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3.2 Affected Environment

3.2.1 Land Use, Zoning, and Planned Development
The Purple Line study area comprises a variety of urban and suburban land uses, including residential,
commercial, recreational, institutional, and industrial (see Figure 18). Land use in the Montgomery
County portion of the corridor is largely residential, with commercial development in Bethesda and Silver
Spring. In the Prince Georges County portion of the corridor, land uses include relatively large areas of
recreational, institutional, and commercial uses scattered among primarily residential communities.
Housing types and densities within the study area include single-family dwellings and both low-rise and
high-rise apartment buildings.
Clusters of higher density mixed-use development characterize the five major activity centers of
Bethesda, Silver Spring, Takoma/Langley Park, College Park, and New Carrollton. With the exception of
the area surrounding the University of Maryland (UMD) campus and M Square, most of the remainder of
developed land in the study area contains low to medium-density residential and commercial uses.
Current zoning concentrates urban growth around activity centers to support transit oriented development
(TOD). Specialized TOD zoning districts where mixed-use development is permitted are located in
downtown Bethesda and in the areas around the following proposed Purple Line stations, East Campus,
College Park, Annapolis Road/Glenridge, and New Carrollton (see Figure 19). The mixed-use and
commercial development zoning at other proposed Purple Line station locations also would be compatible
with transit stations. Zoning is directed by land use planning efforts, including the Master Plans and
Sector Plans discussed in the following section. Existing land use is generally reflective of the
established zoning codes in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties. In Montgomery County, zoning
and permitted land uses are defined in Volume 4 of the Montgomery County Code, Chapter 59. In Prince
Georges County zoning regulations are found in the 2007 Edition of the County Code of Prince Georges
County, Subtitle 27.
Further detail on the specific land uses and zoning surrounding each proposed station area are described
in the sections that follow.

Station Areas
Bethesda
Bethesdas CBD is primarily characterized by commercial development, comprised of numerous high-rise
office buildings with ground level retail space. Some of the older buildings, such as the Air Rights
Building, the Plaza West Building, and the Fairmont Building were developed during Bethesdas initial
build out in the late 1960s and early 1970s to prepare for the planned construction of WMATAs
Metrorail Red Line. Since then, the mixed use development that defines the CBD has continued to
develop and grow to the south and west.
In 2002, the State of Maryland designated downtown Bethesda as an Arts and Entertainment District,
since it has been developed as a major retail and entertainment destination in Montgomery County.
Within the half-mile radius of the proposed Bethesda station, there are nearly 200 restaurants, more than
100 specialty shops, numerous art galleries, and the Discovery Trail, which highlights public art in the
Bethesda CBD. There are also many professional service buildings including medical offices, banks,
commercial and residential real estate offices, and several hotels. Bethesda is surrounded by single and
multi-family residences, which support the dense urban core and are serviced by extensive transit services
that include WMATAs Metrorail and Metrobus and Montgomery County RideOn.
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Figure 18. Existing Land Use, Planned Development, and Enterprise Zones

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Figure 18. Existing Land Use, Planned Development, and Enterprise Zones (continued)

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Figure 18. Existing Land Use, Planned Development, and Enterprise Zones (continued)

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Figure 18. Existing Land Use, Planned Development, and Enterprise Zones (continued)

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Figure 19. Existing Zoning

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The existing zoning is generally reflective of the current land uses in Bethesda, as it concentrates the central
business district and commercial areas along Wisconsin Avenue and East West Highway, while limiting
development outside of a quarter-mile from the station to low-density residential. To the west of Woodmont
Avenue, near the proposed station location, the area is zoned for transit station mixed (TS-M), which allows for
transit oriented development with a maximum floor area ratio of 3.0.

Chevy Chase Lake

The area surrounding the proposed Chevy Chase Lake station is predominately residential land uses with
supporting commercial and retail uses concentrated along Connecticut Avenue between Chevy Chase Lake
Drive and Manor Road. A Citgo service station, the T.W. Perry Hardware Store and Lumber Yard, and Chevy
Chase Lake Shopping Center are among the commercial businesses within close proximity to the station
platform. There is a Sunoco and Liberty service station located on the southbound side of Connecticut Avenue
as well as a Parkway Cleaners and the Chevy Chase Lake Building, to the south of the station.
Outside of the commercial center at Chevy Chase Lake, a mix of residential uses occur, including garden-style
apartments and townhomes on Chevy Chase Lake Drive, at Hamlet Place, and the Chevy Chase Hills
neighborhood. Single-family detached homes are located in the Chevy Chase Park neighborhood as well as in
several other older communities along Connecticut Avenue. The proposed station also would serve the Howard
Hughes Medical Center. Similar to the existing land uses, the area around the proposed Chevy Chase Lake
station is largely zoned one-family and multi-family high, medium, and low-density residential. Approximately
two percent of the -mile radius surrounding the station location is zoned commercial.

Lyttonsville
Located in the vicinity of Brookville Road and the CSXT/Amtrak/MARC alignment, the Lyttonsville area is
primarily comprised of commercial and light industrial uses, including several warehouse buildings, automotive
repair shops, and manufacturing uses such as Moorenkos Ice Cream plant and Atlantic Machinery. Brookville
Road also provides access to institutional land uses, including the Walter Reed Army Institute of ResearchForest Glen Annex. Montgomery Countys Department of Public Works and Transportation maintenance
facility and Ride On transit bus storage facility also are located immediately to the west and north of the
proposed station location.
Adjacent to these industrial and commercial uses, there are a number of high-density residential areas and
parklands within the Lyttonsville area. Multi-family residences nearby include the twelve-story Claridge House,
which includes a parking lot and pool, in addition to the garden-style apartments in the Friendly Garden and
Rolling Woods communities. In the Rosemary Hills area the land use is predominantly low- to medium-density
residential single-family housing. The Lyttonsville station area also contains parkland associated with the
Georgetown Branch interim trail and Rock Creek Park.
The land use immediately adjacent to the proposed Lyttonsville station area, on the south side of Brookville
Road, is currently zoned for light industrial use. Beyond these zoned industrial parcels there are several areas
zoned for multi-family, high-rise residential and medium-density residential. Further south and north of
Brookville Road, the zoning is designated as single-family residential.

Woodside/16th Street
The area surrounding the proposed Woodside/16th Street station is characterized primarily by multi-story
apartment complexes, townhomes, and single-family residences. To the northeast of the CSXT/Amtrak/MARC
alignment, there are a number of small-lot single-family homes. To the south and west of 16th Street are the tenstory 8600 Luxury Apartments (Suburban Towers Building), Falkland Chase Apartments, and other garden-style
and high-rise complexes.

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Directly adjacent to the proposed station platform is a strip shopping center, the Spring Center, which includes
several restaurants, a dry cleaners, post office, and 7-Eleven. The Silver Spring CBD also falls within a halfmile radius of the station area, to the southeast.
Zoning surrounding the Woodside/16th Street station is a mix of residential and commercial designations. The
proposed station location is presently zoned as limited commercial. To the south and southwest, the area is
zoned for high-density residential developments, where Summit Hills and the Suburban Towers Building are
currently located. On the northeast side of the CSXT/Amtrak/MARC railway, the zoning accommodates singlefamily detached homes, with some townhouse allowances.

Silver Spring Transit Center

The Purple Line station in Silver Spring would be incorporated into the Silver Spring Transit Center, which is
nearing completion in the heart of the CBD. The Silver Spring CBD is comprised mostly of high-density
commercial and office high-rises with ground floor retail. Among these are the Discovery Communication
headquarters, City Place mall, and several franchise restaurants along Ellsworth Drive. The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is headquartered on the opposite side of the track from the Silver
Spring Transit Center, to the southeast side of the CSXT/Amtrak/MARC alignment.
There are a variety of residential units located nearby the Silver Spring Transit Center site as well. These
include older buildings, such as The Blairs, Montgomery Arms Apartments, and the Silver Spring Towers, and
newer developments, such as Lennox Park Apartments, The Bennington, The Portico at Silver Spring Metro,
and Midtown Silver Spring. A number of these units have incorporated urban transit oriented development
concepts focused on the existing Metrorail station and the new transit center.
The Silver Spring Transit Center is currently being constructed in a commercial zoning district. Zoning in this
area allows for high-density commercial development for approximately 44 percent of the -mile area
surrounding the proposed station location. At the outer limits of this commercial core, the zoning is designated
primarily as single-family detached homes with a minimum lot area of 6,000 square feet for each dwelling (R60).

