Community members encouraged to sign up starting November 16 to testify on draft plan that sets a renewed vision for a more complete and connected Germantown Â
Wheaton, Md.: The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), will hold public hearings on Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday December 17, 2026, for the draft Germantown Sector Plan Amendment, a comprehensive update to the 2009 Germantown Employment Area Sector Plan. The updated sector plan will guide growth over the next 20 to 30 years with recommendations that reenvision Germantown’s land use, zoning, housing, transportation, urban design, environmental systems, public facilities, and economic development framework.
The public hearing on December 16 starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Upcounty Regional Services Center at 12900 Middlebrook Road. Only in-person testimony is permitted. The public hearing on December 17 starts at 1:30 p.m. during the Planning Board’s regular weekly meeting in the Planning Board Auditorium on the second floor of the Commission’s Wheaton headquarters at 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD, 20902. Testimony may be given in-person or virtually via Microsoft Teams.
To ensure the Planning Board can hear from as many people as possible, please only sign up for one of the public hearings. Duplicate testimony is not permitted. Both public hearings will be livestreamed and made available on demand on the Planning Board’s website.
The sector plan’s first draft, or Working Draft, was developed through research, analysis, and community engagement over the past three years by the Montgomery County Planning Department, also part of the Commission. Montgomery Planning staff presented the Working Draft today to the Planning Board, and commissioners provided comments and accepted the Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft, which will be posted on the sector plan website once it is finalized.
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Following the public hearings, the Planning Board will hold a series of work sessions in early 2027 to continue refining the sector plan based on community feedback and its review of the Public Hearing Draft. If approved, the sector plan will be sent to the Montgomery County Council for its own public review and approval process, and to the County Executive for review and comment.
Starting Monday, November 16, people may sign up to testify before the Planning Board at one of the public hearing dates. Planning Board members will be at both public hearings and are offering two dates and locations to provide more convenience and opportunities for the public to weigh in. All public testimony is considered by the Planning Board and included in the official record.
Written testimony about the plan is welcome and will be accepted until 5 p.m. on December 30. If you would also like your testimony distributed to the Planning Board before the public hearings, your testimony must be received by noon two business days before that public hearing. Send written comments via email to mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org or via mail to Chair Artie Harris, Montgomery County Planning Board, 2425 Reedie Drive, 14th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902.
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Overview of the Germantown Sector Plan Amendment
The Germantown Sector Plan Amendment updates the 2009 Germantown Employment Area Sector Plan and modifies overlapping portions of the 2019 MARC Rail Communities Sector Plan and 2020 Germantown Plan for the Town Sector Zone to guide Germantown toward a more connected, adaptable, and sustainable future. It reassesses land use, zoning, housing, transportation, urban design, environmental systems, public facilities, historic preservation, and economic development to better reflect current conditions and community needs. While the 2009 Sector Plan focused on creating a vibrant, mixed-use employment center along I-270 with strong transit-oriented development, many of its assumptions, especially office growth tied to new transit, no longer align with today’s market realities. A Montgomery Planning-led 2024 study found shifting office demand, high vacancies, and zoning constraints that limited redevelopment flexibility.
In response, the updated sector plan introduces a more flexible, market-driven, and community-focused framework for future growth. It draws on updated data, public input, and coordination with stakeholders to better align policy with economic trends and development needs. The sector plan emphasizes walkable neighborhoods, safer travel infrastructure and design, expanded recreation, and improved access to daily destinations while supporting environmental resilience and a wider range of housing options that are affordable, accessible, and adaptable to different life stages and household types. Those interested in receiving updates on news and events about Germantown planning are encouraged to sign up for Montgomery Planning’s Germantown e-letter.
Read the original article at montgomeryplanning
