Board approves approach and boundary of master plan focused on downtown Wheaton

WHEATON, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), approved the Scope of Work and the boundary of The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan at its May 7 meeting. The Scope of Work lays out the Montgomery County Planning Department’s approach to establishing a new long‑term vision and set of recommendations for downtown Wheaton.

Montgomery Planning is engaging community members, businesses, and other stakeholders to evaluate existing conditions, market trends, and recent investments to develop a vision and recommendations that align with Montgomery County priorities. The plan will address land use, zoning, urban design, housing, economic conditions, transportation, the environment, parks and open space, historic preservation, and community facilities, while integrating relevant countywide initiatives.

“The Wheaton Plan is an opportunity to build on Wheaton’s many strengths while directly addressing the challenges the community continues to face,” said East County Planning Division Chief Carrie Sanders. “Through this process, we will work closely with the community to create a realistic, implementable vision that supports small businesses, improves transportation safety and connectivity, expands housing options near transit, and leverages recent public investments to create a more vibrant Wheaton.”

Read the Scope of Work presented at the May 7 Planning Board meeting. The Planning Board amended the plan boundary at the meeting.

The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan builds on the momentum of recent efforts, including the 2012 Wheaton Central Business District and Vicinity Sector Plan, the 2023 Streetscape Standards, the 2023 Wheaton Downtown Study, and the 2025 Wheels in Wheaton event, and responds to community calls for improved walkability, transportation safety, and connectivity. 

The community is encouraged to learn more about the plan by visiting the plan website and signing up for an e-letter and/or text messages. The plan has also launched the #WeAreWheaton community engagement campaign to hear how residents experience Wheaton day to day and what challenges they face and opportunities they see for the future. If you work, shop, or live in Wheaton, tell your story to become part of the dialogue.

Plan boundary

The approved master plan boundary encompasses approximately 1,000 acres centered on downtown Wheaton and organized around the intersection of Georgia Avenue, University Boulevard West, and Veirs Mill Road, which form the core of the Wheaton Triangle. The boundary also includes residential neighborhoods along Georgia Avenue within one mile of the Wheaton Station and select properties along University Boulevard west of Veirs Mill Road.

Key properties within the plan boundary include Westfield Wheaton Mall, the Wheaton M‑NCPPC Headquarters, the Wheaton Recreation Center and Library, the Wheaton Metro Station and bus loop (Wheaton Station), Marian Fryer Town Plaza, eight nearby parks, and Oakland Terrace Elementary School.

Key elements of plan framework

Land Use, Zoning and Urban Design

Building on the Wheaton Downtown Study, the plan will focus transformative development on key large sites while supporting mid‑ and small‑scale mixed‑use infill development to strengthen the downtown core and support existing small businesses. Strategies will explore improved street connectivity near the Wheaton Station, changes to the station’s bus loop configuration, and opportunities for adaptive reuse of existing commercial buildings. The plan will also explore the development of a new zone or zones to allow for additional housing types along Wheaton corridors and near Metro as well as for limited commercial uses to provide neighborhood services.

Housing

The Wheaton Plan will focus on increasing the supply of both market‑rate and affordable housing and will consider a housing‑production target of 3,200 to 3,700 new units by 2050 within the plan area. The plan aims to provide options for a wider range of housing types and sizes while also preserving existing market‑rate affordable housing. More than half of renters in Wheaton are cost burdened, and the plan will address affordability in tandem with reinvestment in aging buildings and improved connections between Wheaton’s neighborhoods and its core. In addition to guiding new housing near transit, the plan will evaluate opportunities to add housing on publicly owned properties such as Metro-adjacent sites and county-owned parking lots and garages, building on the redevelopment direction identified in prior plans.

Transportation

To create a more walkable downtown Wheaton and align infrastructure with long‑term sustainability goals, the plan will evaluate existing transportation networks. Its analysis will prioritize equity, transportation safety, and accessibility, supporting vulnerable populations with high‑quality mobility options and advancing Vision Zero principles to eliminate severe injuries and fatalities. It will also evaluate accessibility in Wheaton to strengthen neighborhood connections. The plan will also examine multimodal needs—including transit, walking, bicycling, street design, parking, public realm elements, and emerging mobility trends—while coordinating closely with planned Bus Rapid Transit projects on Veirs Mill Road, University Boulevard, and Georgia Avenue and improving connections to the Wheaton Station bus loop and Westfield Wheaton Mall.

