Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, July 20, 2017. View the full agenda for that meeting here. |
Planning Board and Department Announce July 2017 Events
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Planning Board to Review Bicycle Facility Design Toolkit on July 20
The  Montgomery County Planning Department will brief the Montgomery County Planning Board about the Bicycle Facility Design Toolkit at its meeting on July 20, 2017. The toolkit is a component of the Bicycle Master Plan that provides guidance to designers and planners on best practices in bicycle facility design, including bikeways, bicycle parking and intersection treatments. Included in the toolkit are separated bike lanes, neighborhood greenways and buffered bike lanes, as well as advanced intersection designs, including several forms of protected intersections. |
Call for Entries to 2017 Design Excellence Award Competition for Buildings and Landscapes and Open Spaces Closes on July 27
The  Montgomery County Planning Department is holding its third annual Design Excellence Award competition with the call for entries now open through July 27, 2017. This year, the Planning Department will recognize work in two categories, one for buildings and their sites, and another for open spaces and landscapes. Developers, property owners and their design teams are invited to submit completed projects that contribute to improving the quality of physical environments throughout Montgomery County. Submit to the 2017 Design Excellence Award. |
 July is Parks And Recs Month
Spend your summer days discovering the power of play and adventure! Celebrate National Parks and Recs Month with your family and friends throughout Montgomery County. Click the calendar for a list of FREE! activities |
 Updated M-NCPPC Parks Rules & Regulations Go into Effect July 1, 2017 Updated to the M-NCPPC Rules & Regulations will improve access to parks and amenities and provide greater flexibility in the rules. Learn more here.
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 Get Up-to-Date Athletic Field Information Use our convenient Rainout Line system to find out if a Montgomery Parks or MCPS athletic field is open, closed or experiencing inclement weather delays. |
Montgomery County Planning Department Launches 2017 Design Excellence Awards Competition for Public Spaces, and Buildings and Sites, with Call for Entries through July 27
The Montgomery County Planning Department seeks to recognize exceptional work in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design through its third annual Design Excellence Award competition. This year there will be two Design Excellence Awards, one for buildings and their sites, and one specifically for open spaces and landscapes. Developers, property owners and their design teams are invited to submit completed projects that contribute to improving the quality of physical environments throughout the County. The call for entries opened on Monday, May 15, 2017 and closes on Thursday, July 27, 2017. The selection of two winners will be made by an outside jury of accomplished professionals invited by the Planning Department. |
Spring & Summer 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 Spring & Summer Festivals & Events Page for all the happenings. Don't miss a chance to see what Montgomery Parks has for you! - Underground Railroad Experience Trail Guided Hikes - Every Saturday, talented "conductors" lead groups on a simulated Underground Railroad experience. The experience covers 2.0 miles from Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park along a wooded, natural surface trail to the historic Sandy Spring, then back to experience the new Woodlawn Museum and Visitor Center. Hikers learn about various techniques that "freedom seekers" used to elude trackers, find food, and navigate their way north to freedom. Interpretive content best suited for children 7 and up. Registration and a fee is required.
- Wings of Fancy - Surround yourself with hundreds of brilliant live butterflies from North America, Costa Rica, Africa and Asia soaring among colorful flowers and going about their business of drinking nectar and looking for others of their kind. Learn about the butterflies' amazing metamorphosis, the important role they play a healthy ecosystem, and how to ensure these beautiful insects thrive in your own garden. Wings of Fancy runs daily from 10am-4pm. Visit Brookside Gardens for additional opportunities to explore the beautiful butterflies through birthday parties, photography and art classes, school groups visits, and after-hours fun.
- Summer Twilight Concert Series- Join us on the lawn at Brookside Gardens each Tuesday evening in June for a series of musical performances set in the beauty of the Gardens! Bring your friends and family, and don't forget your chairs or blankets (allowed in the Gardens on concert evenings ONLY). Food trucks will also be available.
- 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 during the month of June, as part of the Pop Up in Montgomery Parks initiative.
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Work on the Capital Crescent Trail Several projects are scheduled to begin on the Capital Crescent Trail. Trail users should use caution around work areas and watch for partial trail closures as park staff works to improve trail use: - New traffic pattern at trail crossing and Little Falls Parkway. Traffic devices have been installed to improve safety at the intersection of Little Falls Parkway and the Capital Crescent Trail. Visit the following web page for more detailed information.
- Bike Share Station Installation - MCDOT will be installing a Bike Share Station at the trail intersection on Hillandale Road. Traffic and trail access may be interrupted as equipment is installed.
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Public Hearing to request Planning Board recommendations regarding proposed improvements to the Capital Crescent Trail within the Georgetown Branch, Montgomery Country Right-of-way will be on July 20, 2017. The proposal features the addition of a plaza area, and walkway, trail adjustment, architectural screening, and landscaping. Click here for more information.
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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: |
Accessibility Improvements Continue |
Park Projects - Forest Glen Neighborhood Park will begin work in July to improve the park features including installation of a new water fountain, better access to parking and storm water management upgrades. Work will continue through the summer with minimal interruptions expected to park users
 - The Layhill Phoenix, a sculpture of a wooden totem pole located in Wheaton Regional Park, has been removed for restoration and preservation. A new location in the park to re-install the sculpture is under study along with other park improvement projects.
- Stratton Local Park is closing this summer. The one-year project will improve overall access to park and parking lot enhancements. A pedestrian walkway from Democracy Boulevard and a sidewalk entering the park from Harrogate Road is planned. The ball field, shelter, and courts will be closed and inaccessible to the public.
- Good Hope Local Park is closed as part of the Department of Recreation's Good Hope Recreation Center construction project. Ball fields, tennis courts and other park areas will be inaccessible to the public. Work is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2018.
- Wheaton-Claridge Local Park is closed as the entire park undergoes renovations. The Park Activity Building will also get a makeover to improve access. The project is scheduled to be complete by Spring 2018. Park users are encouraged to visit other parks in the area as park amenities will not be accessible to the public. Click here for more information on the project.
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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's is addressing the issue here. |
Bikers and Runners should use caution around work areas as improvements are taking place on several trails in Montgomery Parks: -
 A section of the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail is closed and inaccessible to the public this summer. The second phase of the renovation project between Franklin Street and the trail connector at Saul Road will require a half-mile detour using Franklin Street to Parkwood Drive. The detour will reconnect to the trail at the Saul Road trail connector. Click here for more information. - The bridge at Seneca Stream Valley Trail in the Quince Orchard Valley Neighborhood Park area is under construction as new abutments and a prefabricated bridge is installed. A temporary bridge will be built for trail usage. Please use caution around work area.
- 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.
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Want a warmer thought? Start thinking about summer now! Get ready for our amazing Summer Camps and Programs guide now available. Check out MontgomeryParks.org to see the scheduled summer camps, programs, activities, and offerings throughout Montgomery Parks. |
  The 2017 Summer Program GUIDE Is Here and Online! |
- Weed Warrior Workdays, many parks in MoCo - Click Here!
- Nature Center Opportunities, including upcoming Special Events - Click Here!
- Butterfly Show Volunteers, training in August, Wheaton - Click Here!
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Gardening at Nature Centers, Brookside Gardens, etc. - Click Here! -
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