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 Josh Linden as Vice Chair of the Planning Board at its October 9 weekly meeting. He will serve a one-year term. He takes over the role from Planning Board member Mitra Pedoeem who served as Vice Chair since June 2023. She will remain on the Planning Board.
As Vice Chair of the Planning Board, Linden assumes the leadership duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence, overseeing Board meetings and completing other Board business.
“Josh’s appointment as Vice Chair reflects the Planning Board’s commitment to thoughtful, data-driven leadership,” said Montgomery Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “His deep experience in land-use analysis and climate change planning will be invaluable as we shape Montgomery County’s future. We have a strong, experienced board. My goal has always been to rotate the vice chair role. I’m grateful for Vice Chair Pedoeem’s leadership over the past two years.”
“I’m excited to step into this role and help advance a vision for Montgomery County that’s inclusive, resilient, and forward-thinking,” said Vice Chair Linden. “Planning is about listening and understanding the needs of our communities and translating them into plan recommendations and policies that work for everyone. I thank my colleagues for putting their trust in me to serve in this capacity.”
Since being appointed to the Planning Board in May 2023, Linden has reviewed and cast votes on many important plans and projects including the Great Seneca Plan, the , the University Boulevard Corridor Plan, the Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment, the 2025 Technical Update to the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways, and multiple development projects. Linden’s current four-year term as a Planning Board member ends June 14, 2027.
About Josh Linden
Josh Linden is a planner and senior associate for BERK Consulting, an interdisciplinary consulting firm, where he works on comprehensive plans, local and statewide housing policy, climate impact and resilience planning, park planning, transportation pricing and more for a variety of public sector clients. Linden has also worked as a transportation planner at Jacobs Engineering and a program officer for several international development organizations. He has served on a variety of community and nonprofit boards, including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (MWCOG) Transportation Planning Board Citizen Advisory Committee, co-Chair of Washington, DC’s Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6C Transportation Committee, Chair of the Portland, Ore. Bureau of Transportation’s Budget Advisory Committee, and as a board member for The Street Trust based in Portland. He holds a master’s degree in government from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from Portland State University.
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About the Planning Board
The Montgomery County Planning Board is responsible for planning and subdivision functions in Montgomery County pursuant to the State Land Use Article. This includes the administration of subdivision regulations, preparation, and adoption of recommendations regarding zoning map amendments, the preparation of master plans, and mandatory referrals. The Montgomery County Planning Board serves as the Montgomery County Council’s principal adviser on land use and community planning. The Council adopts zoning and subdivision laws, as well as master plans, which are then implemented by the Planning Board and Montgomery Planning, which drafts master plans, and performs surveys, studies and other planning duties as assigned by the Montgomery County Council. Learn more about the Development Review Process.
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