Silver Spring Library

Near the Silver Spring Transit Center, the Silver Spring Library station is proposed at the corner of Wayne
Avenue and Fenton Street. The station area is characterized by a mix of high-rise office buildings with ground
floor retail and commercial developments. There are also a number of multi-story apartments and residential
units. To the east along Wayne Avenue land use is predominantly single-family residences, schools, and Nolte
Park.
The proposed Silver Spring Library station would be located on the edge of the Silver Spring commercial
business district, where the zoning transitions to zoning designations for medium-density and single-family
detached dwellings. Nearly half of the area surrounding this station location is zoned for residential use and the
other half for commercial (approximately 43 and 42 percent, respectively, with 13 percent zoned for highdensity residential).

Dale Drive
The Dale Drive station is planned for future construction on Wayne Avenue at Dale Drive. Single-family
residences make up the majority of the surrounding land uses. There are also a number of schools including the
adjacent Sligo Creek Elementary School and Silver Spring International Middle School, as well as East Silver
Spring Elementary School. Eritters Market, a super market with a 12-space parking lot, is located nearby to the
north of Schuyler Road.

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Zoning designations surrounding the proposed Dale Drive station area is almost completely single-family
detached housing with a minimum lot area of 6,000 square feet for each dwelling (R-60). There is a small sliver
of convenience commercial zoning (C-1) where Eritters Market is located.

Manchester Place
The proposed Manchester Place station would be located at the Plymouth Street tunnel entrance in an area
surrounded by residential development. Single-family homes are the predominating land use. However, there
are a number of high-density residential units surrounding the station area as well, including Wayne Manchester
Towers, Kenwood House, and Park Wayne Apartments. Also located nearby the proposed station area are the
Sligo Creek Parkway, Oak View Elementary School, and Highland View Elementary School.
Manchester Road bisects a predominately residential area that is zoned for multiple-family, high-density
dwellings in the immediate vicinity of the proposed transit station. Outside of this area, the zoning designation
is largely single-family detached homes. To the south east of the proposed Manchester Road station, there is a
small area, where the Flower Avenue Shopping Center is located, which is zoned for convenience commercial.

Long Branch
Upon exiting the tunnel, the Preferred Alternative would enter the Long Branch station. The area surrounding
this proposed station is a mix of low-rise garden apartments located along Arliss Street and Pine Branch Road,
small-lot single-family homes, and commercial buildings. There are a number of local retail and service uses in
this vicinity, including two strip malls, two gas stations. The Long Branch Library and Long Branch
Community Center are also within walking distance of this proposed station location.
At the intersection of Arliss Street and Piney Branch Road, where the Long Branch station is proposed to be
constructed, there is a variety of zoning districts. In the immediate vicinity the Arliss Shopping Center, Flower
Avenue Shopping Center, Piney Branch Shopping Center, and Central Square Shopping Center area all zoned as
convenience commercial areas (C-1). To the east of Arliss Street, zoning permits high-density, multi-family
residential where the Flower Branch Apartment complex is located. This zoning designation (R-10) extends
further south and abuts the convenience commercial zoning at the intersection of Piney Branch Road and
University Boulevard. Surrounding the commercial area at the proposed Long Branch station, the area is zoned
for single-family residences and townhomes.

Piney Branch Road

The area surrounding the intersection of Piney Branch and University Boulevard, where the proposed Piney
Branch Road station would be located, is primarily comprised of single-family homes and medium-density
neighborhoods, with concentrated auto-oriented commercial development at the core. Surrounding the proposed
station location is New Hampshire Estates Park and other medium- to high-density apartment complexes, as
well as single-family residences. Adjacent to the intersection is a gas station, a strip mall, and other smaller
retail and service businesses.
The existing zoning surrounding the proposed Piney Branch Road station is similar to that of the Long Branch
area, with commercial and high-density residential zoning in the immediate vicinity of the station and singlefamily detached residential zoning designations further away.

Takoma/Langley Transit Center

At the border of Montgomery County and Prince Georges County, the Takoma/Langley crossroads intersection
is characterized by multi-story residential dwellings, garden apartments, and small-lot single-family homes
surrounding an older automobile-oriented commercial area. Along University Boulevard there is mixed-use
development, interspersed with single-family houses, garden apartments, and retail and service-related uses.
University Boulevard is a wide roadway served by surface transit, although non-residential development in this
area is auto-oriented and characterized by strip commercial uses. Known as Marylands International Corridor,
this area is a major shopping and entertainment center for many minority communities in the area. This area is

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congested with many pedestrians crossing busy roadways to access bus transit and shopping. This station
location is one of the busiest bus transfer points in the region, and as a result the future home of the
Takoma/Langley Transit Center.
Zoning designations surrounding the proposed Takoma/Langley Transit Center are administered by both
Montgomery County and Prince Georges County. On the Montgomery County side of University Boulevard,
the area directly adjacent to the proposed station location is zoned as general commercial. In Prince Georges
County, the area is zoned for commercial shopping (C-S-C) with adjacent medium-density multifamily
residential zoning to the east.

Riggs Road
The Riggs Road station is located in an area generally comprised of garden-style apartment complexes and
single-family residences surrounding a commercial area with large-lot shopping centers and free standing office
buildings, including the University Plaza West and the Riggs Road Building. Bedford Station, the Villas at
Langley, University Gardens, Garden City Apartments, and Liberty Apartments are among the multi-family
dwellings located near the proposed Riggs Road station. South of the proposed station area, and beyond the
PEPCO transmission line easement, are single-family neighborhoods, which include Carole Highlands and
University Hills.
The intersection of Riggs Road and University Boulevard is comprised of commercial (C-S-C) and office (C-O)
zoning districts surrounded by medium and low-density residential districts. A large area on the north side of
University Boulevard, between New Hampshire Boulevard and Riggs Road, is zoned multi-family mediumdensity residential (R-18). The area is surrounded by single-family detached residential zones, with a multifamily low-density residential designation for the Marylander Condominiums apartment complex.

Adelphi Road/West Campus

The Adelphi/West Campus station would serve the University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
headquarters, a comprehensive education facility designed for continuing education and meeting the needs of
non-traditional students. Comprised of the Student and Faculty Services Center and the Inn and Conference
Center, UMUCs campus makes up a large portion of the institutional land uses surrounding the Adelphi/West
Campus station. These buildings house the Universitys administrative and student service center as well as
classrooms and an information technology center.
The station also would serve the southwest portion of the University of Maryland at College Park, including
Ludwig Field, Byrd Stadium, the Smith Performing Arts Center, and several large parking lots. To the west of
Adelphi Road, there are a number of single-family residences as well as forested areas and open space
associated with University Hills Duck Pond Park, Lane Manor Recreation Center, and the Northwest Branch
Park.
Much of the area surrounding the proposed Adelphi/West Campus station area is zoned as rural residential. This
zoning permits approximately -acre subdivision lots with a maximum number of dwelling units of 2.17 per
acre. This rural residential area is University of Maryland property and has been developed for institutional
uses. Land south of the proposed station location is zoned for multi-family medium-density residential and
single-family detached dwellings.

UM Campus Center
In the heart of the University of Maryland, the proposed Campus Center is completely surrounded by
institutional land uses. The University of Maryland consists of about 11 million square feet within 262
buildings on approximately 1,000 acres. With the inclusion of off-campus facilities, the building inventory
totals nearly 12 million gross square feet, in 459 buildings, on approximately 4,000 acres. University buildings,
including the Stamp Student Union, Hornbake Library, the Campus Health Center, and many other academic

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and research buildings are located in the immediate vicinity of the station area. A variety of on-campus
dormitories and low-rise garden style apartments also would be served by the proposed station.
Similar to the zoning surrounding the proposed Adelphi/West Campus station, nearly all of the land contained
within a -mile radius from the proposed Campus Center station is zoned as rural residential. A small portion
of the station area is designated as single-family detached residential and 1.4 percent is zoned for mixed use
infill development.

