Subject
title
Worksession on FAST 2 improvements to the development review and permitting process.
end
Department
CPDS - Development Review
Discussion
Background
In October 2018, the Mayor and Council endorsed an important City initiative entitled FAST (Faster, Accountable, Smarter, and Transparent - Improvements to Permitting and Development Review Processes). This name reflects expected results among the Mayor and Council, staff, and stakeholders.
The first phase of FAST included:
• Staff reorganization;
• Improved digital notification procedures;
• Standardized comments and improved coordination of the Development Review Committee;
• Development and launch of the Customer Bill of Rights. Since the implementation of these items, staff has received positive feedback on improvements in our service to our customers;
• Online application intake, payment, and plan review through MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) permitting system;
• The Mayor and Council approved two Zoning Text Amendments (ZTA) because of FAST, the first in 2021 allowing for concurrent review of project plans and new exemptions from site plans for minor appurtenances and the second in 2022 to calibrate tree requirements for townhouse developments, and
• Updates to the Forest and Tree Preservation Ordinance.
As the first phase of FAST was concluding in 2024, a staff working group assessed the development and permitting process and created a list of priority items to improve. In addition, the team engaged external customers through a survey and a listening session, and staff met and received feedback from both REDI and the Chamber of Commerce.
Based on this information, on September 30, 2024, the Mayor and Council held their first work session and provided direction on the second phase of FAST (FAST 2). Guiding principles for FAST 2 include:
• Facilitating housing and economic development by streamlining processes;
• Improving information available to the public and applicants; and
• Ensuring efficient processes.
Following this work session, several action items were revised to reflect the Mayor and Council’s direction. At subsequent work sessions, on March 3, and August 4, 2025, Mayor and Council provided additional direction on streamlining the development process through the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite (ZOR).
The final version of FAST 2 includes nine topic areas with 33 action items. Each action item has a scheduled end date, and the overall target completion date for FAST 2 is the end of calendar year 2026. All action items are currently on track, and six action items have been completed. In March 2025, the city launched Results Rockville <https://performance.envisio.com/dashboard/rockvillemd4439>, a public-facing dashboard with regular status updates on projects such as FAST. Detailed updates for all action items are included in the FAST Action Item Progress Report (Attachment 1).
Updates to the Zoning Ordinance
Purpose
The Zoning Ordinance outlines various development processes, including the steps a property owner or developer needs to take when seeking approval. FAST 2 action items include improvements to processes, specifically:
• Restructuring and streamlining the Project Plan, Site Plan, PD amendment, change of use/Minor Site Plan amendment, and subdivision processes;
• Allowing administrative approval of certain minor Historic District Certificates of Approval (also identified in the 2023-2033 Historic Preservation Work Program); and
• Converting most Special Exceptions to Permitted or Conditional uses.
These changes will create more efficient, predictable processes by streamlining and removing duplicative steps consistent with the guiding principles of FAST 2.
Progress
These FAST action items are being implemented through the ZOR. Council previously provided direction on these process improvements during ZOR and CMA work sessions, and the changes are reflected in the Revised Staff Draft Zoning Ordinance, in draft Articles 3, 4, 6, 11, and 12. These action items will be considered complete when the new Zoning Ordinance is adopted. Under the new Zoning Ordinance, projects will benefit from the following time savings:
• Project Plans under the new process will be achievable within six months. Currently cases average 1.5 years.
• Additional Level 1 site plans - savings of 6-8 weeks
• Minor subdivision plats - savings of 4-6 weeks
• Administrative historic preservation cases - savings of 4-6 weeks
• Public meetings - combining the pre-application and post-application area meetings (savings of 4 weeks)
Updates to Chapter 21 and Comprehensive Transportation Review (CTR)
Purpose
Chapter 21 requires Road Code Waivers when a proposed roadway section does not meet the city’s full standard. Many of these are required to be approved by resolution from the Mayor and Council in open sessions despite being either minor or routine. Easements are required where public improvements are proposed outside of City property or rights-of-way (ROW), and ROW Agreements are required where private improvements are proposed within the public streetscape, each of which can add additional steps and time to the development process. As with Road Code Waivers, currently, ROW agreements and easements must go to the Mayor and Council for approval, even if minor or following a standard legal template.
