Zoning Ordinance Review Continues July 2

The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee in two planned sessions on July 2, will continue its extensive review of the first proposed major changes in the County Zoning Ordinance since 1978. At Tuesday’s worksessions, which are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., the committee will look at further proposed changes for Commercial Residential (CR) zones and also will consider the recommendation to allow residential components for most commercial and retail zones.

The PHED Committee, which is chaired by Nancy Floreen and includes Councilmembers Marc Elrich and George Leventhal, will be meeting regularly through September to review the changes in the zoning ordinance that have been suggested by the County’s Planning Board. The committee will use the worksessions to make recommendations to the full Council, which will eventually decide what changes will be implemented.

The PHED Committee will meet in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. Both sessions will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The broadcasts also will be streamed through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

Detailed information about the zoning rewrite can be found at a new site that is part of the Council home page at:
http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/csltmpl.asp?url=/content/Council/Zoning_Rewrite_index.asp .

Development in CR zones has become increasingly popular in Montgomery County. A CR zone allows for housing, retail, office, restaurant and entertainment uses to be close to each other, helping create walkable communities less dependent on personal vehicle transportation.

Among the proposed changes the committee is scheduled to review on Tuesday involves allowing residential components to most retail and commercial zones. Currently, many retail and commercial zones do not allow residential components. The proposed zoning change would only prohibit residential components in heavy industrial zones.

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