Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, January 25, 2018. View the full agenda.
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A Public Workshop Will Be Held at the Planning Department on January 22 for the Silver Spring Streetscape Standards
 The Montgomery County Planning Department will hold a public workshop on Monday, January 22 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at its headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring) to discuss the proposed updates to the Silver Spring Streetscape Standards. These standards will guide public agencies and private developers in creating pedestrian-friendly streets and sidewalks in downtown Silver Spring. "We are trying to create unified streets that support shopping and walking, and make the pedestrian experience pleasant and safe," says lead planner John Marcolin. "The streetscape standards for Silver Spring were last issued in 1992 and need to be updated to reflect current practices for a friendly urban sidewalk experience, stormwater management, bicycle facilities and other environmental factors." |
Second Session of Winter Speaker Series on the Economic Future of the Suburbs Will Be Held on January 24 with Commerce-Focused Presentations
RSVPs are encouraged but not required.
The second session will feature speaker Heather Arnold, Director of Research and Analysis for Bethesda-based StreetSense, who specializes in retail market analysis, incentive planning and merchandising strategies for communities. Arnold was a consultant on the Planning Department's recently completed Retail Trends Study and will speak about online shopping's influence on retail and commerce in the suburbs.
In addition, Peter McLaughlin, Development Director of Rockville-based ProMark Real Estate Services, will speak at the session about conversion of aging office buildings into new uses. He will discuss the Octave condominiums in Silver Spring, a 1964 office building transformed by ProMark into residential units, and the challenges of such projects.
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Planning Department Seeks a Volunteer to Join its Art Review Panel
 The Montgomery County Planning Department is seeking to fill a vacant volunteer position on the Art Review Panel. The candidates for this position should have a professional background in land-use law, be familiar with the Montgomery County Zoning Ordinance and be able to discuss regulatory coordination of public art projects and public benefits throughout the region. Learn more |
Planning Board Schedules January 25 Public Hearing for Bicycle Master Plan  The Montgomery County Planning Board approved the Working Draft as the Public Hearing Draft for the Bicycle Master Plan at its meeting on Thursday, December 7. The Board's public hearing for the Bicycle Master Plan is scheduled for Thursday, January 25, 2018 at the Planning Department Headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD) when the community is invited to comment on the Plan's recommendations.
The community is invited to sign up to testify on the Bicycle Master Plan at the Public Hearing on January 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. Sign up to testify online.
The public is also invited to submit comments about the Bicycle Master Plan via email to mcp-chair@mncppc.org. These comments will become part of the public testimony and public record for the Plan. |
Public Hearing for Master Plan of Highways and Transitways Will Be Held on February 15
 The Montgomery County Planning Board w ill hold a public hearing for the Master Plan of Highways and Transitways at its headquarters (8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD) on Thursday, February 15, 2018. Community residents interested in testifying at the meeting or submitting written comments should consult the Planning Board agenda for details.
The community is invited to testify on the Bicycle Master Plan at the Public Hearing on February 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Sign up to testify online beginning on February 5.
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Planning Board Briefed on Preliminary Recommendations for Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan on January 11; Online Map Launched to Gain Public Feedback on Planning Concepts
 The Montgomery County Planning Department presented the preliminary recommendations for the Veirs Mill Corridor Master Plan to the Planning Board on Thursday, January 11, 2018. These planning strategies address land use and zoning; urban design; transportation; parks, trails and open spaces; sustainability and community facilities. One of the chief goals of the plan is to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users within the Veirs Mill corridor, in accordance with Montgomery County's Vision Zero policy to reduce traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries. The Planning Department has launched a new digital GIS-based feedback map to allow stakeholders to provide comments online based on the three categories of recommendations: safety, connectivity and enhanced community.
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Planning Board Schedules February 1 Public Hearing for MARC Rail Communities Plan
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Applications Due by April 2 for Montgomery County Historic Preservation Tax Credits
Owners must file an application, including documentation of the repairs that were done, with the historic preservation staff of the Planning Department by April 2, 2018. The Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission will then evaluate the applications to determine whether the scope of the work meets the eligibility requirements for the program. The work must have been completed no later than December 31, 2017.
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 Start 2018 with a healthy challenge for you, your family and your dog. Move More Montgomery is encouraging you to walk, jog, run a mile a day for 100 days. Log 100 miles in 100 days! You can also participate in 20 minutes of continuous physical activity (bike, swim, yoga, aerobics, ski, weightlifting etc.) it all counts as one mile! Get creative and have fun while making a lifestyle change! The 100 Mile Challenge starts January 24, 2018 and runs thru May 4, 2018. |
 Master Naturalist Spring 2018 Training
Help support the conservation of natural resources and assist in the park stewardship. Become a Certified Master Naturalists and help educate the community on the importance of protecting our environment, identify native plants and species, conduct field research, and lead educational programs. Certification classes start this winter.