East Campus
Current land use at the proposed East Campus station location is a mix of institutional uses including facilities
plants and storage areas of the University of Maryland. Located south of the station, downtown College Park is
a mix of retail, commercial, restaurant/bar, and some residential land uses. This commercial area serves both
the off-campus community as well as several on-campus residences.
The zoning surrounding the proposed East Campus station is a mix of rural residential zoning developed for
institutional purposes by UMD with a portion to the east dedicated to mixed-use infill. This zoning designation
promotes Smart Growth principles by encouraging enhanced communities that combine residential, commercial,
recreational, open space, employment, and institutional uses. Beyond the mixed-use zoning area, the majority of
the land is designated as single-family residential, with some multi-family medium-density zoning interspersed
throughout.

College Park
The proposed College Park station would provide a Purple Line connection to the Metrorail Green Line, the
MARC Camden Line, WMATA Metrobus, Prince Georges County TheBus, and the UMD shuttle service.
Land uses surrounding this station location are largely transportation facilities and parking as well as singlefamily residential neighborhoods. The headquarters for the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Center for
Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is located across River Road from the proposed station. Adjacent to that is
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Inspection Service. The historic
College Park Airport is nearby.
A variety of land uses are permitted under the current zoning surrounding the College Park Metrorail station,
where a proposed Purple Line station would be constructed. A large portion of this area (27 percent) is
designated for mixed-use transit-oriented (M-X-T) development, which provides for a combination of
residential, commercial, and employment uses centered around a transit station. To the east of the College Park
Metrorail station, the zoning is designated as predominantly single-family residential with a small area zoned as
light industrial and a few parcels zoned for multi-family medium-density apartments and townhomes.

M Square
To the east of the College Park Metrorail station, the M Square station would serve the UMD Research Park (M
Square). The area currently includes a considerable amount of undeveloped forest land and open space. The
USDA, Anacostia River Stream Park, and the Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building office complex are located
nearby. The M Square Research Park is anticipated to cover approximately 124 acres of this land and will
encompass 2.5 million square feet of office space for public and private research, and additional lab space. At
build out, the M Square facilities and associated tenants are expected to employ 6,500 people. Current offices in
the research park include NOAA, the FDA, Raytheon, and the American Center of Physics.
Zoning in the immediate vicinity of the proposed M Square station is primarily planned industrial/employment,
in order to accommodate for the developing Research Park. To the north, the area is partially zoned for mixeduse transit-oriented development. Elsewhere, the zoning designations are open space and single-family
detached residential, with a small section (approximately 4 percent) of land allowed for commercial shopping.

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Riverdale Park
The Riverdale Park station area is primarily comprised of single-family neighborhoods and medium-density
apartment buildings. These residences are currently served by automobile-oriented commercial development,
which includes a service station, bank, restaurants, and office buildings. The Riverdale Park Shopping center, to
the south of the proposed station platform houses a variety of retail businesses.
Zoning surrounding the proposed Riverdale Park station area is generally consistent with the current land uses,
as it allows for primarily low-density, single-family residential dwellings focused around commercial shopping
and multi-family high-density apartments near the intersection of Kenilworth Avenue and East West Highway.

Beacon Heights
Located along Riverdale Road, just before Veterans Parkway, the proposed Beacon Heights station would serve
residential neighborhoods comprised of several large garden-style apartment complexes, including East Dale
Apartments, New Carrollton Woods Apartments, and Eastpines Apartments, in addition to numerous singlefamily residences to the south of the station. The station would be located directly across from the Maryland
National Capital Park Police headquarters and just north of the large-lot commercial development of the
Eastpines Shopping Center.
The proposed Beacon Heights station area is primarily zoned for a variety of residential uses, primarily singlefamily detached dwellings with multi-family medium-density residential including the Fernwood Garden
apartment complex and Prince Georgetown development. Additional zoning includes a designation for
commercial shopping at the Eastpines Shopping Center and commercial office across on the north side of
Riverdale Road from the proposed station platform.

Annapolis Road/Glenridge
At the intersection of Veterans Parkway and Annapolis Road, the proposed Annapolis Road/Glenridge station is
directly adjacent to a number of automobile-oriented strip commercial and office land uses. Surrounding these
areas are several single-family neighborhoods.
The Annapolis Road/Glenridge station area is zoned for mixed-use transportation oriented and infill
development on the south side of Veterans Parkway. On the opposite side of the roadway, the zoning is
designated for commercial shopping where the automotive dealerships and chain restaurants along Annapolis
Road predominate. Surrounding these commercial and mixed-use zoning designations, there are numerous
neighborhoods zoned as single-family detached residential.

New Carrollton
The proposed New Carrollton station is located near several large institutional trip generators, including the
Internal Revenue Service. The IRS campus consists of three ten-story buildings located directly across from the
existing New Carrollton Metrorail Station.
The New Carrollton Metrorail Station is located on Ellin Road at the intersection of John Hanson Highway (US
50) and I-95. The station is also a MARC commuter rail and an AMTRAK intercity rail station. The
surrounding land uses within one-half mile of the site consist of major office employment, industrial,
warehouse, flex space, and residential development.
A large portion of the proposed New Carrollton station is zoned for mixed-use transportation oriented
development. Further south of John Hanson Highway there are a number of parcels zoned for light industrial
use. The surrounding areas are primarily single-family detached dwelling zoning with some medium- to highdensity residential and commercial designations along Annapolis Road and Riverdale Road.

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3.2.2 Planned Developments

In addition to the existing land uses surrounding each proposed station, and throughout the project corridor,
there are a number of planned developments that are anticipated for implementation within the study area.
County master plans and information obtained from county planning offices were examined to identify future
development sites within the study area that would be affected by the Preferred Alternative. Effects of the
project on planned development where assessed by determining where the alternatives would result in changes
to developments that are planned or approved by the counties. This is important, because county land use plans
are implemented through comprehensive zoning, subdivision regulation, adequate public facility ordinances,
growth management controls, farmland preservation easements, and capital improvement programs.
Development projects in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties require approval from M-NCPPC. The
MTA continues to meet with local planning officials and the developers of the planned sites to encourage and
facilitate the incorporation of the Purple Line into the area, and to minimize or avoid any potential negative
effects. Planned developments in the Purple Line corridor are summarized in Table 18.

Table 18. Planned Developments

Development
Name
Woodmont
EastPrivate

Lot 31
Public/Private

Chevy Chase
Lake
Redevelopment

Falkland Chase
Apartments

Silver Spring
Transit Center

Silver Spring
Library

58

Location
Northeast corner
of Woodmont
Avenue and
Bethesda
Avenues
Southeast and
southwest
quadrants of
Woodmont and
Bethesda
Avenues
Connecticut
Avenue between
Chevy Chase
Lake Drive and
Manor Road

Existing Land Use

of Site

Description of Future Development

Estimated
Completion

Office and retail

uses, including
movie theater

1.2 million total square feet with 210 multi-family dwelling

units, 42,370 square feet of public use space, a 1,882,950
Undetermined
square foot hotel, 81,165 square feet of retail, and
755,739 square feet of office space.

Parking lot

250 multi-family dwelling units, 40,000 square feet of retail

uses, and underground parking facility providing 940
2014/2015
public spaces and 290 private spaces.

Garden
apartments,
townhomes, and
single-family
homes surrounding
centralized
commercial area

Montgomery County planning staff is evaluating concepts

for mixed commercial retail and residential uses in Chevy
Chase Lake. Anticipated to include approximately
1.5 million square feet of commercial development and
1,000 housing units.

