Department receives one platinum award, three gold awards, and two honorable mentions for publications, branding, community engagement, and video storytelling

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), has earned six honors in the 2026 MarCom Awards international competition, including one platinum award, three gold awards, and two honorable mentions. The awards recognize excellence in communications, marketing, graphic design, public outreach, and creative storytelling that support Montgomery Planning’s mission of informing and engaging residents in shaping Montgomery County’s future.

Administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, the MarCom Awards are among the world’s largest and most respected creative competitions, recognizing outstanding achievement by communications and marketing professionals.

Montgomery Planning’s Communications & Engagement Division leads the department’s public engagement, marketing, digital communications, and branding efforts, helping connect residents, businesses, and stakeholders with planning initiatives and opportunities to participate in the decision-making process.

“These awards highlight the variety of ways Montgomery Planning communicates complex ideas in clear, creative, and accessible formats for every county resident,” said Communications & Engagement Division Chief Chris Peifer. “Whether through creative design, interactive educational tools, or storytelling, each of these projects helps people better understand planning and see themselves reflected in the process. We’re honored that this work has been recognized on an international stage.”

Montgomery Planning’s 2026 MarCom Awards winners are:

Platinum Award

• Great Seneca Plan Design Guidelines

Gold Awards

• Placemaking Branding
• Forest Conservation Technical Manual
• Community Planning Academy

Honorable Mentions

• #WeAreWheaton Video Campaign
• Remarkable Montgomery Historic Markers 2026 (Heffner Park and Community Center and Edward U. Taylor School)

“The award-winning projects demonstrate the breadth of Montgomery Planning’s communications and engagement work,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “The division develops technical publications and design resources and creates community-focused branding initiatives, educational programs, and multimedia campaigns that elevate local stories and strengthen the community’s connection to the planning process.”

About the MarCom Awards

Established in 2004, the MarCom Awards recognize excellence in marketing and communications while honoring the creativity and dedication of industry professionals. The competition receives thousands of entries annually from organizations, agencies, and creative professionals around the world. MarCom is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, an international organization composed of marketing, communications, advertising, public relations, digital media, and web professionals.

Connect with Montgomery Planning

Strong communities grow from informed and engaged residents. Montgomery Planning offers many ways to stay connected, from public events and newsletters to press releases, videos, educational resources, and engagement opportunities. Sign up for Montgomery Planning’s Parks + Plans newsletter to receive updates on major planning initiatives and upcoming events, and stay connected with Montgomery Planning on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Reinvestment and redevelopment of older shopping centers and shifts toward smaller spaces and experience-focused businesses will drive retail growth in Montgomery County

WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), released its updated Countywide Retail Market Assessment, which shows that while market conditions vary place to place in Montgomery County, its overall retail sector remains healthy and resilient. Given the mature state of the county, slower population growth, and changing consumer behavior, retail opportunities will be more targeted and focused on incremental redevelopment than on major new retail construction.

Read the full 2026 Countywide Retail Market Assessment and staff report that Montgomery Planning’s Research and Strategic Projects Division staff and project consultants Econsult Solutions, Inc. and The Riddle Company presented today to the Montgomery County Planning Board, also part of the Commission. The study is an update to the county’s 2017 Montgomery County Retail Strategy Study and examines how the retail landscape has changed over the past decade, particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the continued growth of e-commerce, and evolving consumer preferences.

“Montgomery County’s retail market remains strong, but consumer spending is evolving with more demand for experience-based businesses,” said project lead Alex Pemberton. “As online shopping grows, physical retail spaces are shifting to focus on dining, entertainment, fitness, wellness, and services that can’t be delivered to your front door. We found that the greatest opportunities moving forward will come from modernizing existing retail centers and creating vibrant mixed-use communities where consumers want to spend their time.”

