Montgomery County Planning Board appoints Planning Board member Shawn Bartley as Vice Chair – Mocofeed

Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), voted unanimously to appoint Planning Board member Shawn Bartley as Vice Chair of the Planning Board at its September 10 weekly meeting. He will serve a one-year term as Vice Chair. He takes over the role from Planning Board member Josh Linden who served as Vice Chair since October 2025. Linden will remain on the Planning Board.  

As Vice Chair of the Planning Board, Bartley assumes the leadership duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence, overseeing Board meetings and completing other Board business. 

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“Commissioner Bartley has been a steady and constructive voice on the Montgomery County Planning Board, helping guide important conversations around community engagement, development, and long-term planning,” said Montgomery Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “Rotating Vice Chairs strengthens the Planning Board by sharing leadership responsibilities and fostering diverse viewpoints. I am confident that Vice Chair Bartley’s collaborative approach and commitment to public service will positively contribute to the Board’s work and to the county’s efforts. Thank you, Commissioner Linden, for your leadership over the past year.”

“Every member of the Planning Board’s expertise, dedication, and commitment are essential to our counties’ success and I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve as Vice Chair for the upcoming year,” said Vice Chair Bartley. “I am committed to making sure Montgomery County’s planning decisions reflect the needs of both current and future residents while promoting housing choice and balancing growth, inclusive community engagement, and equitable opportunities.” 

Since being appointed to the Planning Board in March 2023, Bartley has contributed his perspective to the Board’s work reviewing and voting on a variety of Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks projects, including the University Boulevard Corridor Plan, Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan, Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, Rustic Roads Functional Master Plan, Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan, Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, updates to the Growth and Infrastructure Policy, as well as weighing in on a number of regulatory applications. Bartley was reappointed in May 2024 by the County Council to serve his first full four-year term on the Planning Board after completing a partial term. 

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Shawn Bartley, Esq. brings to the Montgomery County Planning Board a wealth of knowledge and experience as a board member for a variety of organizations helping Marylanders improve their lives and their communities. In addition to being a Planning Board member, Bartley is a member of the Maryland Board of Education. Previously, he was Chairman of the Montgomery Collaboration for Children, Youth and Families, the Board of the nonprofit Primary Care Coalition, and was a board member for The Shepherd’s Table in Silver Spring. Bartley is a practicing attorney and is the founder and principal partner of Shawn D. Bartley and Associates, LLC. In 2011, he was recognized by Legal Shield as its top corporate referral attorney in its North American attorney network. He earned his law degree at Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana and was a scholar-athlete (football) at the University of Maryland, College Park while earning a bachelor’s degree. Read a Third Place blog post about Commissioner Bartley’s background.