Undetermined

The site has been approved for redevelopment, but the

status of development is uncertain. The northern portion of
Northeast of 16th
the site has been approved for the construction of four
Street and East Garden-style
buildings which could include 1,250 apartments and
Undetermined
West Highway
apartments
townhouse dwelling units, 70,000 square feet of retail
intersection
space, and approximately 65,100 square feet for a public
plaza/garden and pedestrian areas. The site plans allow
for a portion of the site to be used for the Purple Line.
High-density office Three-tiered, multi-modal transit facility with 32 bus bays,
Southeast of
space, supporting 54 kiss and ride spaces and taxi spaces, two residential
Colesville Road
retail and
towers, and direct access to Metrorail and MARC. Would
Fall 2013
and the WMATA
restaurants, and
also include Purple Line transitway as well as integrated
Metrorail Red
high rise
private, transit oriented development of 450 apartments
Line
apartments
and condominiums, and a 200-room hotel.
Six-story, 63,000 square foot library to serve the central
Fenton Street
Montgomery
business district. The site would include an art gallery and
and Wayne
County-owned
2015
Avenue
property cleared for incorporate a Purple Line station.
intersection
development

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Table 18. Planned Developments (continued)

Development
Name
Silver Spring
Transit Center

Silver Spring
Library

8621 Georgia
Avenue

Fenton Street

Takoma/
Langley Transit
Center
UM East
Campus
Redevelopment
Initiative

Cafritz Property
Development

College Park
Metro
Development
M Square
Research Park
New Carrollton
Transit District
Development

Existing Land Use

of Site
High-density office
Southeast of
space, supporting
Colesville Road
retail and
and the WMATA
restaurants, and
Metrorail Red
high rise
Line
apartments
Fenton Street
Montgomery
and Wayne
County-owned
Avenue
property cleared for
intersection
development
Southeast
quadrant of
Cameron Street Surface parking lot
and Georgia
Avenue
Place of worship
Fenton Street
and associated
between Wayne
buildings and
Avenue and
single-family
Bonifant Street
dwelling units
Northwest corner
of University
Commercial strip
Boulevard and
center
New Hampshire
Avenue
Institutional
US 1 and Paint
physical plant,
Branch Parkway
service operations,
near UMD
and undergraduate
entrance
housing
Bounded by
Baltimore
Avenue, Albion Forested area and
Road, MARC
single-family
tracks, and
residential
Tuckerman
Street
Surrounding
Bus transfer facility
College Park
and surface
Metro Station
parking
River Road and
Development onPaint Branch
going
Parkway
Within 1/2 mile
Parking and transit
of the New
Carrollton
facilities
Metrorail Station
Location

Description of Future Development

Three-tiered, multi-modal transit facility with 32 bus bays,
54 kiss and ride spaces and taxi spaces, two residential
towers, and direct access to Metrorail and MARC. Would
also include Purple Line transitway as well as integrated
private, transit oriented development of 450 apartments
and condominiums, and a 200-room hotel.
Six-story, 63,000 square foot library to serve the central
business district. The site would include an art gallery and
incorporate a Purple Line station.

13-story office building with 6,200 square feet of retail and

289 parking spaces.

Estimated
Completion

Fall 2013

2015

Undetermined

Approximately 30,000 square feet of new institutional uses

(new church sanctuary, religious education, and child day
Undetermined
care center), 18,650 square feet of commercial retail
space, and 259 dwelling units
New Transit Center featuring enclosed bus shelter and
waiting areas.

2016

38-acre mixed-use, urban, college town environment

comprising retail, hotel/conference, residential, and
affordable graduate student housing towers.

Undetermined

Development of 37.6 acres including over 200,000 square

feet of retail and restaurants and 26,400 square feet of
office space. 995 residential units and a 120-room hotel
are anticipated to eventually be constructed.

Undetermined

Transit waiting area plus 348,000 square feet of office

space, 34,000 square feet of retail/commercial, 290
residential units, and a new 600-space parking garage.
At full build-out, two million square feet of research and
office facilities on 130 acres, estimated to employ 6,500
people.
5 million square feet of offices, stores, hotels and
entertainment space and up to 5,500 new homes

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Undetermined
Undetermined

Prior to 2040

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3.2.3 Plans and Policies

Present and planned development, land use, and zoning, which are the focus of this analysis, are guided
by federal, state, regional, and local plans and policy initiatives, which establish a conceptual structure
and direction for overall land use in the study area. A majority of these polices emphasize transitoriented, mixed-use land uses in developed areas and are described in the sections that follow.

Local Land Use and Countywide Plans and Policies

The M-NCPPC is the primary agency responsible for influencing land use at the county and local level
within the study area. Empowered by the State of Maryland in 1927 to acquire, develop, maintain, and
administer a regional system of parks within Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, and to prepare
and administer a general plan for the physical development of the two counties, M-NCPPC has been
involved in the preparation of nearly all the regional and local planning documents applicable to the study
area. All development projects in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties require approval from MNCPPC.
In January 1964, the M-NCPPC authored On Wedges and Corridors, a General Plan for the MarylandWashington Regional District in Montgomery and Prince Georges County to serve as a bi-county plan to
direct land use and development in the Montgomery County and Prince Georges County portion of the
Washington Metropolitan Region. As its namesake suggests, the Plan recommends that urban
development be concentrated into four urban corridors, radiating outwardly from Washington, DC with
wedges of low-density or large-lot residential areas in between. This Wedges and Corridors concept has
shaped land use in the counties by channeling growth into development corridors and an urban ring
around Washington, DC. Meanwhile, wedges of open space, farmland, and lower density-residential uses
have been preserved. In addition to encouraging a greater variety of living environments through this
development concept, the Plan also recognized the critical importance of incorporating an efficient system
of rapid transit to meet rush-hour needs within the urban ring and between development corridors.
In addition to the bi-county applicable On Wedges and Corridors, both Montgomery County and Prince
Georges County have developed General Plans that provide a conceptual structure for land use within
each county.
Prepared by M-NCPPCs Montgomery County Planning Department, the General Plan Refinement of the
Goals and Objectives for Montgomery County (December 1993) establishes the framework for physical
development in Montgomery County. Among the land use goals that it lists, the General Plan
Refinement calls for a variety of land use types and intensities by maintaining the urban ring and
development corridors while preserving the agricultural wedge, moderate density residential areas, and a
coordinated system of parks, recreation, and open space. Montgomery Countys plan specifically
recommends mixed use at community activity centers in order to reduce travel times and for
transportation to be appropriately located to serve these crossroads. In the plan, the need for
improvements in east-west travel is acknowledged but not with the intent to create an east-west
development corridor, as the plan generally promotes the On Wedges and Corridors pattern.
In September 2010, Montgomery County approved and adopted the Purple Line Functional Plan as an
amendment to On Wedges and Corridors, in order to plan for the Purple Line transit facility through
Montgomery County. Rather than recommend changes in land use or zoning, the purpose of the Purple
Line Functional Plan is to identify specific alignments and approximate station locations, so that existing
and future master, sector, and other plans will have adopted policy guidance as to the location, mode,
function, and general operational characteristics of the Purple Line.

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Prince Georges County Approved General Plan (October 2002) is also based on the overall Wedges and
Corridors concept and sets forth goals, objectives, policies, and strategies that guide future growth and
development specific to Prince Georges County. The General Plan uses a system of designated Centers,
Corridors, and growth Tiers to guide future land use and development in Prince Georges County. Of the
three development tiers (Developed, Developing, and Rural) proposed in the plan, the project study area
is located within the 86-square-mile area along the border of Washington, DC that is designated the
Developed Tier. The vision for the Developed Tier is a network of sustainable, mixed-use, transitsupporting, pedestrian-oriented, medium- to high-density neighborhoods, with an emphasis on preserving
environmental infrastructure elements and providing a transportation system that promotes development
and revitalization. Within the Developed Tier there are designated Centers and Corridors that are targeted
for economic development, capitalizing on investments in mass transit facilities, and transit supporting
development. The proposed project study area crosses three of these Corridors and incorporates five
metropolitan, regional, and community Centers.
Similar to Montgomery County, Prince Georges county has also begun planning efforts to prepare for the
development of the Purple Line. Initiated in August 2011, the Purple Line Transit Oriented Development
is intended to ultimately generate concepts for development that promote lively, walkable, and attractive
transit-oriented communities around proposed Purple Line stations at West Campus (Adelphi), College
Park Metrorail, River Road (M Square), Riverdale Park, and Riverdale Road (Beacon Heights). Based on
Prince Georges County Planning Department TOD study efforts, the applicable planning areas will be
able to appropriately prepare for and capitalize on the potential connection to the community that the
Purple Line offers.
While the General Plans for Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties outline concepts for future land
use in the respective counties and the Purple Line Functional Master Plan and the Purple Line Transit
Oriented Development study discuss development strategies for the implementation of the proposed
project, several subsets and municipalities within study area also have plans and policies that provide a
detailed vision for land use in their individual planning jurisdictions. Each of these master plans, sector
plans, or functional plans include land use initiatives that support the implementation of improved transit
in the study area, and in many cases recommend the incorporation of the Purple Line specifically. The
most recent plans that are applicable to the identified planning areas within the corridor are shown on
Figure 20 and described in Table 19.