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 Updated M-NCPPC Parks Rules & Regulations Are In Effect Updates to the M-NCPPC Rules & Regulations will improve access to parks and amenities and provide greater flexibility in the rules. |
Festivals and Events  Looking for a different type of fun for the entire family? Maybe, a new experience in your backyard? Montgomery Parks has all the excitement just around the corner. Check out our Festivals and Events Page for all the happenings. Don't miss a chance to see what Montgomery Parks has for you! - Black History Month Celebrations- Start planning your experience at some of Montgomery Parks local historic landmarks. Events will highlight the stories, struggles and successes of African Americans on a local, state, national and international level. Make plans to visit the Josiah Henson Park and Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, February 3-24, for some great events including an annual spoken word event, free guided tours, documentary screenings, and much more happening throughout February.
- Waterfowl Festival- Bring the whole family for a day filled with activities, crafts, demonstrations, and exhibits to celebrate the wondrous water birds that call Little Seneca Lake home during the winter. The festival will be held on Sunday, February 11, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Black Hill Visitor Center. Try your hand at carving a decoy or join a guided birding excursion to catch a glimpse of marine ducks, swans, and maybe even bald eagles!
- Green Matters Symposium- Join us at the annual symposium sponsored by Brookside Gardens that concentrates attention on the intersection of horticulture and environmental issues. Register for the Friday, February 23 event and listen to a broad spectrum of actors from home gardeners to professionals in the horticulture and landscape architecture industries to learn how we can be proactive stewards of our own piece of the pie.
- Pop Up in Montgomery Parks- Montgomery Parks is aiming to attract more people to our parks - particularly our urban parks in the densely populated parts of Montgomery County. So, we are bringing fun and free "Pop Up" programming to select parks all winter, including Movie Night, Cozy Community Day, Rock Wall and our new Pump Track! Check out our upcoming programs taking place this winter.
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Community Meetings and News
Make plans to attend upcoming community meetings. Park Staff will be presenting plans for upcoming project renovations and scheduled improvements to the parks. The community is encouraged to attend these meetings and provide input on the upcoming projects: -
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- Parks staff hosted a Public Meeting on the interim plan to improve Wall Local Park at the Kennedy Shriver Aquatic Center. Under the guidance of the current White Flint Sector Plan, Parks staff presented the interim plan to the park as well as reviewed future plans to the park that will feature the realignment of Executive Boulevard and Market Street. Also presented were plans to construct a new parking garage. Visit the park project page for more information.
- A Second Community Meeting for the renovation plans to improve Acorn Urban Park was held at the Eastern Village Cohousing Common House in Silver Spring. Park staff presented the preliminary concepts for the park and seek community input. Visit the Acorn Urban Park project page for more information.
- Parks staff recently presented amendments to the North Branch Hiker-Biker Trail Plan to the Montgomery County Planning Board. The proposed amendments include relocating the project's parking lot and trailhead from Muncaster Mill Road to Meadowside Lane, removing a bridge crossing near Meadowside Nature Center, and adding a bridge crossing just south of the Intercounty Connector. For additional information about the project, please visit the project page.
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Accessibility Improvements Continue |
Emerald Ash Borer in Montgomery Parks  A non-native invasive beetle in Montgomery County is wreaking havoc on ash trees, many which are in stream valleys on parkland. Learn more on how the department is addressing the issue. |
Bikers and Runners should use caution around work areas as improvements are taking place on several trails in Montgomery Parks: -
Montgomery Parks Staff is seeking public f  eedback on the preliminary recommendations on a new Natural Surface Trail Plan in the Upper Paint Branch Limited Area Trail Plan. Your input will help us make this the best plan possible for the Paint Branch area. - Trail work is underway on the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail that may interrupt trail use. Parks will be installing a 20' span steel truss bridge on Beach Drive between Old Spring Road and Stoneybrook Drive. The project will have a temporary mulch path detour at the project site to safely allow trail users continued use of the trail.
- Work to repair boardwalk and bridge on the Matthew Henson Trail is in progress. The work area is near Grenoble Drive and Turkey Branch Parkway. The trail section is currently inaccessible. Please use caution when seeking alternate routes. Vehicles should share the roadway at all times.
- Trail improvements on the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail near Parklawn Local Park continue. The project includes a new connector to the trail, bridge installation, stream sediment control and storm water management when complete.
- Share the Trail- A section of the Cabin John Tr
 ail now allows bikes. Montgomery Parks has recently authorized a section of the trail from the trailhead across Goya Road to the parking area on Seven Locks Road, by the 495 overpass of the Cabin John Trail to be accessible to hikers/walkers and bikers. All trail users should share the trail and always yield to the appropriate trail users. -
WSSC work to improve stormwater management and sediment control near the Northwest Branch Trail SVU#3 area is in progress. The project requires heavy excavating equipment to be delivered so workers will need to use the trail to gain access. Park patrons should use caution around designated work areas. -
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  The 2017 Winter Program GUIDE is here! |
 Our popular summer camps are back and open for registration beginning on January 16. Find out more about our Outdoor Adventure Camp, Golf & So Much More, Week in the Park, Wee Little Naturalists, Into the Woods, and so much more on our Camps and Classes website. You may also find the perfect camp for your kids at Montgomery Parks' Summer Camp Expos! Montgomery Parks offers more than 100 camps geared towards a wide variety of interests to summer campers of all ages. Many camps even offer before/after care, and camps run throughout the entire summer! Summer Camp Expo will be held March 10-11; |
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