Community Invited to Damascus Meeting at Baker Middle School

The community is invited to a meeting with county planners on Monday night to discuss pending development applications in Damascus as well as the Damascus Master Plan. The Nov. 30th meeting will be held from 7 – 8:30 p.m.at the Baker Middle School cafeteria, which is located at 25400 Oak Drive in Damascus.

Before the meeting begins, Montgomery County 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 about the highlights of the Damascus Master Plan.

Review the Damascus Master Plan web page.

Background on the Damascus Master Plan

Approved and adopted in 2006, the Damascus Master Plan aims to enhance the Town Center as the heart of the community. Major recommendations of this Plan focus on:

Land Use and Zoning
This Plan supports a moderate level of residential growth, strengthening the potential for multi-family residential and mixed-use development in the Town Center. Mixed-use and residential developments are encouraged in the Town Center, and closely spaced, cluster development is preferred in the transitional areas immediately beyond the Town Center. In addition, this Plan supports the continuing viability of major institutional uses, such as churches and schools.

Town Center
The recommended mixed-use zoning emphasizes proportion, design and architectural context. Commercial uses concentrated along Main Street and at major downtown intersections will create opportunities for residential development that will support retail and service businesses in the core.  Transfer of development rights from the Agricultural Reserve may allow some added residential density. Guidelines for future development and redevelopment are designed to improve mobility and connectivity along Main Street and enhance community open space.

Transitional Areas
Cluster designs, such as townhouses, are encouraged on properties immediately adjacent to the Town Center. These designs allow for additional growth and will establish a strong edge between the town and rural areas. Most growth potential is tied to receiving areas for transferable development rights. The Plan recommends the potential to transfer development from the rural area to the Rural Neighborhood Cluster (RNC) zone.

Rural Area
The Plan supports the existing Agricultural Reserve (AR) zone with adjustments for rural village centers. Guidelines are provided for development in the AR zone for protecting rural vistas and guiding subdivision design. The Plan recommends the Rural Village Center Overlay Zone to protect and maintain the existing scale of development through appropriate types of uses and limited levels of intensity.

For more information about the Damascus Master Plan, go to: http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/damascus/master_plans/2006/

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