Subject
title
Public Hearing on the Town Center Master Plan
end
Department
CPDS - Comprehensive Planning
Recommendation
Staff recommend that the Mayor and Council hold a public hearing on the draft of the Town Center Master Plan.
Change in Law or Policy
The adoption of the updated Town Center Master Plan will serve as an amendment to the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, replacing the existing Planning Area 1 chapter in its entirety.
Discussion
Background
The 2024 Town Center Master Plan (“Plan”) is an update of a document by the same name that was adopted by the Mayor and Council in 2001. The Plan builds on the visions, goals, and policies noted in the Planning Area 1 Chapter of the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan (“Comprehensive Plan”), recent studies and reports compiled on Town Center, and an extensive community outreach effort to create an updated vision for Town Center that meets the needs of Rockville’s residents, business community and the market. This Plan is an amendment to the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan and supersedes the recommendations outlined within Planning Area 1 of the original Comprehensive Plan document, as published in August 2021.
To create this Plan, the Department of Community Planning and Development Services conducted an extensive 5-month outreach and engagement process. Through that effort, Rockville staff met with hundreds of stakeholders and conducted nearly 50 meetings to solicit feedback on Town Center’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Upon conclusion of the outreach period, a Community Engagement Report was published, highlighting the feedback received by the community and drawing conclusions based on 10 different engagement methodologies. Major takeaways from the outreach and engagement period were desires for:
1. More density, particularly in the form of housing, with acknowledgment of the increasing need for affordable housing.
2. More diversity in retail options and fewer retail vacancies. Additionally, there was some interest in forming an entity of some sort to aid and assist Town Center retailers.
3. Improved bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
4. Increased wayfinding throughout the Town Center.
5. Improved parking garage signage and accessibility.
6. Additional parks and green spaces.
7. More events in the Town Center.
The first draft of the Plan was released to the public on April 26, 2024. Since its release, staff has been utilizing Rockville Reports, City social media channels, email blasts, and newsletters to inform the community about the opportunity to review and provide comments on the draft Plan. The City continues to collect feedback on the Plan through the project page at www.engagerockville.com/towncenter <http://www.engagerockville.com/towncenter>. As of the date of this report, the feedback form on Engage Rockville has received 28 submissions with comments and ideas.
In June 2024, the City hosted two public meetings focused exclusively on the Town Center. At these meetings, staff presented the main themes and highlights of the draft Plan, then engaged attendees in a series of facilitated questions to collect feedback on elements of the Plan. The virtual meeting was held on June 18, and the in-person meeting was held on June 24. Approximately 40 individuals attended these meetings.
As required by state law, any amendments to the Comprehensive Plan must be reviewed by the Planning Commission before any final adoption is made by the Mayor and Council. State law also requires a public hearing to be held on the Plan before both the Planning Commission and the Mayor and Council. The Planning Commission held its public hearing on July 10, 2024, and passed a resolution to approve the plan and transmit it to the Mayor and Council on September 25, 2024. The Planning Commission approved the draft Plan which is included in this packet as Attachment A and was published online for public review and comment on September 27.
Plan Organization
The resounding themes found throughout the Plan are to create a flexible regulatory environment that allows Town Center to thrive by enabling development and allowing the market to dictate the “highest and best” land uses over the next two decades as well as prioritizing the development of additional residential housing units with a particular emphasis on affordable and attainable housing units. The final theme throughout the document is to turn Town Center into a vibrant local and regional destination by creating an environment where people can live, work, and play for years to come.
This document is organized into topic-based chapters. Most chapters begin with an introduction orienting the reader to that the topic’s existing conditions within Town Center. Following that, there are goals, policies, and actions related to each topic:
• Goals are overarching targets that the city seeks to achieve.
• Policies are more specific in the direction that the city should go to achieve the goal but do not outline exactly what steps need to be taken.
• Actions are the discrete steps the city will take to enact the associated policy and achieve the overarching goal.
In total, the Plan has 12 goals, 20 policies, and 61 recommended actions.
In addition to the topic-based chapters, the entire Plan is written through a lens of equity. Principles of equity must be incorporated into everyday actions and policies of the City of Rockville and cannot be viewed in a vacuum. Equity is especially relevant and important in urban planning, as master plans like this one govern how the built environment is shaped for decades to come. Historically, the planning profession has endorsed policies that are directly in conflict with equity, such as redlining practices that prohibited people of color, most notably Black Americans, from being able to obtain mortgages in certain areas, or urban renewal projects, like the one in Town Center in the late 1960s, that razed and displaced residents from established neighborhoods in the name of “progress.”