Parks and Open Space

The plan will assess how well existing and proposed parks, trails, and open spaces support a culturally vibrant downtown Wheaton. The planning process will include reviewing past recommendations, evaluating current park conditions and service levels, and collaborating with the community to identify future needs for recreation, gathering spaces, and improved access. Ultimately, the plan aims to reimagine downtown Wheaton and adjacent communities as a welcoming hub for health, wellness, and cultural identity.

Environmental Resilience

The plan will advance strategies to cut greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate urban heat island effect, manage stormwater, and strengthen climate resilience through expanded tree canopy, nature‑based solutions, and innovative renewable energy integration. Recommendations will seek to integrate urban design and placemaking with the county’s environmental resilience goals to create a place that artfully incorporates green resilience features into the urban fabric, making Wheaton a cooler, greener and more inviting place to live, work and play that’s consistent with its Arts & Entertainment District designation.

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 May 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 ten days prior to the start of a meeting. Consult the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) website for their agenda information.

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

May Calendar of Events and Meetings

May 2 – Montgomery Planning staff will be at Montgomery Parks’ Sligo Creek Fest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sligo Creek Parkway between University Boulevard and Dennis Avenue, Silver Spring, Md. The Placemaking team will unveil a newly designed trailer and provide a preview of the upcoming Silver Spring placemaking locations. The East County Planning staff will be available to talk with residents about the Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan.

May 5 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants. 

May 6 – Montgomery Planning’s Friendship Heights Sector Plan team invites community members to a virtual office hours session on Zoom from 12 to1:30 p.m. to ask questions/chat with the planning team about the plan. The session will cover all plan topics. Register to receive the Zoom link. 

May 7 – The Planning Board will hold its weekly meeting in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

May 11 – Montgomery Planning’s Historic Preservation Office invites to public to attend the unveiling of a permanent historic marker at Edward U. Taylor School, 19501 White Ground Road, Boyds, Md. at 9:30 a.m. The marker is part of the M-NCPPC’s Remarkable Montgomery: Untold Stories program, an ongoing project to install historic markers around the county that highlight underrepresented topics in local history.

May 13 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person (M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters, 2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtualoption available upon request at the discretion of the HPC Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting.

May 14 – The Planning Board will hold its weekly meeting in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

May 15 – Planning staff will support Bike to Work Day at Pit Stops across the county. Staff at the Marian Fryer Town Plaza in Downtown Wheaton will have materials on The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan; staff at the Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring will have materials on the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan; and staff at Wisconsin & Western Ave will have materials on Friendship Heights Sector Plan.

May 19 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants. 

May 21 – The Planning Board will hold its weekly meeting in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor, Wheaton, Md.) and online. Planning Board members will also participate in a bus tour of the Germantown area. Public requests for seats on the tour bus will open on the Planning Board’s website on May 14 or residents may join at any of the listed stops during the tour. Consult the Planning Board agenda prior to the meeting about the time of the tour.

May 21 – Planning staff will be at Montgomery Parks’ Acoustics and Ales from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Flower Avenue Urban Park, 8746 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring, Md. Staff will be available to talk with residents about the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan.

May 27 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will hold its meeting in-person (M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters, 2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtualoption available upon request at the discretion of the HPC Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting.

May 28 – Montgomery Planning’s Historic Preservation Office invites to public to attend the unveiling of a permanent historic marker at Heffner Park, 42 Oswego Avenue, Takoma Park, Md. at 8:30 a.m. The marker is part of the M-NCPPC’s Remarkable Montgomery: Untold Stories program, an ongoing project to install historic markers around the county that highlight underrepresented topics in local history.

May 28 – The Planning Board will hold its weekly meeting in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

Montgomery Planning program honored for leadership in advancing conservation, climate resilience, and reforestation in Montgomery County

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), announced that its Reforest Montgomery program has won an Award of Merit from the American Planning Association’s (APA) Excellence in Sustainability Annual Awards. Reforest Montgomery was recognized in the Environment, Climate, and Energy category for its leadership in expanding forest cover, strengthening climate resilience, and engaging residents and property owners in reforestation efforts across Montgomery County.