Regional Land Use Planning

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), under the Metropolitan Washington
Council of Governments (MWCOG), directs land use planning within the Metropolitan Washington
region through the Metropolitan Washington Regional Activity Centers and Clusters (2007). This plan
has been established to serve as a tool for developing land use and transportation planning and policies, as
it identifies regional activity centers and clusters, principal transportation corridors and facilities, and
designated open spaces. These findings support recommendations for increased employment, residential
growth, and transit station access at these Regional Activity Centers and Clusters.
The TPBs Transportation/Land-Use Connections (TLC) program also provides technical assistance to
local governments to enhance community planning. The TLC program addresses issues of regional
congestion, future growth, pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and changes in community identity by
providing information about best practices and model projects through the Regional TLC Clearinghouse.
The TLC Technical Assistance Program provides consulting services focused on improving transportation
and land use coordination and assists in planning and designing more vibrant and livable communities.

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Figure 20. Planning Areas

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Table 19. Planning Areas and Associated Plans

Planning
Area Map ID

Planning
Area

Planning Document

Description

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PLANNING

M1

Bethesda
Central
Business
District

Comprehensive
Amendment to the
Bethesda Central Business
District Sector Plan
(Approved and Adopted,
July 1994)

M2

Bethesda
Chevy
Chase

Comprehensive
Amendment to the
Bethesda/Chevy Chase
Master Plan (Approved and
Adopted, April 1990)

M3

Chevy
Chase
Lake

Chevy Chase Lake Sector

Plan (Draft, September
2012, pending approval)

M4

North and
West Silver
Spring

North and West Silver

Spring Master Plan
(Approved and Adopted,
August 2000)

M5

LyttonsvilleRosemary
Hills

Greater Lyttonsville Sector

Plan (Initiated, July 2012,
pending approval)

M6

Silver Spring
Central
Business
District

Silver Spring Central

Business District and
Vicinity Sector Plan
(Approved and Adopted,
February/March 2000)

The Bethesda Central Business District (CBD) Sector Plan seeks to direct
higher density development near transit serviceable locations, while also
promoting development that would increase the use of transit services
and support large-scale employment. Under the Sector Plan, the
identified Central Business District contains a mix of land uses within a
suburban downtown environment. This plan supports the concept of a
trolley-trail between Bethesda and Silver Spring to connect employment
and activity opportunities, with a terminus located at the Apex Building.
The master plan supports the current uses of large land areas, but
endorses housing as the primary alternative use if they are ever
redeveloped.
Intended to guide the future direction of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area
for the next twenty years, the Bethesda/Chevy Chase Master Plan
recommends that land uses for the Chevy Chase area be maintained and
enhanced. Existing single-family residential land use and zoning is
reconfirmed for the major portion of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase planning
area, and single-family attached (townhouse) residential use is
recommended for some larger sites in the planning area. This plan
supports a combined light rail transitway and trail along the Georgetown
Branch right-of-way as well, recommending improved pedestrian and
transit access.
Intended to provide a vision for the future of mixed housing types and
commercial strip centers along Connecticut Avenue that comprise the
Chevy Chase Lake community. Recommendations for this area will
primarily focus on improving the form and function of the commercial
areas to coincide with the introduction of the Purple Line light rail line.
The recommendations incorporated into the North and West Silver Spring
Master Plan are generally intended to sustain and enhance the existing
residential character of the existing neighborhoods, while stabilizing
historic resources, renovating parks, creating opportunities for businessoriented improvements, and providing a neighborhood-friendly
transportation system. Among its many recommendations, the plan
proposes improvements along Georgia Avenue between 16th Street and
the Capital Beltway, specifically suggesting the redevelopment of the
Silver Spring Shopping Center to incorporate a transit station in that area.
Planners are currently conducting interviews with local residents,
community groups, business owners, and land owners to help guide the
development of a future vision for the Lyttonsville, Rosemary Hills,
Brookville Road, and 16th Street areas. The plan will focus on the
commercial/industrial area along Brookville Road and prepare for the
proposed Lyttonsville and Woodside/16th Street Purple Line stations.
This plan seeks to rejuvenate Silver Springs core as a varied and active
town center with a diversity of retail, residential, office, hotel, civic, and park
uses. Meanwhile, it encourages redevelopment and revitalization, with an
emphasis on promoting the development of the Purple Line and the Silver
Spring Transit Center, which would serve as a focus for public
transportation services within the Central Business District.

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Table 19. Planning Areas and Associated Plans (continued)

Planning
Area Map ID

Planning
Area

Planning Document

M7

East Silver
Spring

East Silver Spring Master

Plan (Approved and
Adopted, December 2000)

M8

Long Branch

Long Branch Sector Plan

(Draft, May 2013, pending
approval)

M9

Takoma/Lan
gley
CrossroadsMontgomery
County

Takoma/Langley
Crossroads Sector Plan
(Draft, May 2010, pending
approval)

Description
Recognizing the residential nature and community oriented localized
commercial centers that characterize the East Silver Spring planning area,
this plan makes suggestions to sustain and enhance residential
neighborhoods, while providing community facility revitalization and
improved pedestrian, bicycle, and automobile circulation to surrounding
neighborhoods and expanded transit service. This plan recommends rail
transit stations along University Boulevard at New Hampshire Avenue and
Piney Branch Road and calls for an updated Master Plan, if the Purple Line
were to be implemented.
With the proposed Purple Line under study, community planners have
developed the Draft Long Branch Sector Plan to build upon the East Silver
Spring Master Plan and provide a number of recommendations intended to
guide development patterns surrounding Purple Line station areas. Some
key preliminary recommendations include improving accessibility and
connections to buses and Purple Line station areas at Arliss Street and
Piney Branch Road.
The planned implementation of the Purple Line and the anticipated
construction of the Takoma/Langley Transit Center pose great opportunities
for development, while encouraging pedestrian safety and transit use.
Montgomery Countys Takoma/Langley Crossroads Sector Plan prescribes
mixed-use land uses for the existing strip commercial centers in order to
enhance the character of the multi-cultural community and better
accommodate proposed transit improvements.

PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PLANNING

P10

64

Takoma/
Langley
Prince
Georges
County

P 11

Langley and
Vicinity

P 12

College
Park-Berwyn
Heights

Takoma/Langley
Crossroads Sector Plan
(Approved and Adopted,
November 2009)
Master Plan for Langley
Park-College ParkGreenbelt and Vicinity
(Approved, October 1989)
Sectional Map
Amendment (Approved,
May 1990)
Master Plan for Langley
Park-College ParkGreenbelt and Vicinity
(Approved, October 1989)
Sectional Map
Amendment (Approved,
May 1990)

The Takoma/Langley Crossroads Sector Plan is intended to guide

development on the Prince Georges County side of the Takoma/Langley
area, creating a transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly community that
celebrates and builds upon the cultural diversity of existing and future
residents. Key land use recommendations of the plan include the
integration of transit-oriented development principles around proposed
Purple Line stations at New Hampshire Avenue and Riggs Road, increased
mixed-use land parcels, and promotion of affordable housing initiatives.
This plan examines various types of retail uses, particularly surrounding the
Metrorail Green Line station at College Park. The document recommends
activity centers to serve as the focal points for social and commercial
activities.