The Plan does not have a specific equity chapter, as actions that work to further equity are intertwined in all actions throughout the document. For example, the housing chapter talks about the need to increase affordable housing in Town Center. These recommendations are inextricably linked to equity, as increasing the diversity and price point of housing enables a broader community of people to reside in Town Center and have access to the area’s amenities. Similarly, the transportation chapter contains several recommendations for growing infrastructure for non-automotive transportation. Ensuring the community has access to free and low-cost transportation options, regardless of an individual’s income or ability, helps to make the Town Center more equitable.
At the conclusion of this Plan, there is an implementation matrix that will be used by city staff to implement each of the recommendations outlined within the Plan. The implementation matrix assigns responsibility, timelines, and one or more implementation vehicles to each of the recommended actions to help properly plan and budget for the realization of the Plan. The Plan is intended to be a living document rather than static and unchanging. As a result, it is possible that the implementation matrix will shift over time. It is the responsibility of the Comprehensive Planning Division of the Department of Community Planning and Development Services to monitor the status of all actions and work with lead implementors to bring the Plan to life.
Goals and Policies
As previously mentioned, the draft Plan consists of 12 goals, 20 policies, and 61 recommended actions across seven thematic chapters. The goals and policies in the draft Plan are listed below for convenience.
Zoning & Land Use
1. Target appropriate areas for higher-density residential developments to reach 2,000 new residential units by 2040. Provide a variety of development types to adapt to marketplace demands and to address missing middle housing.
• Policy 1.1: Through the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite project currently underway, adopt zoning standards for the Town Center that meet the overarching land use goals for the planning area while streamlining and simplifying the development approval process.
• Policy 1.2: Encourage the development of WMATA’s Rockville Station property.
2. Amend parking requirements to be reflective of a transit-oriented neighborhood and to provide a more seamless, accessible, and user-friendly experience when parking.
• Policy 2.1: Examine the existing conditions and needs within the Town Center’s parking system. “Right-size” minimum parking requirements to combat the high cost of developing new parking, a cost that gets passed on to the consumer in the form of higher rental rates.
3. Create pedestrian-oriented building and site design standards for the Town Center.
• Policy 3.1: Through the ongoing Zoning Ordinance Rewrite project, develop standards to unify and create consistent pedestrian-oriented building and site design that provide flexibility for innovative design, yet hold development to certain architectural standards.
Transportation & Mobility
4. Make transportation-related improvements that enhance safety and user experience for all who drive, bike, walk, or roll.
• Policy 4.1: Assess and improve the design of the local street system to address concerns of safety, speed, turning movements, and interaction for all users who walk, roll, bike, and drive within the Town Center.
• Policy 4.2: In addition to the recommendations suggested in the Bikeway Master Plan and Pedestrian Master Plan, as amended, implement traffic calming, complete streets, or other design features on local roadways to increase safety and useability.
5. Work with WMATA and MCDOT to enhance the bus system to increase accessibility, improve ridership, and expand systems.
• Policy 5.1: Support Montgomery County’s implementation of the planned MD-586/Veirs Mill Road and MD-355 bus rapid transit lines with a focus on serving as many Rockville residents, workers, and visitors as possible.
• Policy 5.2: Make improvements to existing bus service and bus stops.
6. Implement wayfinding signage to provide clear direction and awareness of the Town Center and its attractions.
• Policy 6.1: Improve pedestrian, cyclist, and vehicular wayfinding directing people into and throughout the Town Center.
7. Strengthen the visual and physical connections between the Town center and adjacent neighborhoods.
• Policy 7.1: Enhance interconnectivity between Town Center, Montgomery College, and other adjacent neighborhoods.
Housing
8. Increase the number of affordable homes within the Town Center.
• Policy 8.1: Modify regulations and processes to incentivize the development of affordable housing in the Town Center.
Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
9. Cultivate Town Center to be an exciting, fun, and innovative place where people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds want to be.
• Policy 9.1: Enhance existing parks, community facilities, and programming within the Town Center to serve the needs of the community.
• Policy 9.2: Create new parks and community facilities within the Town Center.
• Policy 9.3: Expand recreation and park programming within the Town Center.
Historic Preservation
10. Document and retain the Town Center’s history and capitalize on the historical aspects of the Town Center to promote heritage tourism.
• Policy 10.1: Complete an updated survey of historic and cultural resources located within the Town Center.
• Policy 10.2: Develop updated and expanded historical contexts for the Town Center.
Economic Development
11. Establish Town Center as a well-known location brimming with diversity and activity.
• Policy 11.1: Activate existing retail spaces, attract anchor or destination uses, and support retail growth.