Reforest Montgomery staff and department leadership accepted the award last evening at the Excellence in Sustainability Annual Awards ceremony during APA’s National Planning Conference in Detroit.

“This award is a testament to the dedication of our team and the thousands of residents who have helped us grow a healthier, more resilient forest ecosystem,” said Montgomery Planning Environment & Climate Division Chief Christina Sorrento. “Reforestation and conservation are among the most powerful tools we have to address climate change locally, and we are proud to see our team’s and our community’s commitment recognized on a national stage.”

About Reforest Montgomery

Reforest Montgomery, supported by the Forest Conservation Fund, plants forests and trees throughout Montgomery County. The program within Montgomery Planning’s Environment & Climate Division began in 2020 and offers residents a variety of options to get involved with reforestation programs and provides property owners incentives to plant trees. The Reforest Montgomery website includes information on forestation programming available for the public and an interactive map for residents to learn about which Reforest Montgomery programs their properties are eligible to apply for. The webpage also features the Reforest Montgomery Dashboard that allows residents to see the tangible impact of local forest and tree‑planting initiatives and understand how each program contributes to a healthier, greener Montgomery County.

Reforest Montgomery Programs at a Glance

• Native Trees Discount—Residents can download a coupon for a $50 discount on any qualifying native tree purchased from six participating local nurseries. To date, more than 5,000 coupons have been reimbursed.
• Free Shade Trees—Eligible property owners can apply to have shade trees planted at no cost, helping to increase canopy and cool neighborhoods. As of April 2026, the program has planted 976 shade trees countywide.
• Parks Reforestation and Tree Planting Projects—Highlights ongoing reforestation work on county parkland, restoring natural habitats, and improving ecological resilience. Partnering with Pope Farm, Reforest Montgomery and Montgomery Parks have planted 370 large trees and other plant life in over 64 acres of forest in county parkland since 2009.
• Forest Conservation Easements—Landowners with an M‑NCPPC forest conservation easement can apply for free reforestation projects to meet conservation goals. So far, 10.57 acres have been reforested.
• Re‑Leaf the Reserve—A partnership with the Montgomery Countryside Alliance offering free trees in the Agricultural Reserve, supporting rural landscapes and watershed health. More than 24 acres have been reforested.
• Tree Care and Tree Selection Resources—Guidance for residents on choosing, planting, and caring for trees, including those received through Reforest Montgomery.
• MCPS Easement Reforestation Partnership—A collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools to increase tree canopy on school properties. Thirty-eight trees have been planted since fall 2023.

About the APA Excellence in Sustainability Awards

The American Planning Association’s Sustainable Communities Division supports planners in creating sustainable, resilient, and equitable communities through resources, collaboration, advocacy, and professional development. The Awards for Excellence in Sustainability recognize outstanding projects, policies, plans, and individuals demonstrating leadership in sustainability planning and implementation.

The Environment, Climate, and Energy Award honors plans or projects that address climate mitigation or adaptation, energy or water efficiency, renewable energy, green jobs, air quality, green infrastructure, or related environmental initiatives. Read more about the awards program.

Montgomery Planning recognized for its innovative approach to expanding public understanding and participation in the planning and development review processes

WHEATON, Md. —  The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), is honored to receive a 2026 Maryland Department of Planning Sustainable Growth Award for the Community Planning Academy. The free online educational course is available for Montgomery County residents to make the master planning, zoning, and development review processes more accessible, inclusive, and transparent. Launched in December 2025, the academy also guides residents on how to be an active voice on the future of their communities.

The Maryland Sustainable Growth Awards recognize significant achievements by individuals, businesses, organizations, and local governments throughout Maryland for their efforts to advance sustainable growth policies, practices, and projects that are models for duplication by others. The awards promote exemplary work that represents or inspires collaboration, innovation, conservation, community impact, and quality of life. The academy received the award in the Leadership category, which recognizes individuals and organizations that undertake advocacy, education, or other outreach to advance public support for sustainable growth methods.

Maryland Department of Planning Secretary Rebecca L. Flora, AICP joined Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jacob R. Day to present the award to the department during a ceremony on April 21 in the Governor’s Reception Room at the Maryland State House in Annapolis.

