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White Flint Sector Plan and related land use issues

The Montgomery County Council is considering three recommendations forwarded this summer by the Planning Commission: the White Flint Sector Plan, a new CR zone, and approval of the 2009-2011 Growth Policy for Montgomery County (links below). Each of these proposals â€“ and especially the combination of them â€“ will determine the nature of proposed development at White Flint, development that has the potential for significantly affecting the Town of Garrett Park. The Town, both directly and through other interested groups and individuals, is taking an active role in making our views known to the Montgomery County Council.

County Council hearings on the White Flint Sector Plan were held on October 20 and 22; the Town offered testimony urging a more balanced plan for land use and infrastructure â€“ a plan that supports quality of life for those who live here as well as new residents, and that resolves significant problems with traffic, schools capacity, environmental protections and other concerns. Other Garrett Park residents presented testimony, as well: former mayor Carolyn Shawaker, John King (on behalf of the White Flint Community Coalition LINK), and Liz King (on behalf of Parent and Resident Committee for Sustainability LINK).

The County Executive filed his comments on the White Flint Sector Plan LINK. The County Executive's views, overall, are very much parallel to the views of the Town and other neighborhood organizations: he supports the general notion of a revitalized White Flint but expresses concerns about traffic, air pollution and financing.

On September 22, the Town presented testimony on the proposed Growth Policy, expressing not only concerns about the proposed Growth Policy provisions that affect traffic and schools, but also our dissatisfaction with the fact that the Growth Policy proposes an exception for White Flint before the White Flint Sector Plan has been considered by the Council. We have similar process-based concerns about the County Councilâ€™s consideration of the new CR zone. The new zoning category, as yet not fully defined, contains incentives (such as environmental requirements) for developers to pick and choose in exchange for greater density; White Flint is the first sector plan to rely heavily on CR zoning. It is only logical that the details of the CR zone be finalized before the White Flint Sector Plan is considered. The Townâ€™s expressed view is that failure to provide a more coherent process for consideration of these closely-allied proposals not only frustrates informed citizen participation, it simply does not make sense from the standpoint of good planning.

We encourage your participation in this discussion, by attending meetings and hearings, and by providing your thoughts in writing to the County Council County.Council@montgomerycountymd.gov and to the Town, for which you can use the â€œContact Town Officeâ€ link on this website.

Background information from the Montgomery County Planning Board (excerpted):

The White Flint Sector Plan, which covers north Bethesda along both sides of Rockville Pike, recommends ways to urbanize one of the few remaining locations in the County where excellent public transportation options and the potential to redevelop coincide. With the area dominated by surface parking lots, planners say much can be done to improve the landscape and environmental quality. The plan envisions a diverse mixed use center near the White Flint station and transforming Rockville Pike into a landscaped boulevard accompanied by a grid of new streets.

The 2009-2011 Growth Policy, is the latest in a series of biennial reports determining how development should be analyzed for school and road capacity. This version of the growth policy addresses whether county officials should try to reduce congestion by building away from trafficked areas or instead influence traffic demand. The Planning Board adopted the staff recommendation addressing the second approach.

A key tenet of the Growth Policy is to work toward reducing travel by vehicles driven by one person, called vehicle miles traveled in planning terminology, when the Board is considering new development applications. Another important focus of the proposed Growth Policy is connecting societal values like environmental protection â€“ encouraging mixed uses near transit, lowering the carbon output of new buildings and potentially creating energy on site â€“ to new building projects.

The County Council will consider and eventually approve its version of the growth policy by November 15, and then it will be implemented through the countyâ€™s Adequate Public Facility Ordinance.

The Planning Board also voted to advance a commercial-residential (CR) zone that would encourage new development that includes a mix of commercial and residential uses at varying densities. As with the growth policy proposal, the new zone encourages development near transit, particularly daily-use-oriented commercial shops and green building elements. The proximity of services would save people time, increase a sense of community, and decrease congestion.

While the White Flint master plan and the growth policy were transmitted to the County Council for final action, the CR zone will return to the Planning Board after Council review for additional refinement.

Links of interest

General:

White Flint Sector Plan http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/whiteflint/

2009-2011 Montgomery County Growth Policy Planning Board draft

Proposed CR Zone PDF

Prior Town actions:

Town Letter to County Council regarding timetable for public participation in Council consideration of master plan proposals

Letter to County Council regarding schools in White Flint Sector

County Executive response to Town letter regarding schools

Other background information:

Smart Growth for Schools Objectives

GPCA White Flint