County Council and Montgomery Planning to Host Community Listening Sessions on Planning Board Recommendations to Help Address the County’s Housing Crisis – MocoFeed

Posted on September 16, 2024

County Council and Montgomery Planning to Host Community Listening Sessions on Planning Board Recommendations to Help Address the County’s Housing Crisis

For Immediate Release: Monday, September 16, 2024

Upcoming Community listening sessions at the White Oak Community Recreation Center, Germantown Community Center and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School to be held to receive input on allowing more types of homes to be built countywide

Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson and Montgomery Planning Director Jason K. Sartori invite community members to attend five in-person and one virtual listening sessions on the Attainable Housing Strategies initiative , a set of potential zoning modifications prepared by the Montgomery County Planning Department and recommended to the Council in June by the Montgomery County Planning Board. The modifications would allow property owners to have the option to build a wider range of housing types in areas of the County that for decades have only allowed one single-family detached home per lot.

At the White Oak Community Recreation Center on Sept. 17, Council President Friedson and Director Sartori will be joined by District 5 Councilmember Kristin Mink.

The Council’s Planning, Housing and Parks (PHP) Committee received three briefings on the Planning Board’s recommendations this summer. There is no legislation to implement Attainable Housing Strategies currently pending before the Council. The purpose of the six listening sessions is to collect feedback on the Planning Board recommendations which will be shared with all Councilmembers as part of a deliberative review process.

The six listening sessions hosted by Council President Friedson, chair of the PHP Committee, and Planning Department Director Sartori will be held in each of the County’s five regional service areas, followed by a virtual meeting. The five in-person events will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. The virtual session will be held on Oct. 2 from 12-1:30 p.m.

The listening sessions are scheduled on:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the White Oak Community Recreation Center (1700 April Lane, Silver Spring, MD)
  • Monday, Sept. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Germantown Community Center (18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown, MD)
  • Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 7 to 9 p.m. | NEW LOCATION & REGISTRATION REOPENED: Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (4301 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD – Multi-purpose room/cafeteria)
  • Wednesday, Oct. 2, virtual on Zoom 12-1:30 p.m.

Past listening sessions:

  • Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center (1319 Apple Ave., Silver Spring, MD)
  • Thursday, Sept. 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wheaton Community Recreation Center (11701 Georgia Ave., Wheaton, MD)

The Council is also inviting residents to provide additional feedback on the Attainable Housing Strategies initiative.

“We face a severe housing shortage in Montgomery County which requires thoughtful, forward-looking action,” said Council President Friedson. “Finding a home that meets the evolving needs of our residents and families has become increasingly out of reach. I look forward to hearing a variety of perspectives and ideas from our residents, so we can work together to build on the recent progress we’ve made and refine solutions that support the type of communities and the quality of life we’ve come to expect in this great County.”

“The time has come for Montgomery County to break free from outdated zoning that has constrained the housing supply, led to skyrocketing real estate prices, and has forced more of the County’s middle-income population to search elsewhere for housing,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “The County has little open land left to build on and almost half of the County’s housing stock is composed of detached housing. People of all ages and income levels need more choices to bridge the gap between high-rise apartment buildings and single-family detached houses. We can no longer afford to devote so much land to so few people.” Watch Chair Harris’ remarks  at the dais following the Planning Board’s June 13, 2024, vote.

“Montgomery County supports strong, inclusive communities and its zoning laws need to align with its commitment to fostering the creation of communities where not just the most fortunate can own a home and build wealth,” said Montgomery Planning Director Sartori. “These recommendations not only outline different housing types to add to our housing stock but create options and opportunities for households of various incomes to attain housing that is suitable to their needs. We are looking forward to this series of listening sessions this fall.”

More about the Planning Board’s Attainable Housing Strategies Recommendations:

The Montgomery Planning Board voted June 13, 2024 to approve and transmit to County Council Montgomery Planning’s Attainable Housing Strategies, which recommends zoning modifications and other policy changes that would continue to allow single-family detached homes to be built, but would also permit duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and quadplexes in certain parts of the County. These additional housing types include Missing Middle Housing, which refers to a range of buildings that are compatible in scale, form, and construction with single-family homes, but offer multiple housing units, and a variety of apartments or flats that are at least three stories. The recommendations include a requirement for small scale attainable housing typologies (duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes) to conform with a Pattern Book. The Pattern Book will provide clear and objective form-based standards and help facilitate the construction of duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes following the same setbacks, lot coverage, and height restrictions as a single-family detached house.

The changes proposed are intended to help current and future Montgomery County residents find housing that fits their needs and enable more diverse, better integrated, and economically sustainable neighborhoods. Learn more about the different scales in the Attainable Housing Strategies initiative:

Small Scale Attainable Housing Small scale attainable housing is what would be found in single-family neighborhoods. As proposed by the Planning Board, it refers to multi-unit buildings such as duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes that maintain the general size and scale of single-family homes in existing neighborhoods.

Medium Scale Attainable Housing The medium scale recommendations focus on housing along growth corridors in the County and include three- to four-story stacked flats, small apartment buildings, and townhouses. The Planning Board recommends creating the Attainable Housing Optional Method of Development that limits the size of these housing units to promote a more attainable price than what existing new developments generally provide.

Large Scale Attainable Housing Large scale attainable housing under the Planning Board’s recommendations would include incorporating mixed-use, live/work, and apartment buildings that are four or more stories in height along growth corridors in the County through the master plan process or the creation of a new zone.

Attainable Housing Strategies resources:

For more information, read Montgomery Planning’s press release following the Planning Board’s June 13 vote.

Release ID: 24-326
Media Contact: Sonya Healy , Chris Peifer

For updates and link to press release, see here: http://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45836