to accommodate the changing needs of the area and communities.

Find out how to share your ideas at www.ParkPlanning.org
New Development Database Tool Launched by County Executive, Planning Department and Montgomery Business Development Corporation

The Montgomery County Planning Department has helped the Office of the County Executive launch a new online tool in partnership with the Montgomery Business Development Corporation for tracking the progress of development in the County. Called the Development Database, this digital resource builds on existing digital information about planned and projects under construction. Its introduction was announced at a press conference held on Monday, November 23 in the County's Executive's Conference Room in Rockville.

"Montgomery County has made tremendous investments in making our community more attractive, walkable and vibrant, even during the worst economic downturn," said County Executive Ike Leggett, "because quality of place is essential to attracting businesses and talent."

Learn more here.
Bicycle Master Plan Moves Ahead with Community Advisory Group and Planning Board Review of Separated Bike Lanes in White Flint Area

The Montgomery County Planning Department is making progress on the Bicycle Master Plan for the County through several initiatives.

On Thursday, November 19, the Planning Board approved the 21-member Bicycle Master Plan Community Advisory Group, which will advise Planning staff as the Master Plan develops. The group consists of 13 members from cycling and other organizations, and eight community members who applied to be part of the effort. These County residents were chosen from 60 applicants. The 21 members of the group are listed on the Bicycle Master Plan website.

On Thursday, December 3, the Planning Board will review a proposal for the White Flint Separated Bike Lane Network. Due to the pace of development in White Flint, the Planning Department is advancing work in this area of the County so that meaningful opportunities to construct segments of an enhanced bicycling network can be pursued before the actual Bicycle Master Plan is approved in 2017. Separated bike lanes (also known as cycle tracks or protected bike lanes) encourage more people to bicycle because they provide separation from motor vehicles and pedestrians.

The public is invited to attend the Planning Board meeting (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD) on December 3 and submit comments to the Planning Board about issues related to the White Flint Separated Bike Lane Network. Learn more here.
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: MARC Rail Communities Plan Kickoff Meeting Recap
 
The MARC Rail Communities Plan kicked off on November 4 when planners met with community members at the Upcounty Regional Services Center. Watch the recap here.

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