“Montgomery Planning’s Community Planning Academy is an outstanding example of how local governments can empower residents with the knowledge they need to shape the future of their communities,” said Secretary Flora. “The academy reflects the very best of what our Sustainable Growth Awards honor—innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to inclusive engagement. We are proud to recognize Montgomery Planning for creating a model that other jurisdictions across Maryland can learn from.”

“We are honored to receive this recognition from the Maryland Department of Planning,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “The Community Planning Academy was created to make planning more transparent, accessible, and inclusive for county residents, and this award affirms the importance of that mission. We are grateful to our partners and to the hundreds of community members who have already taken part in the academy.”

Watch a video featuring Montgomery Planning staff members discussing the academy and their collaboration with multiple county agencies and partners to develop the curriculum:

Montgomery Planning was previously honored with a 2023 Maryland Sustainable Growth Award for Montgomery County’s General Plan, Thrive Montgomery 2050.

More about the Community Planning Academy

In June 2025, the academy piloted the inaugural class of participants selected from over 640 Montgomery County residents who expressed interest. Forty-eight residents graduated in October 2025 and provided pivotal feedback that helped shape the curriculum. The class included participants from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on welcoming those who had limited prior experience with the planning process. Learn more about their experience in the academy in The Third Place Blog.  As of mid-April 2026, 506 users have begun participating in the academy since its launch on December 1, 2025.

Montgomery County residents can register and participate in 10 mobile-friendly modules, each lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes, that focus on key topic areas in development review and master planning. Throughout the course, participants learn when and where to get involved in the planning process and effectively advocate for their neighborhood.

Each interactive learning module features a blend of video, graphics, voiceovers, and engaging material. There are also in-person opportunities to connect with subject matter experts. The academy is open to individuals 18 and older and available in English, Spanish, and Mandarin. The academy provides a comprehensive resource library and downloadable summaries of each module’s key content to help participants continue learning and engaging with topics of interest. Participants who complete the course receive a certificate and are invited to a graduation ceremony. 

The Community Planning Academy modules include:

• Module 1: Introduction to Planning
• Module 2: Master Plans
• Module 3: Zoning
• Module 4: Development Review Process
• Module 5: Permitting and Construction
• Module 6: Environment and Climate Change
• Module 7: Participating in the Process
• Module 8: Transportation Planning
• Module 9: Planning For Schools
• Module 10: Putting It All Together – A Recap of the Planning and Development Process

The academy’s creation stemmed from a recommendation by the Development Review Process Workgroup led by Maryland State Delegate Lesley Lopez (D-39) and was a collaborative, countywide effort made possible through strong partnerships with the Montgomery County Council, the Department of Permitting Services, Department of Transportation, Montgomery County Public Schools, the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, and all five regional services centers.

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 April 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. 

April Calendar of Events and Meetings 

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

April 7 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) from 9:30 a.m. to12 Noon  or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants. 

April 8 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtualoption available upon request at the discretion of the Commission Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting. 

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

April 15 – Montgomery Planning’s Friendship Heights Sector Plan team invites community members to a virtual office hours session on Zoom from 12-1:30 p.m. to ask questions/chat with the planning team about the plan. The session will cover all plan topics, with a specific focus on Parks. Register to receive the Zoom link. 

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

April 21 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 Noon or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants. 

April 21 – Montgomery Planning’s Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan is hosting an in-person Preliminary Recommendations Open House for community members at the Long Branch Communication Recreation Center (8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring, Md) from 5-8 p.m. RSVPs are encouraged, but not required.

April 22 – Montgomery Planning’s Friendship Heights Sector Plan team invites community members to a virtual office hours session on Zoom from 12-1:30 p.m. to ask questions/chat with the planning team about the plan. The session will cover all plan topics, with a specific focus on transportation. Register to receive the Zoom link. 

April 22 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtualoption available upon request at the discretion of the Commission Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting. 

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

April 28 – Montgomery Planning’s Friendship Heights Sector Plan team invites community members to an in-person office hours session at Wisconsin Avenue Community Recreation Center (5311 Friendship Boulevard, Chevy Chase, Md) from 5:30-7 p.m. to ask questions/chat with the planning team about the plan. The session will cover all plan topics. 