Overview of retail outlook

Retail market fundamentals are positive

Montgomery County’s strong population base, projected growth, and substantial household purchasing power provide a stable foundation for continued retail activity. However, future retail investment is expected to be more targeted and incremental with greater emphasis on renovating and repositioning existing retail space and incorporating retail space into mixed-use residential developments; retail space in mixed-use buildings increased nearly 50% in the county from 2015 to 2025, accounting for 24% of all new retail space in the past decade.

Retail conditions vary significantly across the county

The assessmenthighlights substantial differences among retail submarkets, underscoring the need for place-based strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. For example, Friendship Heights continues to transition away from large-format retailers and department stores but remains well positioned for food-and-beverage establishments, boutique retail and neighborhood-serving businesses. In other areas of the county, large retail and grocery stores continue to thrive and serve as major community destinations.

Consumers shifting from products to experiences

Consumers are increasingly choosing experience and service-oriented businesses over traditional retail shopping, driving demand for restaurants, entertainment venues, fitness facilities, and healthcare providers, while department stores and some large-format retail concepts face ongoing challenges. County demographics are intensifying a national trend toward service-retail, wellness, and “medtail” or the placing of health care and related services inside spaces like shopping centers, strip malls, and former department stores. The county’s 65 and older population share doubled (9% to 18%) since 1980 while the under-35 share fell from 55% to 42%. Meanwhile, food and beverage comprise about half ($823 million) of Montgomery County’s projected $1.6 billion in retail spending growth from 2025 to 2030 – the highest projected spending growth of any peer jurisdiction in the Washington, DC region.

Future retail development will be smaller in scale and more flexible in design

Retailers increasingly prefer smaller, more adaptable spaces as e-commerce continues to reshape the industry. Many retailers are reducing their physical footprints and using stores as showrooms, pickup locations, or experience-focused destinations that complement online sales.

Informing Future Decisions

The Countywide Retail Market Assessment provides a data-rich resource for planners, decisionmakers, business and property owners, and community members. The study’s local market profiles and recommendations will inform near-term plans, development review and policy work, with some of the recommendations warranting additional study, funding, or policy action. The report is also intended to be a resource for business and property owners to better understand local market conditions and opportunities for investment, and for residents to find more information about the characteristics of retail in their communities.

Community members are encouraged to sign up starting December 7 to testify on plan recommendations focused on future growth in Silver Spring neighborhoods east of the Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park and south of the Capital Beltway.

WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), will hold public hearings on Thursday, January 7 and Thursday, January 14, 2027, for the draft Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan. The two dates provide opportunities to testify at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters, virtually, or within the plan area. The Planning Board set the public hearing schedule after reviewing and approving the plan’s first draft, or Working Draft, at its October 1 meeting. The Board accepted the Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft.

Read the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan Public Hearing Draft:

English version of the Public Hearing Draft 

Spanish version of the Public Hearing Draft

The first public hearing on January 7 starts at 2 p.m. during the Board’s regular weekly meeting in the Planning Board Auditorium on the second floor of the Commission’s Wheaton headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902). Testimony may be given in-person or virtually via Microsoft Teams.

The second public hearing on January 14 starts at 6 p.m. at the Long Branch Community Recreation Center (8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901). Only in-person testimony is permitted.

To ensure the Planning Board can hear from as many people as possible, please only sign up for one of the public hearings. Duplicate testimony is not permitted. Both public hearings will be livestreamed and made available on demand on the Planning Board’s website.

Sign up to testify or submit written comments

Starting Monday, December 7, people may sign up to testify before the Planning Board at one of the public hearing dates. Planning Board members will be at both public hearings and are offering two dates and locations to provide more convenience and opportunities for the public to weigh in. All public testimony is considered by the Planning Board and included in the official record. Written testimony is also welcome and will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. on January 15. If you would like your testimony distributed to the Planning Board before the public hearings, your testimony must be received by noon two business days before that public hearing. Send written comments via email to mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org or via mail to Chair Artie Harris, Montgomery County Planning Board, 2425 Reedie Drive, 14^th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902.