This plan examines various types of retail uses, particularly surrounding the
Metrorail Green Line station at College Park. The document recommends
activity centers to serve as the focal points for social and commercial
activities.

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Table 19. Planning Areas and Associated Plans (continued)

Planning
Area Map ID

Planning
Area

Planning Document

Description

University of Maryland
Facilities Master Plan 20112030 (Updated, 2012)

Building upon the 2001-2020 Facilities Master Plan, this plan provides a vision
for the future of the University of Maryland campus and proposes corridors of
connection, links to green spaces and academic neighborhoods, and an
emphasis on multi-modal transportation throughout campus and to surrounding
communities. The plan calls for the vigorous support of the approval and funding
for the Purple Line, which it recommends to be integrated into the campus.

P14

US 1
Corridor in
College
Park

College Park US 1 Corridor

Sector Plan and Sectional
Map Amendment
(Approved, June 2010)

This sector plan covers the US 1 corridor within College Park and a portion of the
University of Maryland, envisioning the transformation of this area into a transitoriented mixed-use development, that is pedestrian friendly and preserves
existing residential neighborhoods and environmental resources to the fullest
extent possible. This plan includes specific provisions to support the Purple Line
as a major east-west connection through northern Prince Georges County with
mixed-use dense development within a half-mile radius of rail stations.

P15

College
ParkRiverdale
Transit
District

Approved Transit District

Development Plan for the
College-Park-Riverdale
Transit District Overlay
Zone (Approved, October
1997)

With the goal of creating an attractive, pedestrian-friendly transit district to reduce

the dependence of automobiles and encourage economic revitalization in
College Park and Riverdale Park, this plan provides the basis for land use and
development requirements for these municipalities. The plan recommends
mixed use adjacent to the College Park Metrorail station and abutting River
Road. These land uses were originally designated to accommodate the
introduction of the Green Line in Prince Georges County.

P16

HyattsvilleRiverdaleMt. RainierBrentwood

Approved Master Plan and

Sectional Map Amendment
for Planning Area 68
(Approved, May 1994)

A major focus of this plan was community revitalization of the eight municipalities
in an area generally bounded by Adelphi/Albion Road, the District of Columbia
border, Kenilworth Avenue, and Northwest Branch Stream. Although the majority
of this area is planned for residential use, two Transit District Overlay Zones
(TDOZ) were proposed for the West Hyattsville and Prince Georges Plaza
stations on the Metrorail Green Line. The purposes of these TDOZ are to
increase the use of transit facilities, maximize the return on investment in a
transit system, and encourage appropriate development near transit stations.

P17

Bladensbur
g-New
Carrollton
and Vicinity

Bladensburg, New
Carrollton and Vicinity
Approved Master Plan and
Sectional Map Amendment
for Planning Area 69
(Approved, May 1994)

This plan recommends infill development, preservation of existing residential

areas, capitalizing on the areas proximity to the District of Columbia, Metrorail
stations, and other commercial growth areas, and utilizing urban design
recommendations to enhance the appearance of new development and
redevelopment.

P18

Central
Annapolis
Road
Corridor

Central Annapolis Road

Corridor Sector Plan and
Proposed Sectional Map
Amendment (Approved,
October 2010)

P19

New
Carrollton
Transit
District

New Carrollton Transit

District Development Plan
and Transit District Overlay
Zoning Map Amendment
(Approved, May 2010)

P13

University
of Maryland

This plan focuses on the area along Annapolis Road, with a gateway at the
intersection of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and another at Veterans
Parkway, promoting compact, mixed-use, walkable development consistent with
existing community character and located near available or planned transit
options. Specifically, the plan provides conceptual guidance for development
surrounding the Purple Line station at Annapolis Road, calling for vibrant mixeduse with office, retail, and community space.
The purpose of this plan is to ensure that future development around New
Carrollton maximizes ridership of existing and planned transit services while
fostering redevelopment and emphasizing a mix of high-intensity commercial
office, retail, and residential uses in the immediate vicinity of the Metrorail station
and proposed Purple Line station.

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In 2010, the TLC Program prepared a Purple Line Bicycle Access and Bicycle Hub Location Study for
M-NCPPC and Prince Georges County to assist in planning for bicycle hubs and multi-use trail facilities
around proposed Purple Line stations. Currently, the FY 2013 TLC Technical Assistance Program
includes the College Park Metro Station TOD Analysis and the City of Takoma Park New Hampshire
Avenue Multi-Way Boulevard Feasibility Study.

Maryland Statewide Land Use Planning

The State of Maryland also has a long history of influencing land use decisions, creating the nations first
planning commission in 1933 to coordinate Depression-era public works programs. In 1974, the Land
Use Act authorized the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) to designate areas of critical state
concern and express the States viewpoints on local land use decisions. Shortly thereafter (1981), MDP
designated 57 areas of unique character for preservation, conservation, and utilization. The Economic
Growth, Resource Protection, and Planning Act of 1992 required local governments to prepare
comprehensive land use plans and to review those plans every six years. Within these local plans, seven
visions (later expanded to eight in 2000) were required to be included in each comprehensive plan to
address where development should occur, lands and resources to be protected, streamlining regulations to
achieve plan goals, and adequate public facilities, infrastructure, and funding to achieve these Visions.
Several of the Visions established in the Planning Act were intended to manage growth, concentrating
development in suitable areas while protecting sensitive resources and directed growth to population
centers.

Smart Growth Legislation

These principals were further supported in 1997, when the Maryland General Assembly enacted a
package of legislation collectively referred to as the Neighborhood Conservation and Smart Growth
Initiative. The Smart Growth legislation recognizes the important role local governments play in
managing growth and determining the locations most suitable for State-funded projects. Smart Growth
directs the State to target programs and funding, to support established communities and locally
designated growth areas, and to protect rural areas. The policy gives priority to central business districts,
downtown cores, empowerment zones, and revitalization areas when funding for infrastructure projects or
locating new facilities is initiated. The Urban Ring Communities, located inside the Capital Beltway in
Montgomery County, have been designated as part of the States Smart Growth initiative, a program that
focuses development funds and incentives in appropriate growth areas and limits development in
agricultural and other resource areas.
The Maryland Smart Growth Program has three basic goals: to save valuable natural resources and open
space; to support and revitalize existing communities and neighborhoods; and to discourage sprawling
development into rural areas. As part of this initiative, the Smart Growth Areas legislation requires that
publicly-funded projects in Maryland municipalities, other existing communities, industrial areas, and
planned growth areas designated by counties shall receive priority funding over other projects. These
Smart Growth Areas are called Priority Funding Areas (PFAs), described further below.

Priority Funding Areas

PFAs consist of existing communities and other locally designated and State-approved areas identified as
being in compliance with Smart Growth planning guidelines. PFAs are intended to direct development to
existing towns, communities, and business areas by targeting State infrastructure improvements to those
places where local governments need State investment to support future growth. The entire area within
the Capital Beltway has been designated as a PFA and therefore, the proposed Purple Line project

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complies with the Smart Growth program by providing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
opportunities at proposed stations.
The state has also established enterprise zones and empowerment zones to provide incentives for
development.

Enterprise Zones
An enterprise zone is an area of a county, city, or town in which state and local incentives and assistance
are offered to encourage the expansion of existing businesses and attract new business investment and
jobs. Businesses in Marylands enterprise zones are eligible for tax incentives, such as income tax credits
and real property tax credits, in return for job creation and investments made within the enterprise zone.
Businesses that locate within the Prince Georges County or Long Branch/Takoma Park enterprise zones
may also be eligible for personal property tax credits. Figure 18 shows the Enterprise zones in
Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties.
The Long Branch/Takoma Park Enterprise Zone is an initiative designed to encourage business
development and job growth in certain sections of Takoma Park. It was designated by the State in 2003
and includes seven project areas primarily located along Piney Branch Road, University Boulevard, and
New Hampshire Avenue.
The Prince Georges County Enterprise Zone, located primarily inside the Capital Beltway, encompasses
several Enterprise Zone Focus Areas in the proposed Purple Line Corridor.