The CTR requires an analysis of transportation elements and traffic impacts based on the number of trips generated. Currently, if a development generates 30 or more trips, all components of the Transportation Report are required. If a development generates less than 30 trips, the report must contain only an introduction and proposed transportation features on site. However, there is no provision for an exemption for very small projects or those that will have little to no impact on the traffic on surrounding roads. Since these minor projects never require any traffic-related mitigation, the production of a transportation report is not beneficial, and it results in additional expenses for the applicant and an extended application timeline to allow for staff review of the reports.
Progress
Amendments to Chapter 21 propose to allow administrative approval of certain Road Code Waivers, Easements and ROW Agreements. Common examples of ROW Agreements to be delegated to and approved by the DPW Director include private amenities/architectural encroachments such as awnings, signs, outdoor dining, and seating; temporary construction and maintenance activities such as sheeting and shoring; and minor private improvements on single-family residential lots. Amendments to the ordinance are proposed for introduction to Mayor and Council in Summer 2026.
Proposed revisions to the CTR would eliminate the requirement for submission of stand-alone on-site reports from cases where the transportation impact is not significant (< 30 net new trips). Staff will review frontage and onsite multimodal access routes as part of the review of the development application such as a site plan.
Notification Improvements
Purpose
The Zoning Ordinance contains several requirements for notification, including posting a notification sign on the property, electronic notice to homeowners and civic associations, and mailed notice to property owners and residents within a distance ranging from 500 to 1,500 feet depending on the application type. These distances are much greater than in surrounding jurisdictions. Per Mayor and Council direction the ZOR maintains these requirements.
However, mailed notice has limitations - it can include only so much information, is not easily updated, and the public use and attention to mail is declining. Also, there is opportunity to improve the current notification sign both for clarity and overall design.
Progress
To support the required mailed notices, staff has implemented the following items to ensure public awareness of development. Some of these are FAST 2 action items, while others are enhancements that were developed and implemented through FAST 1 or prior to FAST:
• Development Watch webpage and map - site plans and project plans are listed with information such as a project description, case number, and links to plans and documents. The project page also includes information on area meetings and hearings of approving authorities such as Planning Commission and Mayor and Council. This webpage has over 5,000 views in the most recent six-month period. This is similar to other pages on the city webpages such as the Farmer’s Market, Senior Center Programs, and slightly fewer than the Police Department and Mayor and Council pages.
• The Development Watch newsletter is emailed monthly, listing new applications as well as area meetings and hearings scheduled for the upcoming month. There are currently 600 subscribers, and the number has steadily increased over the last few years.
• City website - meeting agendas for approving authorities such as Planning Commission and Mayor and Council are posted. As part of FAST 2, area meetings have begun to be included on the city calendar as well. Also, a new page has launched showing all upcoming development-related meetings. This page is available on both the City Calendar and Development Watch pages.
Figure 1: New webpage showing all development-related meetings
• Rockville Reports - twice a year, major projects such as Project Plans and Site Plans are included in the print and digital versions of Rockville Reports. This edition includes a map of all projects and a brief overview of each. As part of FAST 2, a call to sign up for the Development Watch Newsletter has been added and will be included in future editions.
• Social media - the city posts information about area meetings on Nextdoor for nearby neighborhoods. In addition, CPDS and Communications and Community Engagement staff have developed a plan to post calls to sign up for the Development Watch Newsletter several times a year. These will correspond with the development editions of Rockville Reports.
• Within the new Development Review Procedures Manual, a streamlined notice procedure allows applicants to send a postcard for subsequent notices after the first initial mailed packet. This more clearly highlights meeting information to the public while making notices more manageable for applicants.
• Posting of decisions of Level 1 Site Plans (planned). In addition to all of the above notice, staff will begin posting decisions on Level 1 Site Plans (administrative) on the city website to ensure transparency in these decisions. This process will be included in updates to the Development Review Procedures Manual following the ZOR.
