Planning Meeting for Sandy Spring Rural Village

Recommendations for the Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan will be presented at a community meeting on Wednesday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at the Sandy Spring Friends School Library, Yarnall Hall Library, 16923 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring. The recommendations are the result of the work of the Montgomery County Planning Department based on extensive engagement and feedback from the community.

The recommendations seek to bring about the vision and address any concerns that were voiced by the community at the four-day community design workshop held in February and the community meeting held on March 19. After gathering the input from the community, planners have come up with recommendations for zoning, land use, and connectivity that will help maintain the rural feel of the area while developing a more pedestrian-friendly, sustainable community. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and give comments on the recommendations.

The 1998 Sandy Spring/Ashton Master Plan recognized that the details of a new village center concept were beyond its scope and recommended more detailed study and analysis to develop the concept. This new Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan will follow the guidance in the 1998 Master Plan and determine how to best connect the new fire station into a village center concept using the following three goals:

• Preserve the rich cultural history of the area
• Design a civic space and village center
• Connect the community to the village center and examine right-of-way issues

The Plan will also examine land use, transportation, and potential zoning changes.

After receiving comments from the community at this meeting, Planning staff will prepare the Staff Draft Plan that will be reviewed by the Planning Board in early summer 2014.
Learn more about the Sandy Spring Rural Village Plan and how to get involved: http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/sandyspring

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