April 29 – Montgomery Planning’s Germantown Sector Plan Amendment team invites community members to an in-person meeting at the Sidney Kramer Upcounty Regional Services Center (12900 Middlebrook Road, Germantown, Md.) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to ask questions/chat with the planning team and ensure that the plan reflects the priorities, concerns, and aspirations of residents.

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

April 30 – The Planning Board will host the first of a three-part Growing Smarter in a Changing Climate speaker series, “Net Zero that Pencils Out: Normalizing Sustainable Development.” The event will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) from 5:45-7:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Montgomery County Council voted to historically designate century-old home in Sandy Spring symbolizing the contributions of the county’s earliest Black families to education, community building, and cultural heritage

Rockville, Md. – The Montgomery County Council voted to add the Rose-Budd House to the county’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation. The home, built circa 1912, is one of the few remaining structures from the early twentieth century that embodies the significant contributions of multiple generations of the Budd family to the growth and development of Sandy Spring’s Black community.

The designation follows unanimous recommendations from the county’s Historic Preservation Commission and the Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).

The Budd family legacy

Built circa 1912 by Perry Budd and located at 18583 Brooke Road in Sandy Spring, the Rose-Budd House has remained in the possession of his descendants among the Budd, Riggs, and Rose families. The house was nominated for historic designation at the current owners’ request, and the designation report was researched and developed by the Historic Preservation Division within the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of The M-NCPPC. The Budd family, present in Sandy Spring since the early 1800s, were founding settlers of several of the mid-nineteenth century free Black communities in the area. Every generation of the Budd family contributed not only to key causes that empowered the growth of the Black community, but to the operations and social and physical development of the Sandy Spring Quaker lifestyle.

Perry Budd, a graduate of the Centenary Biblical Institute (now Morgan State University), was a pioneering educator in Montgomery County and a trustee of the Sharp Street School, the first school for Black children in the county. The family also played key roles in founding local churches and supporting educational institutions.

“The Rose-Budd House offers a rare and tangible record of the opportunities Black families forged within their community in Sandy Spring,” said Montgomery Planning Historic Preservation Division Chief Rebeccah Ballo. “The 113-year-old residence embodies the longstanding and historical middle-class Black community in Sandy Spring and is one of the few remaining historic resources associated with the Budd family. Preserving this home allows us to honor that legacy and ensures that the Budd family’s contributions remain part of Montgomery County’s historical narrative.”

Read the Rose-Budd House historic designation report for more details on the home and the family’s legacy.

Montgomery County’s historic designation process

Designation of resources to the Master Plan for Historic Preservation is a multi-step process that requires the review of the Historic Preservation Commission, the Planning Board, and the County Council. Members of the public can participate and comment at each step of the process. When a property is approved to be historically designated in Montgomery County, all changes to the exterior of the property must be reviewed by the HPC before issuing any permits. Designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation:

• Recognizes significant architectural and cultural sites.
• Protects buildings and neighborhoods from demolition.
• Manages exterior alterations to resources.
• Provides property owners with information on care, restoration, and preservation.
• Qualifies property owners for special tax benefit programs.

Plan establishes an updated vision to guide future growth in Clarksburg communities between I-270 and MD 355

Rockville, Md. – The Montgomery County Council today voted to approve the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, a comprehensive set of recommendations to reimagine underdeveloped areas of Clarksburg east of I-270 and west of Frederick Road (MD 355). These areas have largely remained unchanged over the past 30 years and present an opportunity for strategic and responsible growth over the next two decades.

The plan was developed over the last two and a half years by the Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), through extensive community engagement and research and analysis. The recommendations respond to decades of limited development east of I-270 by proposing mixed-use zoning, improved transportation infrastructure, and the preservation of natural and historic resources to support a thriving and better-connected community.

The County Council’s approval follows a January 21, 2026, public hearing and a series of work sessions this winter that refined the plan. The plan was recommended for approval in December 2025 by the Montgomery County Planning Board, also part of The M-NCPPC, following its afternoon and evening public hearings on September 25, 2025, and subsequent work sessions. The County Council’s revisions to the Planning Board Draft are being incorporated in the approved plan document, which will be posted to the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan website when completed.