Developed by the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of the Commission, the Public Hearing Draft is based on the preliminary recommendations, which Montgomery Planning staff presented to the Planning Board on March 5 and March 19, 2026. The Public Hearing Draft incorporates the Planning Board’s comments on the preliminary recommendations and the input Montgomery Planning staff received during community engagement over the past two years.

Following the public hearings, the Planning Board will hold a series of work sessions to continue refining the plan based on community feedback and its review of the Public Hearing Draft. If approved, the plan will be sent to the Montgomery County Council for its own public review and approval process, and to the County Executive for review and comment.

Overview of the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan

The Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan sets a vision for communities that are poised to experience change when Purple Line service begins in 2027. Three future Purple Line stations are included in the plan area and there are plans for Bus Rapid Transit service along the main corridors of University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue, complementing existing Bus Rapid Transit service on Colesville Road. The plan builds on these transportation investments by recommending more housing, safer ways for people to get around without a car and creating complete communities that provide residents and visitors with more choices in how they live, work, or spend time in the plan area.

The plan will amend several existing master and sector plans, covering over 2,100 acres stretching from Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park to the Prince George’s County line and south of the Capital Beltway to the edge of the City of Takoma Park, which is not included in the plan boundary.

Key Public Hearing Draft Recommendations

Download a comprehensive summary of the draft recommendations: English Public Hearing Draft summary | Spanish Public Hearing Draft summary.

Land Use and Zoning

• More flexibility for places of worship, community institutions, and senior housing sites by allowing these property owners to update buildings, expand services, or add housing.
• More housing and neighborhood retail near Purple Line stations and most Bus Rapid Transit stations by allowing large (and some smaller) apartment buildings to be mixed-use buildings.
• Allow for a variety of housing types within one block of Colesville Road, University Boulevard, and New Hampshire Avenue and within a quarter mile of a Purple Line station. Properties facing those main corridors would allow single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and small multi-family buildings up to 45 feet tall. Properties facing neighborhood streets would allow single-family homes, duplexes, and triplexes up to 40 feet tall.
• Maintain existing zones for commercial properties in Long Branch that were rezoned as part of the 2013 Long Branch Sector Plan to continue supporting housing, small businesses and community spaces.
• For property-specific zoning recommendations, visit the plan’s interactive map.

Transportation

• Improve access and transportation safety for people walking, biking, and rolling to Purple Line stations, planned Bus Rapid Transit stations, and schools.
• Provide more frequent protected pedestrian crossings along major roads and install sidewalks on neighborhood streets, prioritizing areas near transit, parks, and schools.

Housing

• Protect and grow affordable housing by striving to keep existing levels of affordability whenever redevelopment happens and add more income-restricted units to create options for residents with the lowest incomes.
• Reduce displacement by striving for no net loss of affordable housing in this area and helping residents stay, including encouraging the right to return after redevelopment.

The draft plan also includes recommendations related to economic development, parks, environmental sustainability, and more.

Community members can learn more about the plan and stay updated on the planning process by visiting the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan website, subscribing to Montgomery Planning’s Silver Spring newsletter, or contacting the team at easternsilverspring@montgomeryplanning.org.

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department, both part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced their October 2026 calendar of events and meetings.  

The public can participate in Planning Board meetings by testifying in-person, testifying virtually, over the phone, or by sending written comments on specific agenda items via email by 12 noon two business days before the meeting. Items received after this date and time will not be included in the record. Contact us for accessibility accommodations. The public may attend Planning Board meetings in-person, watch them live or on-demand, or listen over the phone. View individual agendas, which are usually made public 10 days prior to the start of a meeting. Consult the Historic Preservation Commission website for their agenda information.  

For more details, review the list of events below. These events are subject to change. 

October Calendar of Events and Meetings 

October 1 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

October 1 – The Planning Board will host a public event, “Building with Nature: Regenerative Solutions for Climate Resilient Communities”, as a part of its 2026 Speaker Series: Growing Smarter in a Changing Climate. Presenter, Brett KenCairn, from the city of Boulder, CO, will explore how natural systems can help manage climate-related challenges that are affecting communities across the country and here in Montgomery County.  The session will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902). A light reception will take place from 5 to 5:30 p.m. followed by the presentation and Q&A from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. RSVP encouraged.