Empowerment Zones
Empowerment zones are federally designated and may qualify for state enterprise zone tax credits. The
proposed Purple Line corridor is not located within an empowerment zone.

PlanMaryland
To better coordinate smart growth efforts and provide for a sustainable quality of life in Maryland
communities and rural areas, Governor Martin OMalley recently (December 19, 2011) accepted
PlanMaryland as the States first long-range comprehensive plan for sustainable growth and development
to improve the way in which state agencies and local governments accomplish goals and objectives for
growth, development, and perseveration. Among the directives that it establishes, PlanMaryland calls for
increased access to transit options and cites the Purple Line as a best practice system to connect
population and employment centers surrounding Washington, DC. The plan also targets growth and
revitalization to established PFAs and seeks to protect and preserve developed and undeveloped lands
outside the states PFAs, as much as possible.

Federal Land Use Planning

Due to its close proximity to the capital region, the project study area includes several Federal
employment facilities that are regulated by the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), which is
responsible for planning activities involving federal land and federal facilities and operations in the
Washington DC region. Within the project study area, Federal workplaces include the Walter Reed Army
Medical Center Forest Glen Annex, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the
Internal Revenue Service. Through the Comprehensive Plan for the National Capital: Federal Elements
(2004), NCPC coordinates the development of federal operations at these facilities and others throughout
the Washington metropolitan area. Under the Federal Elements mandate, recommendations for
sustainable locations for Federal facilities ensure that workplace locations give priority to central business

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districts or rural town center locations, preferably those that are well served by transit, safe and
convenient pedestrian access, and proximal affordable housing.
The federal government states in Executive Order 13514 Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy
and Economic Performance (2009) that access to public transit must be a priority when locating new
federal facilities or leases.

3.3 Environmental Consequences

3.3.1 Long-term Operational Effects

Land Use, Zoning, and Planned Development

The Preferred Alternative would be compatible with the existing mixed urban and suburban character of
the study area and its implementation would support existing and planned land use, as well as planned
developments. The Preferred Alternative would be located on or along existing roadways, railroad rightsof-way, and the Georgetown Branch right-of-way. Therefore, it is not expected to change the current land
uses within the study area substantially. Many of the future development projects anticipate construction
of the Preferred Alternative. However, the intensity of the land use could change, as the Preferred
Alternative would be expected to attract additional development.
The Preferred Alternative would be consistent with zoning regulations, which encourage the development
of land uses that are compatible with transportation uses along transportation corridors. For example, the
Comprehensive Amendment to the Bethesda CBD District Sector Plan directs higher density development
near activity centers and transit serviceable locations, while promoting lower density infill and housing
outside these areas. Likewise, the College Park US 1 Corridor Sector Plan and Sectional Map
Amendment supports dense transit-oriented mixed-use development within a half-mile radius of transit
stations.
In addition, several of the planned developments in the study area (listed in Table 18) would be
constructed to accommodate, and would benefit from, the implementation of the Purple Line.
The following sections discuss the long-term effects on land use and development within the vicinity of
station locations, the yard, the maintenance facility, and the traction power substations.

Station Locations
The Preferred Alternative station locations would be compatible with existing zoning that reflects the land
use patterns recommended by On Wedges and Corridors. At several of the proposed station locations,
particularly Bethesda, East Campus, College Park, M Square, Annapolis Road, and New Carrollton,
zoning supports opportunities for re-development and for TOD, emphasizing a pedestrian-friendly,
mixed-use environment with a multi-modal transit network. Several developments, listed in Table 18, are
already planned to be constructed close to stations.
Increased development and high-density infill surrounding key activity centers and the transportation
corridors served by the Preferred Alternative would promote employment by creating new permanent jobs
and supporting access to employment opportunities. Commercial, office, and industrial uses throughout
the study area would benefit from this improved transit access, as employers in the study area would be
able to draw from a larger pool of potential employees. In addition, their customers and clients would
have improved access. Businesses also may be influenced by transit service when selecting new sites,
resulting in increased intensity of these land uses.

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Following is a discussion of the effects of the project by station area.

Bethesda
Characterized by high-density mixed uses, the Bethesda CBD already has an extensive transit service that
includes WMATA Metrorail and Metrobus, as well as Montgomery Countys RideOn and the Bethesda
Circulator. Incorporating the Preferred Alternative into Bethesda would add to the vibrancy of the
community, which has been historically planned and developed around transit. The construction of the
new south entrance at the Bethesda Metrorail station would accommodate the addition of the proposed
Purple Line station.

Chevy Chase Lake

The addition of transit to the Chevy Chase Lake neighborhood would provide mobility and accessibility
for the surrounding residential areas and support planned redevelopment between Chevy Chase Lake
Drive and Manor Road.

Lyttonsville
In order to locate the Lyttonsville station along Brookville Road, some of the existing industrial land uses
would be converted to transportation uses. However, the area would receive benefits of increased transit
access, where it has previously been limited.
Currently, the proposed site for the transitway and station platform is in the Georgetown Branch right-ofway; therefore, no zoning changes are expected to be required.

Woodside/16th Street
The Woodside/16th Street station would be constructed on the site of the Spring Center strip shopping
mall. Current plans call for the redevelopment of the Spring Center into a transit-oriented development,
focused on the station. This area is already zoned for commercial development (C-4), but may be
changed to allow for more transit-oriented infill.

Silver Spring Transit Center

Currently under construction, the Silver Spring Transit Center would accommodate the proposed Purple
Line station. This area already has a variety of transit options available, including WMATA Metrorail
and Metrobus, MARC Commuter Rail, Montgomery County RideOn, University of Maryland Shuttle,
and MTA regional commuter bus. The addition of a Preferred Alternative station would be compatible
with the existing transit services and planned enhancements located in downtown Silver Spring. The
proposed station would benefit the high-density office and commercial spaces that characterize this area.

Silver Spring Library

The design and construction of a new state-of-the-art library at Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue is
planned to incorporate a Purple Line station, which would serve the variety of commercial buildings,
high-rise apartment complexes, and single-family residential in the surrounding area.

Dale Drive
The Dale Drive station would eventually be constructed in the median of Wayne Avenue. Although the
proposed station would not require any direct land use or zoning changes, it would add a new
transportation element to the residential/educational land uses and residential zoning designations on
either side of Wayne Avenue.

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Manchester Place
The proposed Manchester Place station would be constructed amongst the high-rise apartment building
and garden-style apartments that characterize this area. Some land use changes are anticipated at this
location, as residential property will be acquired in order to construct the station platform.

Long Branch
Construction of the proposed Long Branch station is not anticipated to interfere with existing land uses;
rather it would support potential future transit-oriented redevelopment.

Piney Branch Road

Construction of this station may require some temporary changes to the land use along the east side of
University Boulevard; however, the majority of the construction would occur in the roadway. The
Preferred Alternative is expected to be compatible with the businesses and high-rise apartments that
characterize this intersection.

Takoma/Langley Transit Center

The Takoma/Langley Crossroads already contains mixed-use development with offices and commercial
buildings surrounding the New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard intersection, which would
be supported by the inclusion of a light rail transit station. The station would be incorporated into the
Takoma/Langley Transit Center.

Riggs Road
Planned for construction in the median of University Boulevard, the proposed Riggs Road station is not
anticipated to result in any land use changes or zoning alterations. It would support the commercial and
free-standing office facilities surrounding the intersection, while providing access for neighboring
residents.

Adelphi Road/West Campus

The proposed Adelphi Road/West Campus station is not expected to interfere with the overall land use in
the area. It would provide direct transit access to the University of Maryland University College and its
associated facilities.

UM Campus Center
In 2011, there were approximately 37,000 students enrolled and over 13,000 employees at the University
of Maryland.2 This station would support the university, its students, and its employees with convenient
and reliable transit and its not expected to interfere with current land uses.