• Policy 11.2: Develop programs to promote and support local and small businesses and their customers within the Town Center.
Sustainability
12. Encourage sustainable and resilient building practices to prevent, withstand, respond to, and recover from climate change impacts.
• Policy 12.1: Encourage the adaptive reuse of buildings and coordinate with property owners to increase efficiency within existing buildings.
• Policy 12.2: Build resiliency in Town Center through the implementation of practices that enable Rockville to thrive in the face of climate change and climate disturbances.
Planning Commission Process
The Planning Commission discussed this plan on five different occasions: an introduction held on June 26, a public hearing held on July 10, work sessions held on August 14 and September 11, and approval of the Plan on September 25. A full list of public feedback on the Plan throughout the Planning Commission process is provided in Attachment B.
Throughout the process, before the Planning Commission, there were several topics of discussion and modifications made to the Plan from the version that was first published to the community in April. The most substantive changes that are incorporated into the Planning Commission-approved draft include:
• Transition Character Area: Within Action 1.1.1 (page 41) is a map showing different character areas within the planning area. The original draft presented by staff identified two focus areas: the core and the edge. The Planning Commission created a third character area, called the transition. This character area is on the west side of N. Washington Street south of Beall Avenue and north of Jefferson Street. This character area has a height limit consistent with the edge character area but follows the bonus height provisions available to the core character area.
• Bonus Height Program: The original draft presented by staff envisioned a bonus height program (Action 1.1.2, page 43) whereby in exchange for providing additional moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs), additional height would be granted to a project. The Planning Commission modified this program to allow additional MDPUs or additional green space improved with climate resiliency features as options to qualify for bonus height.
• Parking Minimums: The April draft of the Plan proposed modifying minimum parking requirements within Town Center to mirror updated Montgomery County regulations (Action 2.1.1, page 44) This would mean eliminating parking minimums within ½ mile of the Metro station and within ¼ mile of a bus rapid transit station. The Planning Commission modified this action to eliminate parking minimums throughout the entirety of the planning area.
• Adequate Public Facilities: An adequate public facilities chapter (page 91) was added to the Plan. This chapter discusses the existing capacity and adequacy of water and sewer, transportation, and schools in the Town Center. This analysis within this chapter concludes that there is existing capacity within all elements tested for the goal of 2,000 new residential units, as envisioned by the Plan.
Mayor and Council History
The Mayor and Council approved a project charter for an update to the Town Center Master Plan in January 2023. Since the project was initiated, staff have provided periodic updates on the project via email. This is the first time the Planning Commission-approved Plan is being brought to the Mayor and Council.
Public Notification and Engagement
Extensive public outreach efforts have been underway for the Plan since April 2023. The project’s “outreach and engagement” phase took place between April and September 2023. During this period, staff estimates that approximately 1,000 individuals provided feedback of some kind. A full analysis of feedback received during the outreach and engagement period, as well as descriptions of each engagement methodology, can be found in the Community Engagement Report, available on the Engage Rockville website.
Since the draft Plan was released in April, staff have been utilizing Rockville Reports, City social media channels, email blasts, and newsletters to inform the community about the opportunity to review and provide comments on the draft Plan. The City continues to collect feedback on the Plan through the project page at www.engagerockville.com/towncenter <http://www.engagerockville.com/towncenter>.
Staff hosted two public meetings focused exclusively on Town Center that took place on June 18 and June 24. All of these meetings were added to the City calendar, publicized using the city’s typical communication avenues, and open to the public.
Boards and Commissions Review
The draft Plan has been reviewed by many different boards and commissions since it was released at the end of April 2024. Between May and September, the Plan was presented to the Rockville Pedestrian Advocacy Committee, Transportation & Mobility Commission, Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee, Environmental Commission, and Planning Commission.
The Transportation and Mobility Commission and Environmental Committee provided feedback on the draft Plan in the form of written letters, which are provided within the digest of public testimony, found in Attachment B.
The draft Plan has been through a thorough review process before the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission reviewed and discussed the Plan on the following dates: June 26, July 10, August 14, September 11, and September 25. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the draft Plan on July 10, 2024. At this meeting, four individuals provided oral testimony on the plan. The Planning Commission elected to keep the public record open until September 11, 2024. A full list of feedback from the community on the draft plan, up through approval on September 25, is provided as Attachment B. Ultimately, on September 25 the Planning Commission passed a resolution to approve the draft Plan and transmit it to the Mayor and Council, initiating the Mayor and Council’s formal review process.
Next Steps
The Mayor and Council are scheduled to have a work session on the draft Plan on December 9, 2024.