October 6 – Rescheduled from September 22, Montgomery Planning will host a guided walkshop and facilitated discussion about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wheaton Metro Station West Entrance (facing the bus bay) (11170 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902). The walkshop is an opportunity to explore key issues and community priorities like transportation, housing, small businesses, local amenities and public space. There will be six stops at a total distance of 1.08 miles. 

October 7 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

October 8 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

October 8 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Wheaton Farmers Market (Evans Neighborhood Park, 2001 Evans Parkway, Wheaton, MD 20902) from 2 to 6 p.m. to share information with the Wheaton community about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan.

October 10 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Germantown October Fest (Germantown Town Center, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. to share information with the community about the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment.

October 13 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream or viewing on-demand. The meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The DRC is an inter-agency task force comprised of representatives from Montgomery Planning, the State Highway Administration, the county departments of Permitting Services, Environmental Protection, and Transportation, and utilities such as WSSC and PEPCO. At these meetings, DRC members discuss development applications with the applicants.

October 15 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online. Planning Board members will participate in a bus and walking tour of eastern Silver Spring in advance of its public hearing on the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan. Public requests for seats on the tour bus will open on the Planning Board’s website on October 1 or community members may meet at any individual stops along the tour route which will be posted online.

October 21 – Montgomery Planning and Parks staff invite the community to join a tour of Carroll Knolls Park (10500 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902) and the nearby High‑Intensity Activated Crosswalk beacon (HAWK) signal on Georgia Avenue in Wheaton. The discussion begins at 5 p.m. Join this opportunity to hear more about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan and explore the future of parks, transportation safety and more in the area.

October 21 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

October 22 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

October 29 – Montgomery Planning will host an event for the public, “Community Ownership of Commercial Property: A Potential Model to Support Small Local Businesses” at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902). Come learn from community development practitioners in Atlanta, Philadelphia, and New York experienced in using tools like Community Land Trusts, Investment Trusts, and Cooperatives to develop and maintain affordable places for small businesses to grow and thrive. The panel discussion will take place from 9:15 to 10:45 a.m.

October 29 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online following the event highlighted above.

Funding will help department develop a guide for future improvements to Main Street area sidewalks, landscaping, lighting, and the pedestrian experience

WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), has been awarded a $100,000 Maryland Department of General Services FY27 Capital Grant to develop a streetscape improvement plan for downtown Damascus, a significant step toward creating a safer, more connected, and economically vibrant Main Street corridor.

The grant, which was part of MD State Senate Bill 283, was led by State Senator Katie Fry Hester (District 9) and supported by Senator Craig Zucker (District 14) and Montgomery County Councilmember Dawn Luedtke (Council District 7). The funding will enable Montgomery Planning to conduct community engagement, planning, transportation analysis, and design work to prepare for future streetscape improvements in the heart of Damascus. The Damascus Streetscape Improvement Plan will evaluate potential improvements such as wider sidewalks, landscaping, street trees, pedestrian lighting, seating areas, and bicycle accommodations. The project will emphasize accessibility, safety, and sustainability, helping to create a Main Street where residents and visitors will want to stay and gather and businesses can thrive. Learn more about the state’s Capital Grants and Loans process.

The state grant builds on the success of Montgomery Planning’s October 2024 Damascus Placemaking Festival, a community-driven initiative that engaged residents and local stakeholders in reimagining Main Street as a more welcoming and walkable destination. Combined with a recently awarded $50,000 Main Street Maryland grant administered by Montgomery County’s Upcounty Regional Services Center, the new funding represents continued investment in the community’s vision for downtown Damascus.

