White Flint 2 Plan Highlights

Yeah, it’s a slog, but the proposed White Flint 2 plan will be the guiding document for that part of the Pike District for the next couple of decades, so you might want to peruse its pages here.  That said, it is the first day back to real life after a couple of weeks of holidays, and your boss likely has a long list of things for you to do, so below are the key recommendations of the White Flint 2 Proposed Plan.

KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations for the White Flint 2 Sector Plan area build on the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan and the 2009 Twinbrook Sector Plan to strengthen and link an important segment of North Bethesda with new urban design guidelines, land uses, parks and open spaces, mobility options, and community facilities.

Land Use and Zoning

 Promote the transformation of single-use commercial shopping centers into mixed-use places along Rockville Pike (MD 355).

 Integrate new residential and non-residential uses in the Executive Boulevard office park and promote mixed-use neighborhood centers at the Loehmann’s Plaza and Randolph Hills Shopping Centers.

 Retain existing multi-family residential development as an important resource of market rate affordable housing.

 Retain light industrial properties to provide important services to down County residents, offer opportunities for small scale businesses, entrepreneurs, and vocational and entry-level employment.

Mobility

 Extend the Rockville Pike (MD 355) Boulevard concept to the City limits of Rockville with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

 Provide new streets that permit alternative ways to navigate in the Plan area and provide links to adjacent communities.

 Support the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan recommendation for a MARC Station, but recognize that the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) must develop criteria for infill stations in Montgomery County.

 Support the expansion of the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan street network, where feasible.

 Accommodate new bikeways that link to the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan area and the City of Rockville.

Urban Design

 Provide design direction that recognizes the unique context and development challenges of individual areas such as Executive Boulevard, Rockville Pike, and other neighborhood centers identified in the Plan.

 Encourage design excellence for new development, including quality public use space that complements the guidance of the White Flint and Twinbrook Urban Design Guidelines.

 Promote walkability with new streets and enhanced streetscapes to define the public realm.

 Promote variety in new building height and massing to maximize access to natural light and air circulation for building occupants, those of neighboring buildings and surrounding communities and public open spaces.

Affordable Housing

 Promote a diverse mix of housing options for residents at different stages of life.

 Retain existing multi-family residential development that furthers Montgomery County’s Housing Element of the General Plan (2011) to provide a broad range of affordable housing options.

 Encourage 15 percent Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) as the highest priority public amenity for new residential development, built under the optional method development.

Parks and Open Space

 Create new parks and open spaces for public use to promote a livable environment for existing and future residents, visitors and employees, and to expand the network of interconnected open spaces envisioned by the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan.

 Link new parks and open spaces with existing and proposed bikeways and trails.

 Create a new 3.5-acre urban linear park along Montrose Parkway.

 Develop at least 10 acres of public open space in the Plan area.

Community Facilities

 Support the community facilities recommended in the 2010 White Flint Sector Plan.

 Provide recommendations to address school capacity issues in the Walter Johnson cluster.

 Promote the co-location of public facilities to reduce public expenditures and minimize land area.

 Encourage new prototypes for public facilities that promote innovative design.

Sustainability

 Promote energy efficiency and encourage net zero energy building design.

 Improve the urban ecology, including goals to reduce heat island effect and promote Environmental Site Design (ESD) in stormwater management practices.

 Retain existing wooded areas where designated, and provide increased tree canopy throughout the Plan area.

 Include sustainable solutions in the design of an attractive public realm, to integrate green features, enhance mobility options and promote walkability.

Neighborhood Compatibility

 Provide adequate transitions between new development and existing neighborhoods through appropriate building heights and development intensities.

 Promote new pedestrian paths and bikeways between existing residential communities and new mixed-use development.

Don’t forget to share your comments on the plan at our Community Meeting, Thursday, January 5 at 6:30 pm at the Shriver Aquatic Center.