“Throughout the planning process, residents expressed that they want a community that feels more connected, not only through new roads and transit options, but through parks, trails, and public spaces that bring people together,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “This plan lays out a clear vision for a complete and connected Clarksburg, where new housing and businesses, amenities, and transportation options grow in tandem with the protection of natural and historic resources. It gives Clarksburg a framework that is both forward-looking and grounded in the character of the community.”

“This sector plan area is one of the last remaining pieces of Clarksburg’s 1994 master plan that has yet to be fully realized, and the conditions on the ground have changed dramatically over the past 30 years,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori. “Our team recognized that the original vision for a light industrial and employment-oriented district is no longer viable. Instead, we see a tremendous opportunity for this area to evolve into a mixed-use, transit-oriented activity center that better serves the Clarksburg community today and in the future.”

Key elements of the plan

Following community engagement and analyses of the plan area’s current conditions and expected future trends, the following key elements of the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan align a new community vision for Clarksburg with adopted county plans, policies, and priorities:

• After extensive studies and to create opportunities for economic growth and to achieve the plan’s goals for the area, the plan does not recommend designating the former COMSAT Laboratories building as a historic building. Instead, the plan recommends acknowledging the building’s historic significance and supports mitigation measures for any proposed partial or full demolition. Learn more about the process in which this decision was made.
• The plan would rezone the former COMSAT property to allow for a range of development types. The plan anticipates a portion of the property occupied primarily by residential uses, a portion occupied by a compact, mixed-use activity center with a variety of residential, retail, and recreational uses, and a portion occupied by one or more uses that are major employers in strategic industries, such as professional office, manufacturing, and life sciences.
• Retain a planned new highway interchange with I-270 at Little Seneca Parkway Extended to serve the southern portion of the plan area.
• Connect Observation Drive through the plan area in coordination with future development, shifting the previously planned roadway alignment away from sensitive environmental areas and residential neighborhoods.
• Rezone existing employment-oriented zones to commercial-residential zones to add greater development flexibility with modest increases to maximum allowable development density.
• Establish an expectation that all new residential developments should provide a minimum of 15% of their total units as Moderately Priced Dwelling Units.
• Preserve land along the stream valleys of Little Seneca Creek and its tributaries by private conservation easement or by establishing or expanding public parkland.
• The County Council’s approval of the plan includes designating the Community of Faith United Methodist Church and the Clarksburg Heights subdivision as historic sites in the county’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation.

More about the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan

The Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan is an update to the 1994 Clarksburg Master Plan and Hyattstown Special Area Study, which was last revised with the 2011 Clarksburg Master Plan and Hyattstown Special Study Area Limited Amendment and the 2014 Ten Mile Creek Area Limited Amendment. The plan area consists of approximately 969 acres and is generally bound by I-270 to the west, West Old Baltimore Road and Little Seneca Greenway to the south, Clarksburg Road to the north, and Frederick Road (MD 355) to the east.

The plan integrates policy guidance from countywide plans and initiatives, including Corridor Forward: The I-270 Transit Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan, Complete Streets Design Guide, Thrive Montgomery 2050, the Climate Action Plan, and Vision Zero, as well as employs a robust outreach and engagement strategy to create a plan that advances racial equity and social justice.

Study will evaluate future travel needs and feasibility of planned transportation improvements following removal of an unbuilt section of Midcounty Highway Extended from future master planning

WHEATON, Md. —  The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), approved the Scope of Work for the Clarksburg to Montgomery Village Transportation Study, launching a comprehensive effort to assess future travel needs and evaluate the feasibility of planned transportation improvements in the corridor.

The study responds to the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways (MPOHT) – 2025 Technical Update, which removed the long-planned northern extension of Midcounty Highway Extended (M-83) and called for a detailed review of transportation adequacy in the area. The study, funded through a special appropriation by the Montgomery County Council to the Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget of the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of The M-NCPPC, will evaluate whether existing and master-planned infrastructure can support anticipated development in Clarksburg, Germantown, and Montgomery Village and develop a range of improvement options.

View the study’s Scope of Work and watch Montgomery Planning staff’s presentation to the Planning Board today.

