Plan supports new parks, recreation center, and affordable housing by promoting economic development
Wheaton, Md. – The Montgomery County Council on April 8 voted unanimously to approve the Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment developed by the Montgomery County Planning Department and recommended for approval by the Montgomery County Planning Board , both part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) .
Read the Planning Board Draft of the Bethesda Downtown Minor Master Plan Amendment; the County-Council-approved plan will be posted on the plan amendment’s website soon.
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Read the County Council’s news release .
“Bethesda is a thriving urban center and remains one of the most desirable places to live, work, and enjoy the outdoors,” said Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “This plan amendment creates the conditions for downtown Bethesda to remain Montgomery County’s crown jewel of economic vitality in the decades ahead and to meet growing demands for housing, jobs, and parks.”
Development Cap Removal
A key component of the plan amendment is the removal of the cap on development density in downtown Bethesda set by the 2017 Bethesda Downtown Plan . The 2017 Plan’s development cap of 32.4 million square feet was based on a 2016 traffic congestion standard focused on projected automobile wait times at key downtown intersections in 2045. Since then, the County Council has shifted transportation analysis of area master plans to focus on an expanded set of metrics that more broadly assess the potential impact of development on transit, bicycles, pedestrians and access to jobs. The plan’s updated transportation analysis of potential additional residents and jobs in the downtown showed general overall improvement and high performance in the resilient multi-modal transportation network.
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“Removing the development cap gives downtown Bethesda the opportunity to strengthen its status as an economic engine in Maryland and the DC region,” said Montgomery Planning Director Jason Sartori. “This update to the 2017 Plan makes necessary adjustments that will improve predictability in the real estate development market and accelerate progress toward delivering the community more public benefits and amenities like new downtown parks, a recreation center, and more affordable housing options.”
Other Key Elements of the Plan Amendment
- Continuing transportation-related improvements and supporting ongoing efforts by Montgomery Planning, MCDOT, and MCDPS to improve pedestrian, bicycle, automobile, and transit movement.
- Adjusting the Park Impact Payment (PIP) rate from $12.49 to $15.57 per square foot of the approved density of a given development project. PIPs help fund the acquisition and construction of parkland in downtown Bethesda. The plan amendment gives developers more flexibility on when the payments can be made and addresses reduced PIPs for Privately Owned Public Space (POPS) serving as plan-recommended new park space.
- Incentivizing a new recreation center by encouraging public-private partnerships through a reduced PIP, providing potential additional building height, and prioritizing it as a public benefit.
- Extending existing incentives for developers to include higher percentages of Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs) to projects with the minimum MPDUs, but with family-sized and/or deeply affordable units.
- Conducting a comprehensive review of the implementation of plan recommendations in five years to reassess progress toward achieving the plan’s vision.
More about the Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment
The 2017 Bethesda Downtown Plan has a 20-year vision to help downtown Bethesda continue to be a thriving urban center and one of the county’s most desirable communities. The plan capped total development in downtown Bethesda at 32.4 million total square feet, based on a 2016 analysis of transportation infrastructure. Once total development came within 2 million square feet (approximately ten 200-unit apartment buildings) of the cap, the plan recommended that Montgomery Planning and the Planning Board revisit the recommendations to help implementation of public amenities and infrastructure like new parks and transportation-related improvements. In fall 2023, total development in downtown Bethesda reached the 2 million square-foot checkpoint. After public engagement and comment, Montgomery Planning staff and the Planning Board recommended that the County Council authorize work by Montgomery Planning on a minor master plan amendment.
The Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment addresses implementation issues related to the development cap, PIP, and public benefit points, among other elements, and did not evaluate site-specific land use and zoning approved in the 2017 Plan. The plan update focuses on implementation strategies for the following and related elements:
- Economic development
- Park development
- Transportation improvements
- Schools
- Affordable housing
- Community recreation center
Learn more about the 2017 Bethesda Downtown Plan’s implementation , including data and reports about development activity and more. Community members are encouraged to stay updated on the minor master plan amendment by subscribing to Montgomery Planning’s Bethesda e-newsletter .
For updates and link to press release, see here: https://montgomeryplanning.org/?p=62558