“The Damascus community told us they wanted a more vibrant, attractive, and people-focused Main Street, and they helped show what that could look like through the Damascus Placemaking Festival,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “This grant is a direct result of that community energy and engagement. We are grateful to Senators Fry Hester and Zucker and Councilmember Luedtke for championing this effort and helping secure resources that will transform community ideas into a roadmap for lasting improvements along the Damascus Main Street corridor.”

The Damascus Streetscape Improvement Plan will be prepared in conjunction with the department’s work on the upcoming Damascus Main Street Sector Plan Amendment, which is scheduled to kick off this fall. Together, the Damascus Streetscape Improvement Plan and the sector plan amendment will establish a coordinated vision for Damascus and guide future phasing, capital investment, and improvements to help with the revitalization of the downtown core. Planning staff will collaborate with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, the Maryland State Highway Administration, and a consultant team to conduct community engagement and planning and design work to develop recommendations for streetscape, infrastructure, connectivity, and public space enhancements. The Montgomery County Planning Board is expected to consider approval of the Streetscape Improvement Plan as part of the sector plan amendment process.

Stay up to date with the latest news and information about the streetscape project and the plan by signing up for the Damascus e-letter.

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department, both part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced their September 2026 calendar of events and meetings.  

The public can participate in Planning Board meetings by testifying in-person, testifying virtually, over the phone, or by sending written comments on specific agenda items via email by 12 noon two business days before the meeting. Items received after this date and time will not be included in the record. Contact us for accessibility accommodations. The public may attend Planning Board meetings in-person, watch them live or on-demand, or listen over the phone. View individual agendas, which are usually made public 10 days prior to the start of a meeting. Consult the Historic Preservation Commission website for their agenda information.  

For more details, review the list of events below. These events are subject to change. 

Montgomery Planning and Planning Board offices will be closed on September 7 in observance of Labor Day.

September calendar of events and meetings 

September 8 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream or viewing on-demand. The meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The DRC is an inter-agency task force comprised of representatives from Montgomery Planning, the State Highway Administration, the county departments of Permitting Services, Environmental Protection, and Transportation, and utilities such as WSSC and PEPCO. At these regularly scheduled meetings twice a month, DRC members discuss development applications with the applicants.

September 9 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

September 10 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online. The public hearing for the Friendship Heights Sector Plan will take place at 1:30 p.m. and will include both in-person and virtual testimony.

September 12 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Stay Local Saturday event at The Clarksburg Yard/Clarksburg Church (22820 Frederick Road, Clarksburg, MD 20871) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to share information with the community about the Clarksburg to Montgomery Village Transportation Study.

September 14 – The Planning Board will host the public hearing for the Friendship Heights Sector Plan in-person at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814) and online at 4 p.m. This will include in-person testimony only.

September 17 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

September 17 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Wheaton Farmers Market (Evans Neighborhood Park, 2001 Evans Parkway, Wheaton, MD 20902) from 2 to 6 p.m. to share information with the Wheaton community about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan.

September 22 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream or viewing on-demand. The meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

September 22 – Montgomery Planning will host a guided walkshop and facilitated discussion about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Wheaton Metro Station West Entrance (facing the bus bay) (11170 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902). The walkshop is an opportunity to explore key issues and community priorities like transportation, housing, small businesses, local amenities and public space. There will be six stops at a total distance of 1.08 miles.

September 23 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

September 24 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

The Planning Board will be on recess in August; Historic Preservation Commission and Development Review Committee meetings continue

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department, both part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced their August 2026 calendar of events and meetings.  

The Planning Board is on recess in August and will resume weekly meetings on September 10. Prior Planning Board meetings can be watched on demand.

Consult the Historic Preservation Commission website for their agenda information.  

For more details, review the list of events below. These events are subject to change. 

August Calendar of Events and Meetings 

August 3 – Signups to testify for the Friendship Heights Sector Plan public hearings open. These hearings will be held on September 10 beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Planning Board Auditorium on the second floor of The M-NCPPC’s Wheaton headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902) and September 14 beginning at 4 p.m. at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814). In person testimony is available on both dates; virtual testimony will only be accepted on September 10. Residents who wish to attend without providing testimony do not need to register.

