PHED Committee to Discuss Proposed Bethesda Downtown Plan’s Impact on Schools

The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will discuss the fiscal impact of the proposed Bethesda Downtown Plan and the effect the plan would have on schools on Feb. 6, according to a news release.

The Bethesda Downtown Plan is a 20 year checkup that involves the community, business owners, developers and residents on how they vision Bethesda in the future.

One part of the plan’s proposal includes adding more affordable housing units to accommodate growth in the area. According to the Montgomery County Planning Department, downtown Bethesda is anticipated to grow at a faster rate than Montgomery County as a whole. Households are projected to increase by 28 percent, population by 24 percent and employment by 40 percent.

The plan estimates a build-out over the next 20 years of roughly 8,456 additional housing units. The housing units are expected to generate 431 elementary, 178 middle and 237 high school students.

The PHED Committee, which is chaired by Councilmember Nancy Floreen, and includes Councilmembers George Leventhal and Hans Riemer, will discuss the impact the Bethesda Plan will have on local schools and school capacity with the proposed build out in the plan.

The PHED Committee will meet in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville at 2 p.m.

About Mitti Hicks

Mitti Hicks is a multimedia journalist and community engagement specialist with Montgomery Community Media. She is passionate about telling stories that impact our community and may be reached at MHicks@mymcmedia.org and on Twitter @mittimegan.

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