“This study gives us the opportunity to take a clear, data-driven look at how people travel between Clarksburg and Montgomery Village,” said planner and study lead Sofia Aldrich. “By examining existing and future travel needs and evaluating the feasibility and timing of planned improvements, we can better understand whether the master-planned transportation network can support the area’s growth. While this effort is not a formal plan, it will provide county leaders with a solid foundation for future decisions about how to strengthen mobility and meet residents’ connectivity needs along this corridor.”

Study area

The study area extends from Shady Grove Road in the south to Clarksburg Road (MD 121) and Stringtown Road in the north, and from I-270 in the west to the Brink Road/Wightman Road/Snouffer School Road/Muncaster Mill Road corridor in the east. While the study will include a high-level analysis of I-270 capacity, detailed traffic analyses within the ongoing Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan and the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment areas will rely on those plans’ own transportation assessments.

Conducting the study was one of the provisions of the approved 2025 MPOHT Technical Update. Following research and analysis, and comprehensive community input for the plan’s technical update, the Montgomery County Council approved removing the northern section of M-83 from the plan and retaining the southern section of M-83 between Shady Grove Road and the Intercounty Connector (ICC). Learn more about M-83 and what led to removing the unbuilt northern extension from the MPOHT.

Elements of the study

Montgomery Planning, with support from the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), will analyze whether the corridor has sufficient transportation capacity through:

• Public engagement
• Transportation data collection
• Safety analysis
• Existing and year 2045 transportation forecasts
• Transportation adequacy metrics
• Peak-hour capacity analyses
• Development and evaluation of alternative infrastructure solutions

This effort will incorporate recommendations from current planning efforts and consider a range of master-planned projects, including those identified in MCDOT’s 2017 Midcounty Corridor Study Supplemental Report.

MCDOT, with support from Montgomery Planning, will then assess the feasibility and implementation timeline of planned and existing transportation improvements. This will include:

• Cost estimates for each project
• Identification of environmental, utility, cultural, park, and right-of-way constraints
• Development of a project implementation schedule
• A final round of public engagement before submitting recommendations to the Planning Board.

Anticipated schedule

The study is expected to be completed within 12 months. Over the course of that year, the team will hold two public meetings, one this fall and another in winter 2026/2027, to share findings and gather community input. The Planning Board will review the study in spring 2027.

Master plan focuses on Silver Spring neighborhoods east of the Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park and south of the Capital Beltway

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), released the preliminary recommendations of the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan today online. The preliminary recommendations were developed following planners’ research and analysis of the plan area and comprehensive community engagement over the past two and a half years.

View the full preliminary recommendations, an explainer of the key recommendations and an interactive zoning map explaining the key zoning recommendations. Watch a YouTube playlist explaining key elements of the preliminary recommendations and provide feedback on them by completing a brief questionnaire.

Preliminary recommendations represent planning best practices, county policies, professional expertise, qualitative and quantitative data analyses, and what the plan team learned throughout the process from community members about their needs and desires for the plan area. The Montgomery County Planning Board, also part of The M-NCPPC, will provide the plan team its feedback on the preliminary recommendations over a series of Planning Board meetings on March 5, March 12, and March 19. The Board’s feedback, along with feedback received from the community, will inform the development of the plan’s first draft, or the Working Draft, that’s scheduled to be shared with the community and the Planning Board this fall.

Following the review of the Working Draft, the Planning Board will hold a public hearing and work sessions for the plan. Watch Planning Board meetings live or on-demand.

Preliminary recommendations Planning Board meeting schedule

March 5: Preliminary recommendations overview briefing
March 12: Preliminary plan-wide recommendations briefing
March 19: Preliminary zoning recommendations briefing

Key preliminary recommendations

Land Use and Zoning

• Give places of worship, community institutions, and senior housing communities more flexibility to update buildings, expand services, or add housing on their properties.
• Keep existing zoning 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 in Long Branch.

Housing

• Expand housing choices and affordability by increasing family sized, senior friendly, and accessible homes.
• Allow more diverse housing types (duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, small apartments) along major corridors and near Purple Line stations.
• Protect and grow affordable units by maintaining existing affordability during redevelopment and adding more income-restricted homes while supporting mixed housing and neighborhood retail near Purple Line stations and most Bus Rapid Transit stations.
• Improve housing quality without raising rents by exploring the use of incentives, loans, and rehabilitation programs to fix older buildings while keeping rents stable. Strive for no net loss of affordable housing in this area and helping residents stay, including encouraging the right to return after redevelopment.

