Attend or watch the Montgomery County Planning Board Thursday, October 20. View the full agenda for that meeting here. |
 Planning Department Announces Calendar of October 2016 Events
The Montgomery County Planning Department is pleased to announce its October 2016 calendar of events. These meetings offer opportunities for the Planning Department staff to discuss policies and engage with the public. Review the full list of events and ongoing plans and projects below, and go online to www.montgomeryplanning.org for more details. View the full list here. |
Tickets Now on Sale for October 20 Design Excellence Awards Event Co-Sponsored by Planning Department and Potomac Valley AIA
The Montgomery County Planning Department is inviting everyone with an interest in design excellence in architecture, landscape architecture and urban design to attend Celebrate Design on Thursday, October 20, 2016 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building (1 Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD). Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at a cost of $35 per ticket.
The winner and jury citations selected through the Planning Department's second annual Design Excellence Award competition will be announced during the celebration, which will also include the annual awards ceremony of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Potomac Valley Chapter. One of the highlights of the evening will be the presentation, titled "Design Excellence: Lasting, Comprehensive and Inspirational," given by architect Edward Feiner, FAIA. Feiner is the Design Leadership Council Director of Perkins + Will and former Chief Architect of the United States General Services Administration, who launched a design excellence program for federal architecture. Learn more here. |
Montgomery Parks' Maryland Emancipation Day Celebrations, November 4-6
Join us the weekend of November 4 - 6 to celebrate Maryland Emancipation Day at historic sites throughout the county! Hike on the Underground Railroad, tour 1800s log cabins, visit a museum dedicated to the legacy of slavery, enjoy living history demonstrations and eat great food! Park events on Saturday and Sunday are FREE, unless otherwise noted, and open to the public.
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Deadline Extended: Public Invited to Enter Planning Department's Bicycle Master Plan Photo Contest until October 31 |
Planning Board Will Hold Public Hearing On Proposed Recreation Guidelines for Private Development on November 17
The Montgomery County Planning Department, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, is updating the 1992 Recreation Guidelines in response to the county's changing demographics and increasingly dense, urban infill and high-rise development. A much broader list of acceptable recreation facilities, such as fitness rooms, roof decks and pocket parks, as well as greater connectivity to existing recreational facilities are being proposed as part of the new standards that developers will follow in building private residential projects.
On September 29, 2016, the Montgomery County Planning Board approved the 2016 Recreation Guidelines Working Draft for presentation as the Public Hearing Draft.
The Board will hold the public hearing for the draft on November 17, 2016 and welcomes developers, design professionals and citizens to testify. This hearing will offer an opportunity for the Planning Board to hear from residents and professionals about the recreational amenities recommended for private residential development. Go online to sign up and testify.
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Work on the Capital Crescent Trail
Several projects are scheduled to begin on the Capital Crescent Trail this fall. Trail users should be cautious around work areas and watch for partial trail closures as park staff begin work to improve trail use: - Tree removal- Ash tree removal is scheduled as part of the Integrated Pest Management Program to proactively address the Emerald Ash Borer. Watch for flaggers as the work will require portions of the trail to be temporarily closed while trees are removed
- Bike Share Station Installation - MCDOT will be installing a Bike Share Station at Hillandale Road. Traffic and trail access may be interrupted as equipment is installed for the Bike Share Station
- Repainting of center line and stencils - Please watch for mobile work areas as staff will move through the trail repainting center line and stencils for better viewing
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 Fall Festivals and Special Events
If you are looking for weekend excitement, plan to attend one of Montgomery Parks many festivals and events right in your back yard! - "Eye Spy" Halloween Train at Cabin John Regional Park
Now running every Saturday and Sunday through October 30th from 11a-6p $6 per person. - Fridays beginning October 14th through October 28th from 1p-6p $6 per person.
The Cabin John "Eye Spy" Halloween Train was designed to delight younger kids (8 years and under) -- it's all about fun, not fright! Each child will receive an Eye Spy card before boarding the train. As the train winds its way through the woods of Cabin John Regional Park, kids can look around to find Halloween friends hiding there, and mark them off their Eye Spy card. Take photos with cardboard cutouts for friends and enjoy family-friendly movies in the party room. We'll also show free Halloween movies outside the train station. Costumes are encouraged! - Haunted Train and Creepy Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park
Now running every Saturday and Sunday through October 30th from 6p-9:30p $6 per person.
