Schlichting Named Gaithersburg’s Planning & Code Director

A former Gaithersburg City Council member has been hired as the city of Gaithersburg’s new Planning & Code Director.

John Schlichting will begin work on July 9 and will be paid an annual salary of $140,000.

“I am absolutely delighted that I have been chosen for this position,” said Schlichting in a city-issued press release. “Throughout my career, I have been passionate about careful, smart and sustainable stewardship of our built environment. I’ve also been passionate about the city of Gaithersburg and serving my community, and I look forward to bringing together these passions to benefit all of our neighborhoods and residents.”

With a budget of $4.3 million for FY 2013, the city’s Planning and Code Administration department encompasses six divisions, including Community Planning, Long Range Planning, Neighborhood Services, Permits and Inspections, Environmental Services and Animal Control.

“There is a lot going on in Gaithersburg from a development perspective right now, and our Planning & Code Administration Director must be adept at managing it all,” said Acting City Manager Tony Tomasello. “John impressed the four staff and community-based interview panels with his extensive knowledge and involvement in the Gaithersburg community, his broad experiences, and his strong desire to further the goals of the city of Gaithersburg.”

Schlichting has over 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, most recently serving as Executive Development Officer and Partner with the JBG companies. While working for JBG he was responsible for the development of several large mixed-use properties, including Reston Heights, a four million square foot mixed-used project adjacent to the Reston Town Center, and several mixed-use projects in downtown Bethesda.

A resident of the Kentlands community in Gaithersburg since 1992, Schlichting served on the Gaithersburg Planning Commission from 1995 to 2001, and he served on the Gaithersburg City Council from 2001 – 2007. During that time he also served on the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. He is a member of the Washington Architectural Foundation, the Chairman of the Kentlands Community Foundation, and serves on the Board of Directors of the George Washington Chapter of Lambda Alpha, an International Honorary Land Economics Society.

Schlichting holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia and an MBA with concentrations in urban planning and real estate from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

He will be formally introduced to the public at the July 16 Mayor and Council meeting.

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