August 11 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream or viewing on-demand. The meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The DRC is an inter-agency task force comprised of representatives from Montgomery Planning, the State Highway Administration, the county departments of Permitting Services, Environmental Protection, and Transportation, and utilities such as WSSC and PEPCO. At these regularly scheduled meetings twice a month, DRC members discuss development applications with the applicants.

August 18 – Beginning at 9:30 am, The Planning Board will attend a walking tour of the Friendship Heights Sector Plan in advance of the scheduled public hearings. This tour is free and open to any members of the public to attend and observe. The agenda and route will be published on the Planning Board’s website on August 4.

August 19 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing. The meeting will start at 7 p.m.

August 25 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream or viewing on-demand. The meeting will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

August 29 – The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan team invites the community to join a community bike ride to tour proposed bike facilities and existing projects in Wheaton. There will be a 3-mile family route and a 7-mile full route. Bring your own bike and helmet. The tour will meet at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive) at 9 a.m. and start at 9:30 a.m. RVSP for the Wheaton Plan Bike Ride.

Community members are encouraged to sign up starting August 3 to testify on plan recommendations focused on downtown revitalization, incentivizing community amenities, affordable housing, better and safer access to parks and transportation, and more.

WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), will hold a two-part public hearing on Thursday, September 10 and Monday, September 14, 2026, for the draft Friendship Heights Sector Plan. The plan boundary encompasses downtown Friendship Heights, the commercial development along Wisconsin Avenue and over to River Road, and properties in the Village of Friendship Heights and Chevy Chase Village.

“The public hearing is a great opportunity for the community to continue contributing to the vision of Friendship Heights for the next 20 to 30 years, and we encourage residents, workers, visitors, and stakeholders to bring their perspectives to the Planning Board this September,” said plan lead Atara Margolies. “This plan builds on Friendship Heights’ existing strengths and leverages key opportunity sites to bring new uses and amenities that will attract more people, strengthen local retail, and create a more diverse, vibrant, mixed-use downtown core.”

The first part of the Planning Board’s public hearing begins on September 10 at 1:30 p.m. during the Board’s regular weekly meeting in the Planning Board Auditorium on the second floor of The M-NCPPC’s Wheaton headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD 20902). The hearing will allow for testimony in-person and virtually via Microsoft Teams.

The second part of the Planning Board’s public hearing will be held on September 14 at 4 p.m. at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814). This public hearing will include the opportunity to testify in-person only.

Both meetings will be livestreamed and made available on demand on the Planning Board’s website.

Sign Up to Testify

Starting Monday, August 3, people may sign up to testify before the Planning Board at one of the public hearing dates. Planning Board members will be at both parts of the public hearing and are offering two dates and locations to provide more convenience and opportunities for the public to weigh in. All public testimony is considered by the Planning Board and included in the official record. To ensure the Planning Board can hear from as many people as possible, please only sign up for one of the public hearing dates; duplicate testimony is not permitted. Written testimony is also welcomed via email to mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org or via mail to Chair Artie Harris, Montgomery County Planning Board, 2425 Reedie Drive, 14^th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902.

Read the Friendship Heights Sector Plan Working Draft.

The Working Draft is the first full draft of the plan and is based on Montgomery Planning staff’s preliminary recommendations, which were presented to the Planning Board on February 12, 2026 and to the community over two meetings in June 2026. The Working Draft incorporates the Planning Board’s comments on the preliminary recommendations and feedback from the community. Today, the Planning Board approved the plan’s Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft, which will be posted on the plan website soon. Following the public hearing, the Planning Board will hold a series of work sessions this fall to refine the plan based on community feedback and its review of the Public Hearing Draft. The plan will then be sent to the Montgomery County Council for its own public review and approval process, and to the County Executive for review and comment.

