Master plan prioritizes Silver Spring neighborhoods situated east of Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park and south of the Capital Beltway
Wheaton, Md. – Today, the Montgomery County Planning Department, a part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), unveiled the preliminary recommendations for the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan. These recommendations follow extensive research and community engagement conducted over the last two and a half years by the planning team.
To access the full preliminary recommendations, an overview of key recommendations, and an interactive zoning map, please visit the respective links. Additionally, a YouTube playlist is available to explain key components of the preliminary recommendations, and community members can provide feedback through a brief questionnaire.
These preliminary recommendations reflect planning best practices, county policies, expertise from professionals, and, crucially, the voices of the community gathered throughout this comprehensive process. The Montgomery County Planning Board, also a part of The M-NCPPC, is set to discuss its feedback on the preliminary recommendations during a series of meetings scheduled for March 5, March 12, and March 19. This feedback, alongside community input, will play a key role in shaping the first draft, known as the Working Draft, which is expected to be shared with the public and the Planning Board later this fall.
After the Working Draft is reviewed, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing and conduct work sessions related to the plan. Members of the public can watch Planning Board meetings either live or on-demand.
Planning Board Meeting Schedule for Preliminary Recommendations
March 5: Overview of preliminary recommendations briefing
March 12: Plan-wide preliminary recommendations briefing
March 19: Briefing on preliminary zoning recommendations
Key Preliminary Recommendations
Land Use and Zoning
- Enhance flexibility for places of worship, community institutions, and senior living facilities to modernize buildings, expand services, or increase housing on their grounds.
- Maintain existing zoning regulations for commercial properties in Long Branch, as established by the 2013 Long Branch Sector Plan, to continue fostering residential options, small businesses, and community spaces.
Housing
- Diversify housing options and promote affordability by adding larger family-sized homes, accessible units, and senior-friendly residences.
- Permit varied housing types (such as duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and small apartments) along major corridors and close to Purple Line stations.
- Safeguard and increase the quantity of affordable housing units by preserving current affordability during redevelopment and facilitating new income-restricted housing while promoting a blend of housing types and neighborhood retail near major transit stations.
- Enhance the quality of housing without increasing rental costs by investigating incentives, loans, and rehabilitation programs for older buildings while striving for no net loss of affordable units. Ensure that current residents have the opportunity to return following redevelopment.
Urban Design and Placemaking
- Develop a pedestrian-friendly, well-connected environment by situating buildings close to the street, activating ground-floor spaces, enhancing streetscapes, upgrading wayfinding, and expanding pedestrian and bike routes throughout the plan area.
- Leverage additional zoning capacity and height near transit stations to facilitate new developments that broaden housing diversity, improve pedestrian safety, and enhance access to retail and amenities.
- Implement temporary placemaking initiatives on publicly owned land to create social gathering spaces, support food growth, and test various long-term improvement concepts.
- At the March 5 Planning Board briefing, staff will introduce the Eastern Silver Spring Placemaking Initiative, set to launch this spring. This initiative aims to visualize and trial public space concepts based on community feedback, with five specific locations earmarked for temporary enhancements to foster neighborly connections.
Economic Development and Small Businesses
- Support local small businesses through incentives during redevelopment efforts to retain businesses, aid their relocation, and provide affordable commercial spaces.
- Encourage community ownership of commercial properties by facilitating the creation of a commercial land trust aimed at acquiring properties for affordable business spaces.
- Highlight Long Branch’s unique characteristics by promoting local and international businesses and supporting the Long Branch Business League.
Transportation
- Enhance accessibility and transport safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals using mobility devices near Purple Line stations, upcoming Bus Rapid Transit stations, and schools.
- Add dedicated bus lanes on University Boulevard between I-495 and Piney Branch Road by converting one travel lane in each direction.
- Facilitate east-west travel for pedestrians and cyclists with a new connection over Northwest Branch Trail on the I-495 bridge.
- Redesign Hartwell Road as a low-speed shared street to improve connectivity between the Manchester Place Purple Line Station and Flower Avenue Urban Park.
- Increase the frequency of protected pedestrian crossings on major roads to enhance safety for individuals crossing streets.
- Establish sidewalks in neighborhood areas, with a priority on streets near transit, parks, and educational institutions.
Parks and Trails
- Expand and improve existing parks to better meet community needs.
- Increase park accessibility and its integration with nearby Purple Line stations.
- Enhance the safety of parks through better visibility, community engagement, access improvements, and thoughtful design.
Environment
- Establish a network of “cool streets” utilizing extensive canopy tree planting to create shaded pedestrian pathways that connect parks and essential destinations, all while fostering ecological connectivity, reducing heat impact, and enriching biodiversity and climate resilience, along with providing social, mental, and economic benefits.
The plan also features preliminary recommendations regarding community facilities, educational institutions, and historical preservation.
Further Details about the Plan
The Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan envisions communities ready for transformation with the anticipated Purple Line service initiation in 2027. The plan encompasses three future Purple Line stations and outlines Bus Rapid Transit service along University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue, enhancing existing service on Colesville Road. This plan capitalizes on these transportation improvements by advocating for increased housing availability, safer alternative transportation routes, and developing complete communities that offer diverse living, working, and recreational options for residents and visitors. The plan will modify several existing master and sector plans and spans an area from Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park to the Prince George’s County boundary, stopping just short of the City of Takoma Park, which lies outside the plan’s limits. Community members can stay informed and involved by visiting the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan website, subscribing to the plan’s newsletter, or contacting the planning team at easternsilverspring@montgomeryplanning.org.