Notification Signs
Under the ZOR, the requirement for notification sign is expanded to additional case types such as minor site plan amendments. Staff have developed a new conceptual design for notification signage to include the following:
• Improved overall layout
• Application types and prefixes centrally located
• Larger, more legible font
• Replacing handwritten information with printed
• Adding color to distinguish application types
• QR code and Development Watch reference
Figure 2: Notification Signs (before on left, after on right).Conceptual design subject to change.
Figure 3: Notification Signs (before on left, after on right).Conceptual design subject to change.
Updates to Guidelines
Purpose
Several guidelines are referenced in the City Code, including: the Forest Conservation Manual <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Forest-Conservation-Manual.pdf>, the Landscape, Lighting, and Screening Manual <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/244/Landscaping-Screening-and-Lighting-Manual-and-Resolution>, and the Environmental Guidelines <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Environmental-Guidelines.pdf>. There are varied reasons for each of these documents requiring an update.
The Forest Conservation Manual serves primarily as a technical guide for administration and adherence to Chapter 10.5 of the City Code, the Forest and Tree Preservation Ordinance (FTPO). With the adoption of amendments made to the FTPO in January 2026, the Forest Conservation Manual must be updated to reflect those changes.
Elements of the Landscape, Lighting, and Screening Manual are being integrated into the Zoning Ordinance through the ZOR, prompting a need to revise and update the remaining material. Specifically, the landscaping and screening portions of the manual will transition into the Zoning Ordinance. With those portions removed, all that will remain are the lighting requirements.
Finally, the Environmental Guidelines is a technical document that establishes a comprehensive and cohesive method to protect the city’s existing natural resources during and after the development process. Having been last updated in 1999, there is broad agreement that it should be updated to reflect contemporary best practices. Additionally, more alignment is needed between the guidelines and various other review disciplines, such as, but not limited to Development Review (Forestry), Department of Public Works, (Engineering and Environmental Management) and Recreation and Parks.
Progress
• Forest Conservation Manual. The content of the Forest Conservation Manual is currently being updated to reflect changes made to the FTPO. Based on correspondence with applicants, interpretations of various provisions of the FTPO and instructions on its administration are being added to the Manual. A working draft is expected by July 31, 2026, with the final draft to be completed by the end of 2026. A working draft is expected by July 31, 2026, with the final draft to be completed by the end of 2026. Consistent with section 10.5-4(b) of the FTPO, a summary of these revisions will be provided to the Mayor and Council in a written format from the City Manager
• Landscape, Lighting, and Screening Manual. Staff have removed the landscaping and screening portions of the manual and revised relevant sections such as the introduction and purpose to reflect the newly created Lighting Manual. Staff do not anticipate any significant changes to the lighting standards.
• Environmental Guidelines. The update to the Environmental Guidelines document is in its third of four phases. In the first two phases, a working group reviewed the document to determine what sections would be retained, removed, and reorganized. In the third and current phase, the working group is populating technical information into the agreed-upon structure. Completion of the third phase will result in a working draft and is expected this summer. The fourth phase will be creation of a polished final document, which is anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027.
Create a One-stop Shop for All Development and Permit Applications
Purpose
Prior to FAST, applications were required to be submitted in a variety of ways - paper, by email, through the city website, or through the City’s permitting system. This required applicants to navigate the various ways of submitting and receiving feedback, which made the process confusing and less transparent. It also required staff to navigate multiple systems that did not communicate with each other. Finally, tracking and reporting on applications and processes were limited.
Progress
In 2021, staff identified and procured the MyGovernmentOnline (MGO) permitting system. This online platform allows for application submittal, payment of fees, plan review, permit issuance, and inspections for all permitting and development applications. Having all these applications in a single system has multiple advantages. A customer can access all applications from a single site. The process for submitting and paying fees is consistent across departments and divisions. The customer can track all applications for all projects through the process under a single user account. Finally, the new system has improved reporting capability across all disciplines.
MGO launched for building, trade, and fire permits and licenses in October 2021. Following the launch, staff worked continuously to improve the system for both internal and external users by:
• Clarifying questions on application forms;
• Combining separate applications where possible;
• Implementing features of the system such as automated communication to customers;
• Publishing an online permit map <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/services/search-permits-and-property-history/>; and
• Incorporating external review agencies such as Montgomery County Health.