East Campus
Planned for redevelopment into a mixed-use college town environment, a station in this area is intended
to support the mixed-use zoning.

College Park
The College Park station currently incorporates several forms of transit services. The addition of an
adjacent Purple Line station would be compatible with the existing land uses as well as the planned
developments at the Cafritz Property and the College Park Metro Development.

UMD,Facts&Figures:QuickFacts,http://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/facts/quickfacts.cfm(AccessedDecember
2012).

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M Square
Presently under development, the planned M Square Research Park would be constructed with the
anticipation of a Purple Line station being located there. Providing transit at this location would support
increased research and office employment opportunities in the M Square Research Park.

Riverdale Park
Although some temporary changes to the adjacent commercial facilities may be required during
construction of the aerial structure over the intersection of Kenilworth Avenue and East West Highway,
the addition of a Purple Line station at this location is not expected to interfere with existing land use.

Beacon Heights
Construction of the proposed Beacon Heights station would provide direct transit service to the Eastpines
Apartment complex and nearby Eastpines Shopping center. Although some property acquisitions would
be required to relocate Riverdale Road and accommodate a station, existing land uses are not expected to
be changed dramatically.

Annapolis Road/Glenridge
A transit station at Annapolis Road would support businesses along Annapolis Road and would be
compatible with the mixed-use transportation oriented development zoning.

New Carrollton
A Purple Line station at New Carrollton would be compatible with existing land uses and the mixed-use
transportation oriented development zoning. The Preferred Alternative would add to the existing MARC,
Amtrak, and WMATA Metrorail services in supporting the redevelopment of this area.

Yard and Maintenance Facilities

The proposed Lyttonsville Yard would be located primarily on property currently used as a parking lot for
an adjacent Montgomery County maintenance facility. Land uses surrounding the Lyttonsville Yard site,
with the exception of a nearby multi-family residential building, are zoned and developed as light
industrial. Therefore, the yard would be generally consistent with the existing land uses and zoning.
The proposed Glenridge Maintenance Facility would be located primarily on property that currently is
developed as the Prince Georges County Parks Northern Area Maintenance - Glenridge Service Center, a
comparable land use. Some portions of adjacent land, however, also would be acquired. This land is
forested parkland and zoned as reserved open space. Surrounding land uses include single-family
residences, a school, and parkland.

Traction Power Substations

The Preferred Alternative would introduce several other ancillary elements to the study area, including
signal bungalows, catenary poles and wires, and traction power substations. The latter would be spaced at
approximately one-mile intervals along the transitway. Because these facilities are small and located
generally along existing transportation rights-of-way, it is not expected that surrounding land uses would
be affected. Table 20 identifies the proposed locations and the existing land use in the immediate area of
each. These facilities have been sited based on current land uses and plans to minimize impacts.

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Table 20. Proposed Traction Power Substation Locations and Existing Land Uses
TPSS ID
Q1

Description of
Proposed Location
Montgomery Avenue, approximately 1,600 feet beyond
Wisconsin Avenue

Q3
Q4
Q5

Georgetown Branch right-of-way, approximately 300 feet

prior to Connecticut Avenue
Lyttonsville Yard
Approaching CSX tracks, near Kansas Avenue
Intersection of Colesville Road and CSX tracks

Q6

Wayne Avenue, just past Cloverfield Road

Q7

Arliss Street, just past Flower Avenue

Q8

University Boulevard, just past Seek Lane

Q2

Q9
Q10
Q11
Q12
Q13
Q14
Q15
Q16
Q17
Q18

Adjacent Land Use

Single-family homes, converted residential dwellings for
office and commercial use, high-density residential and
large office buildings.
Commercial uses
Industrial and county maintenance facility
Single-family residential
Commercial (Rite Aid Pharmacy), transportation
Single-family residential units and Springvale Terrace
Retirement Community
Low-rise commercial and multi-family townhomes
Multi-family townhomes and University Manor Apartment
complex

Intersection of University Boulevard and New Hampshire

Large-lot commercial developments
Avenue
University Boulevard, just before 23rd Avenue
Commercial, power line easement
Intersection of Campus Drive and Presidential Drive
UMD parking and University Baptist Church
UMD parking, future location of East Campus
UMD campus, just past proposed East Campus Station
Development
UMD property, approximately 820 feet past College Park
WMATA tracks, College Park Metrorail parking
Metrorail Station
River Road, approximately 315 feet prior to Kenilworth
Office and commercial units, First Korean Presbyterian
Avenue
Church parking lot
Residential, forested area, Refreshing Spring Church of
Intersection of Riverdale Road and 61st Place
God, and Professional Building
Veterans Parkway, approximately 750 feet beyond
Forested area, State Highway Administration right-of-way
Riverdale Road
Intersection of Veterans Parkway and Annapolis Road
Large-lot commercial developments and office space
Ellin Road, approximately 340 feet beyond Emerson
New Carrollton Metrorail Station parking facility, power
Place, adjacent to WMATA
distribution facility

Note: TPSS stationing as of preliminary engineering September 28, 2012. Based on Purple Line Light Rail Transit Concept PE SubmissionVolume 9: Systems and subject to change.

Consistency with Plans and Policies

The Preferred Alternative would be consistent with local, regional, and statewide planning, as the Purple
Line is recommended in 15 of the 29 plans referenced in Table 19. All 29 plans support the
implementation of transit and 25 of them support land use planning oriented toward future transit stations.
The Preferred Alternative would be consistent with the TPB planning initiatives, which recognize the
interdependency of transportation and land use. The most recent Metropolitan Washington Regional
Activity Centers and Clusters references studies for the Bi-County Transitway (former name of the Purple
Line) and identifies Bethesda CBD, Silver Spring CBD, US 1 Green Line (College Park vicinity), and
New Carrollton as regional activity centers where transportation and planning decisions should be
focused. The TLC program is already providing technical assistance to local jurisdictions in planning for
the Preferred Alternative.

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NCPCs Comprehensive Plan and other federal policies pertaining to federal workplaces in the corridor,
such as Executive Order 12514 Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic
Performance (2009), encourage employee use of transit and other non-single occupant vehicle modes.
The implementation of the Preferred Alternative to service the Fort Detrick United States Army GarrisonForest Glen Section in Lyttonsville, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
campus in Silver Spring, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration in M
Square, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters in New Carrollton would be consistent with
the NCPC plans.
The Preferred Alternative also would support statewide principles of the Smart Growth Program by
facilitating mixed-used redevelopment of currently built-up areas, taking advantage of existing
infrastructure, providing transportation options, and strengthening existing communities. Located within
the Inner Beltway PFA, the Preferred Alternative would reinforce the principles of Smart Growth, while
linking designated enterprise zones located in both Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties.

Avoidance and Minimization

The Preferred Alternative generally follows existing transportation corridors; therefore, it avoids any
substantial changes to existing land use. MTA has coordinated extensively with Montgomery County and
Prince Georges County planning departments to ensure that the Preferred Alternative would be
compatible with planned development. MTA will continue to meet with M-NCPPC, planning
departments, and developers to facilitate effective incorporation of the Preferred Alternative into corridor
communities and to avoid or minimize negative land use effects.

Mitigation
Mitigation is not warranted.

3.3.2 Short-term Construction Effects

Short-term land use changes are anticipated during the construction, resulting from easements needed for
staging areas and construction access, and from temporary parking loss. Most construction staging areas
would be obtained as temporary construction easements. Staging areas also would provide additional
access points to the construction of the transitway and trail, where possible. Temporary construction
easements may result in short-term change of access or closures of certain areas of the properties in the
easement, or to adjacent properties; where this is the case, alternative access would be provided. These
specific locations are subject to change, however, as the project advances. MTA anticipates that multiple
staging areas would be used simultaneously, although some would be utilized for only a portion of the
expected 5-year construction period.

Avoidance and Minimization

To minimize any short-term construction related land use changes, where practicable MTA would locate
staging areas on sites designated for permanent non-transitway elements of the Preferred Alternative, such
as the power substations, the yard, and the maintenance facility.

Mitigation
Mitigation is not warranted.

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