Urban Design and Placemaking

• Create a walkable, connected, and people-focused environment by placing buildings close to the street, activating ground floors and public spaces, improving streetscapes, enhancing wayfinding, and expanding pedestrian and bike connections throughout the plan area.
• Utilize increased zoning capacity and height around transit stations to deliver new and infill development that expands housing diversity, improves pedestrian safety, includes shade tree canopy, and enhances access to neighborhood-serving retail and amenities.  
• Use temporary placemaking installations on publicly owned land to create hubs for social gatherings, growing food, and testing ideas for long-term improvements to these areas.
• At the March 5 Planning Board briefing, staff will provide an overview of the Eastern Silver Spring Placemaking Initiative, which will kick off this spring. Placemaking as a strategy is being used in the master planning process to help visualize and test ideas for public spaces. Guided by input received through community engagement, staff identified five spots within the plan area that will be improved with temporary amenities to serve as focal points for neighbors to gather.

Economic Development and Small Businesses

• Support local small businesses, by offering incentives whenever redevelopment occurs to keep existing local businesses, help them relocate, and provide affordable retail spaces.
• Create community ownership of commercial spaces through supporting the establishment of a commercial land trust that can purchase properties and offer affordable spaces for businesses.
• Showcase and maintain Long Branch’s unique character by promoting legacy and international businesses and supporting the Long Branch Business League.

Transportation

• Improve access and transportation safety for people walking, biking, and rolling to Purple Line stations, planned Bus Rapid Transit stations, and schools
• Add dedicated bus lanes on University Boulevard between I-495 and Piney Branch Road by repurposing one travel lane in each direction.
• Improve east-west travel for people walking and biking with a new bicycle and pedestrian connection over the Northwest Branch Trail attached to the I-495 bridge.
• Redesign Hartwell Road into a low-speed shared street for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles, better connecting the Manchester Place Purple Line Station and Flower Avenue Urban Park.
• Provide more frequent protected pedestrian crossings along major roads through transportation improvements that stop vehicles to allow people to cross the road safely.
• Install sidewalks on neighborhood streets, prioritizing areas near transit, parks, and schools.

Parks and Trails

• Expand and improve existing parks to better serve the community.
• Enhance park accessibility and integration with Purple Line stations in the plan area.
• Improve park safety with increased public visibility, community interaction, accessibility and enhanced design.   

Environment

• Create a network of “cool streets.” Utilize extensive canopy tree plantings to create shaded, comfortable pedestrian corridors that connect parks and key destinations while improving ecological connectivity, reducing heat island impacts, supporting wildlife movement, boosting biodiversity and climate resilience, and delivering social, mental, and economic benefits.

The plan also includes preliminary recommendations related to community facilities, schools, and historic preservation.

More about the 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 choices in how they live, work, and spend time in the plan area The plan will amend several existing master and sector plans and covers an area stretching from Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park to the Prince George’s County line and south to the edge of the City of Takoma Park, which is not included in the plan boundary. Community members can stay informed and involved by visiting the Eastern Silver Spring Communities Plan website, subscribing to the plan’s 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 March 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.

March Calendar of Events and Meetings

March 5 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) and online. The Planning Board will also host a joint meeting with the Montgomery County Board of Education at 6:30 p.m.

March 10 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants.

March 11 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtual option available upon request at the discretion of the Commission Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting.

March 12 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

March 19 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

March 24 – The Development Review Committee (DRC) meeting will be held with options to attend in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon (2425 Reedie Drive, Third Floor, Conference Room #3-202, Wheaton, Md.) or watch 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. Committee members will discuss development applications with the applicants.

March 25 – The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) at 7 p.m. with a virtual option available upon request at the discretion of the Commission Chair. To testify on an agenda item, sign up no later than 9 a.m. the day before the meeting.

March 26 – The Planning Board meeting will take place in-person at M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Second Floor Auditorium, Wheaton, Md.) and online.

March 26 – Montgomery Planning staff is hosting an open house about the new master plan for Wheaton (The Wheaton Plan: A Georgia Avenue Community Plan) from 5 to 8 p.m. in the lobby of M-NCPPC Wheaton Headquarters (2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Md).