Overview of the Friendship Heights Sector Plan

The Friendship Heights Sector Plan represents a major step forward in shaping the future of one of Montgomery County’s most dynamic urban communities. Building on the foundation of the 1998 Friendship Heights CBD (Central Business District) Sector Plan and informed by the insights of the 2024 Friendship Heights Urban Design Study, this updated sector plan reflects a deep exploration and understanding of the community’s evolving needs.

Guided by this groundwork, the plan creates a forward-looking vision for the next 20 to 30 years, focused on creating a more connected, livable, and sustainable Friendship Heights through strategies that address land use, transit-oriented housing opportunities, parks and public space, transportation improvements, climate mitigation, and the protection and preservation of natural and historic resources. Together, these elements form a comprehensive roadmap for a thriving urban environment that supports residents, workers, and visitors alike. 

Key Working Draft Recommendations

• Provide flexibility for redevelopment of opportunity sites within the plan boundary and incentivize much-desired neighborhood amenities.
• Set clear standards for transitioning between mixed-use development and neighboring single-family communities.
• Incentivize additional affordable housing, including larger family-size units and those with deeper affordability.
• Provide new public spaces as part of future development projects and improve visibility and access to all open spaces.
• Prioritize safety by improving pedestrian and bicycle connections between Friendship Heights and the surrounding communities, including Washington, DC.
• Improve transit access by recommending dedicated transit lanes extending down Wisconsin Avenue to the Friendship Heights Metro Station.
• Protect natural resources such as canopy trees, wooded areas, and streams, and incentivize sustainable, high-performance buildings.

Annual School Test evaluates school-capacity adequacy and guides Utilization Premium Payments for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2026

WHEATON, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), certified the fiscal year 2027 Annual School Test results and accepted the countywide component of the accompanying School Utilization Report at its June 25 meeting, in accordance with the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy (GIP). The Annual School Test evaluates the capacity adequacy of the county’s K-12 public school facilities and places service areas of schools projected to be overutilized in Utilization Premium Payment tiers for the duration of the fiscal year.

View the June 25 Planning Board staff report
View the FY2027 Annual School Test results
View the FY2027 Countywide School Utilization Report

Certification of the FY2027 Annual School Test

Under the GIP, the Annual School Test evaluates the projected utilization of each Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) facility four years in the future – the 2030-31 school year for the FY2027 test. If a school is expected to exceed certain utilization thresholds, its school service area is placed in a Utilization Premium Payment (UPP) tier. When a development application proposes a residential unit in a school service area with a UPP tier placement, a UPP is levied by default as a condition of development approval to help mitigate the overutilization, and a surcharge is applied to the project’s school impact tax rate. A school impact tax is due on residential development regardless of school utilization levels as their pro rata share of the cost to build a school. UPPs are paid in addition to the school impact tax when required as a condition of approval. There are three different UPP tiers—Tier 1 for moderate overutilization, Tier 2 for intermediate, and Tier 3 for the highest overutilization—with corresponding payment rates. While the UPP surcharge rate is determined at the time of approval, the actual amount due is assessed at the time of building permit and is dependent on the school impact tax rate of the fiscal year it is paid. View the current UPP rates.

In addition to the UPP Tier placement, the Annual School Test also determines the adequacy ceiling for subsequent tiers of each school service area. If a development application is estimated to generate students in excess of the adequacy ceiling at any school, then the payment factor is adjusted upward in proportion to the number of students counted toward each payment tier.

Staff from the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of The M-NCPPC, prepared the FY2027 Annual School Test results, which will take effect on July 1, 2026, in accordance with the Annual School Test Guidelines v 2.0 adopted by the Planning Board on December 19, 2024. The results will be applied to the new middle school and high school service areas approved by the Board of Education on March 26, 2026.