Fridays beginning October 14th through October 28th from 6p-9:30p $6 per person.
The Wheaton Haunted Train and Creepy Carousel each feature very frightening sights, sounds and creatures. This event is not suitable for children younger than 8 years old-we aim to scare! We'll show scary Halloween movies and have light refreshments for sale. Costumes are encouraged. - Cider Days at Locust Grove Nature Center
Saturday, October 15th from 2p-3p and 3:30p-4:30p $7 per person.
Sunday, October 23rd from 2p-3p and 3:30p-4:30p $7 per person.
Fall is the perfect time to sip on fresh apple cider! At Locust Grove Cider Days learn about pollination and the history of apples. You will get to press your own apples in our old fashioned hand cranked press and then sample the cider and discover some lesser-known apple varieties. - Pumpkin Panache Family Festival at Brookside Gardens
Friday, October 28 from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. $15 per child. Parents are free
Gather the family together for a fun evening! Children can dress in their favorite costume, participate in a garden costume parade, paint a pumpkin, try a pumpkin treat, and top the evening off listening to award winning storyteller Gary Lloyd present "Pumpkin Tales for the Young telling tales more funny than scary. - Owl-o-ween Campfire at Meadowside Nature Center
Friday, October 28 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. $7 per person (adults and children).
Join us around the campfire for owl facts, folklore and fun and meet our mascot Otus the Owl. We'll have marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate to make s'mores. Wear a costume if you want!
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 Woodlawn Visitor Center Now Open
Make plans to visit and explore the county's newest historical exhibit that echoes the past and tells the story of a bustling farm, its community, and those who made a bold bid for freedom on the Underground Railroad. The Woodlawn Visitor Center, is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm through November. The trail and grounds are open year-round, sunrise to sunset. |
Park Staff are monitoring elevated levels of microcystin, a blue-green algae, which have been found at Lake Frank and Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park. Visitors, particularly dog owners, are urged to use caution in and around the lake. More information is available here. |
  Emerald Ash Borer in Montgomery Parks
Emerald Ash Borer in Montgomery Parks A non-native invasive beetle in Montgomery County is wreaking havoc on ash trees, many which are located in stream valleys on parkland. Learn more on the department's plan to address the issue here. |
Accessibility Improvements Continue |
 Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan Update
Attention Wheaton Regional Park fans! Montgomery Parks is in the process of updating the Master Plan for this park. Be sure to tell us what you think! Public input is encouraged throughout the planning process.
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 Park Projects: -
NOTICE: Wheaton- Claridge Local Park will be closing as the entire park undergoes renovations. The project is scheduled to be completed by the winter of 2017. The Park Activity Building will also get a makeover for improved access. 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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is in progress. Additional work will include the removal of the tennis court and hard surface path to allow reforestation. Click here for more information. -
Kemp Mill Urban Park: The park is closed for renovations to improve overall access, update the pond and expand the playground. Renovations are expected to be completed by spring 2017. Click here for a list of alternative parks in the area. -
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Trail Work in Parks - Rock Creek Hiker - Biker Trail - The trail section on Beach Drive between Franklin Street and the Saul Road Connector will be closed and inaccessible to the public, on or around mid-September for an extended period of time for trail renovations and realignment. A 0.5 mile detour has been measured using Franklin Street to Parkwood Drive connecting back to trail at Saul Road. Click here for more information.
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Work to improve Sligo Creek SVU#3 Trail at Forest Glen Road is almost complete. The project included intersection modifications, trail improvements and storm water management. The trail remained open during the project. - Parklawn Local Park - Trail improvements to the Rock Creek Hiker-Biker Trail at Parklawn Local Park is scheduled to continue through the summer as a new connector to the trail is installed.
- Wheaton Regional Park - Trail work around Pine Lake to improve access and storm water management is underway. Watch for detours posted around designated work areas.
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 Rock Creek Hiker - Biker Trail work is underway to coordinate the removal of high risk trees and limbs including Emerald Ash Borer infested trees along the Rock Creek Hiker- Biker Trails on Beach Drive. For more information on tree inspection and maintenance, click here.
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The Fall Program GUIDE Is Here and Online! |
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