To implement these and other improvements, city staff holds weekly work sessions with staff from MGO.
A new modernized customer portal launched in March 2025. A customer survey following the launch of the new portal showed that customers found the new portal to be a significant improvement over the prior version and comparable to systems from other jurisdictions. Development Review applications (site plans, projects plans, etc.) launched in July 2025. Public Works permits (stormwater, sediment control) launched in May 2026.
Although a few items are still in the city’s legacy system and are being configured in MGO, all permit and development-related applications are now live in MGO. Archived data will be migrated from the legacy system to MGO, and staff will continue to work with MGO to implement new improvements such as additional reports to support timeframe tracking, improved digital plan review, and AI tools.
Update Resources for Customers
Purpose
The Development Review Manual provides guidance for the submission and review of development applications under the Zoning Ordinance, giving residents, developers, staff, and other stakeholders a clear overview of application requirements and development review processes and supporting accurate, complete, and timely review. Examples of items addressed in the Manual include required application contents, logistical information on preparing notices and conducting area meetings, additional guidance and clarification on regulatory requirements, and the city’s Development Review Committee procedures. Prior to FAST the manual had not been updated in over ten years and contained information that was inaccurate and out of date.
Progress
The manual is being updated in two phases. In March 2026, staff released an updated Development Review Procedures Manual for the first time in over ten years. This revision incorporates new city branding and replaces out-of-date descriptions of processes and terminology. For example, the previous draft did not reflect the new online application process but instead referenced paper applications and required applicants to submit digital material on CD-ROMs. The revision also updated staff titles along with other minor editorial edits. Finally, it incorporated an update to notice procedures to specify that initial notices must contain a packet of information while subsequent notices may be limited to basic project and upcoming meeting information, as recommended in a separate FAST action item.
The second phase of the Development Review Manual update is timed to coincide with the update to the city’s Zoning Ordinance and will incorporate any changes necessary due to changes in the Zoning Ordinance. For example, sections on site plans and project plans will be updated to reflect the new streamlined processes; and the Development Review Manual will serve as the primary location for listing all development application submittal requirements. Finally, the document will be reviewed and edited for clarity and useability.
Benchmarking Processes to Other Jurisdictions
Purpose
Feedback from customers as well as preliminary benchmarking indicated that certain processes in Rockville may take longer than in other jurisdictions. As part of FAST 2, staff will benchmark other processes and look for additional efficiencies and best practices. Note that while benchmarking can provide useful information, exact comparisons are rarely possible because of differences in regulations, procedures, and tracking methodology.
Progress
Staff has developed a methodology for this effort and begun research and analysis. Once this is complete, a final report will contain findings and recommended next steps. A brief overview of the information available to date is provided here, with information from the final report anticipated as part of the final FAST presentation early next year.
The scope of the analysis is to compare Rockville’s target review timeframes and actual review timeframes for selected processes to those of other jurisdictions. The processes selected for review include Forestry, Development Review/Planning, Public Works permits (stormwater/sediment control, etc.), and building permits. Four common jurisdictions are used for comparison: Montgomery County, City of Gaithersburg, Prince George's County, and City of Frederick. These were selected for their proximity to Rockville and generally comparable processes. All are within Maryland and subject to the same state laws governing planning and zoning, forestry, stormwater, and building codes. Because these state laws influence and, in some cases, dictate certain processes, more direct process comparisons are possible. Future comparisons to regional or national peers are possible but will require different methodology.
The staff team has compiled Rockville and other jurisdictions’ target review timeframes. Preliminary results across processes indicate that Rockville’s target review timeframes are generally comparable with the comparison jurisdictions.
However, published review timeframes tell only a part of the story. Acquiring actual review timeframes is much more challenging. Since the transition to MGO, Rockville has begun tracking actual review timeframes for increasingly more processes. For example, for FY 26, initial reviews on building permits were completed within the published timeframes 96% of the time for building plans examiners and 88% of the time for planning reviewers. DPW reports a 90% on-time review rate for reviews on their applications. With the exception of Montgomery County permitting, other jurisdictions do not regularly report these types of actual review timeframes. Rockville staff continue to work with jurisdictions’ staff to acquire what data is available on actual review timeframes.