Summary of the FY2027 Annual School Test

Tier 1 UPP placement:

• James Hubert Blake HS
• Winston Churchill HS
• Francis Scott Key MS
• Cashell ES

Tier 2 UPP placement:

• Burning Tree ES
• Cabin Branch ES

Tier 3 UPP placement:

• Mill Creek Towne ES

FY2027 School Utilization Report

The GIP also requires Montgomery Planning to prepare a School Utilization Report to accompany the Annual School Test. The report typically consists of a countywide report and individual school reports that together provide supplemental information about MCPS facilities. The latest projections from MCPS indicate that countywide, there will be over 4,900 surplus seats available at the high school level (9% of the county’s total high school capacity), over 7,100 surplus seats available at the middle school level (18% of total capacity), and over 13,300 surplus seats available at the elementary school level (17% of total capacity) at the end of the six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) cycle (2031-2032 school year). A snapshot of 2025 housing data, which includes single-family home sales, housing development, and total residential dwelling units by school service area, is also provided in the countywide School Utilization Report. This year, due to the Board of Education’s approved boundary change decisions leading to an unprecedented delay in MCPS’s projections, the individual school reports will be posted at a later time on Montgomery Planning’s Annual School Test and School Utilization Report webpage.

About the Growth and Infrastructure Policy

The GIP addresses the adequacy of public facilities as it relates to the regulatory or development review process. It sets standards for evaluating individual development proposals to determine if the surrounding public infrastructure, such as transportation networks and school facilities, can accommodate the demands of the development. It also outlines requirements for mitigating inadequate infrastructure. The County Council adopted the 2024-2028 Growth and Infrastructure Policy via resolution on November 12, 2024.

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Planning Department, both part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced their July 2026 calendar of events and meetings.  

The public can participate in Planning Board meetings by testifying in-person, testifying virtually, over the phone, or by sending written comments on specific agenda items via email by 12 noon two business days before the meeting. Items received after this date and time will not be included in the record. Contact us for accessibility accommodations. The public may attend Planning Board meetings in-person, watch them live or on-demand, or listen over the phone. View individual agendas, which are usually made public 10 days prior to the start of a meeting. Consult the Historic Preservation Commission website for their agenda information.  

For more details, review the list of events below. These events are subject to change. 

Montgomery Planning and Planning Board offices will be closed on July 3 in observance of Independence Day. The Montgomery Planning Information Counter will be closed on July 17. The Planning Board will be on recess during the month of August.

July Calendar of Events and Meetings 

July 2 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

July 8 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Seneca Valley High School Summer Block Party (19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown, MD 20874) from 5 to 7 p.m. to share information with the Germantown community about the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment.

July 9 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

July 9 – The Planning Board will host the second of a three-part Growing Smarter in a Changing Climate speaker series, “Where Farming Meets the Grid: Agrivoltaics in Action.” The event will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) from 5 to7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP encouraged but not required.

July 11 – Montgomery Planning staff will attend the Artisans Market at BlackRock Center for the Arts (12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874) from Noon to 4 p.m. to share information with the Germantown community about the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment.

July 14 –The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream. The DRC is an inter-agency task force comprised of representatives from Montgomery Planning, the State Highway Administration, the county departments of Permitting Services, Environmental Protection, and Transportation, and utilities such as WSSC and PEPCO. At these regularly scheduled meetings twice a month, DRC members discuss development applications with the applicants.

July 15 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available upon request. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing.

July 16 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

July 16 – Montgomery Planning staff will be at Montgomery Parks’ Playhouse Junior at Wheaton Local Park (11729 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902) from 10 to 11 a.m. to talk with residents about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan.

July 21 – Montgomery Planning staff will hold an open house at BlackRock Center for the Arts (12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874) from 6 to 8 p.m. to share Preliminary Recommendations for the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment.

July 23 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.

July 23 – Montgomery Planning staff will be at the Wheaton Farmer’s Market at the Evans Parkway Neighborhood Park (2001 Evans Parkway, Wheaton, MD 20902) from 2 to 6 p.m. to talk with residents about The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan. 

July 28 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be hybrid. The community is invited to attend in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, MD 20902) or online by watching the DRC live video stream.

July 29 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person at M-NCPPC’s Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) with a virtual option available upon request. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the hearing.

July 30 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, MD 20902) and online.