Zoning Code Concerns?

This fall, the Montgomery County Planning Department will review the Revised Zoning Code Draft. Many work sessions and public sessions will be held. Residents with concerns should take note of the various sessions. Upon completion of the Planning Board review, the draft Zoning Code Rewrite will be transmitted to the County Council for consideration in 2013.

The Montgomery County Planning Board will begin an ambitious schedule of work sessions and public sessions to consider the proposed revision of the Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance. The staff will present a consolidated draft of the Zoning Rewrite in sections to the Board from September through the end of the year, with opportunities for public input along the way.

Download the consolidated draft and review the Board schedule at www.zoningmontgomery.org.

Throughout the fall, the Board will hold a number of sessions on the draft revisions to the Zoning Code. At public sessions, staff will provide a brief overview, followed by an opportunity for audience input. The Planning Board will then hold work sessions at which they will discuss the draft and any submitted public comments. All meetings are open to the public, and feedback is encouraged at the Zoning Rewrite Project’s online comment board.

The revisions are part of a multi-year effort to rewrite the Zoning Code to modernize antiquated, redundant zoning regulations and create new tools to help achieve goals in community plans. The rewrite effort aims to make the code easier to use. Last rewritten in 1977, the 1,200-page code is viewed as inconsistent and outdated. The revised code is expected to reduce the number of zones, clarify what uses are permitted in each zone, and rethink 1950s-era commercial strips and office parks.

After the Planning Board completes its review, the draft Zoning Code Rewrite will be transmitted to the County Council for consideration in 2013.

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