The final benchmarking report will contain all identified timeframes along with recommendations based on these findings to put Rockville at an advantage. Recommendations are likely to include identifying any timeframes that are not competitive with peers, improved tracking of actual timeframes, and reporting on these actual timeframes to make Rockville the most transparent and predictable jurisdiction among the peers. In addition, staff will look at other jurisdictions in the region, such as in northern Virginia, to see what can be learned.
Building Permit Review Process
Purpose
Prior to the launch of FAST 2, some building permit reviews and approvals have been delayed due to significant increases in permit volume. Due to work loads, the “Quick Start” program was no longer offered, and the city did not offer any other expedited program. Some customers had provided feedback that Rockville’s processes were longer than other jurisdictions.
Progress
In early 2025, CPDS relaunched the Quick Start program. This program is voluntary and provides an opportunity for certain commercial projects of a limited scope to begin limited construction while their plans are going through the building permit process. This program is available for existing buildings/tenant spaces.
In September 2025, CPDS implemented a pilot program for certain residential projects called Express Permits. This is an online same-day process for eligible permits such as fences, HVAC units and furnaces, and accessory structures (except for accessory dwelling units).
CPDS launched the City’s pilot of SolarAPP+, which provides the option for expedited residential solar permits (one day turn-around). The City of Rockville was the second municipality in the State of Maryland to launch a SolarAPP+ pilot, preceded only by our neighbors in Montgomery County.
Local code amendments reduced the requirements for small accessory structures, which allowed for a significant reduction in the review timeframe for these (from 28 down to 3 days).
Although the timing of reviews and approvals have significantly improved, staff still needs to make changes to the process and our internal coordination to consistently meet targeted review times. Staff is now developing additional reporting tools to track other reviews and steps in the process to ensure published timeframes are met.
Staff understands that the city should reinstate a program for expedited reviews for certain applications. Staff believes that the previous “Quick Start” program was limited and rarely used.
In the FY26 budget, Inspection Services (ISD) was approved to hire 2 additional building inspectors and 1 fire inspector to implement the ISD Action Plan for Next-Day inspections. By the end of February, all the vacant positions were filled, and a training program has been implemented for all new inspectors. Assuming staffing levels remain constant, the Next Day inspection program is expected to be implemented for select project types by Q2 of FY27.
Mayor and Council History
In October 2018, the Mayor and Council endorsed the original FAST Project Charter. Other Mayor and Council actions on the first phase of FAST include:
• May 2019: endorsed an updated list of action items.
• November 2019: received presentation on the work plan
• Mayor and Council received subsequent updates by memorandum.
On September 30, 2024, the Mayor and Council held their first work session and provided direction on the second phase of FAST (FAST 2). Following this work session, several action items were revised to reflect the Mayor and Council’s direction. Mayor and Council provided direction at the following work sessions:
• March 3, 2025: Mayor and Council expressed general support for streamlining processes. A majority of the Mayor and Council expressed support for recommendations related to project plans and Planned Development amendments but were not comfortable with recommendations related to site plans. They also requested the Planning Commission’s feedback on all four items.
• August 4, 2025: received Planning Commission’s recommendations and provided direction on the PD amendment and site plan processes and updates to the clarify the residential impact section of the points table in the Zoning Ordinance.
Public Notification and Engagement
In anticipation of launching this next phase of FAST, staff engaged external customers through a survey and a listening session and met and received feedback from both REDI and the Chamber of Commerce.
Next Steps
The upcoming adoption of the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite will implement eleven FAST action items. Several additional action items are planned to come before Mayor and Council for introduction, including updates to the CTR and Chapter 21 this summer, and updates to the Environmental Guidelines later this year. Completion of some items may extend beyond the end of the year, which is the target final date for FAST 2. The FAST working group is aiming to complete the remaining action items by the end of the year.