Master Plan Review

NORTH BETHESDA GARRETT PARK

Approved and Adopted July 1992

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

BACKGROUND
ZONING CODE REWRITE
In 2007, the Montgomery County Council directed the Planning Department to undertake a comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite. Last rewritten in 1977, the current 1,200 + page code is viewed as antiquated and hard to use with standards that have failed to keep pace with modern development practices. With only about four percent of land in the County available for greenfield development, the new zoning code can play a crucial role in guiding redevelopment to areas like surface parking lots and strip shopping centers. An updated zoning code is important for achieving the kind of growth Montgomery County policymakers and residents want. The Montgomery County Planning Department is working in coordination with Code Studio, a team of nationally recognized consultants; a citizen panel, known as the Zoning Advisory Panel (ZAP); and other County agencies to improve the zoning code. The ZAP was appointed by the Planning Board to weigh in on the projects direction and advise staff.

Public Listening Session 9/2009

Initial sections of the new code are drafted by Code Studio, and are subsequently analyzed and edited by planners based on feedback from ZAP, county agency representatives, residents and other stakeholders. The Zoning Code Rewrite drafts continue to undergo multiple reviews and revisions in preparation for the distribution of a public draft of the new code expected in summer 2012. The comprehensive public draft will then be presented to the Planning Board and, ultimately, the County Council as part of a public review process.

ZONE CONVERSION PROCESS

An important aspect of the Zoning Rewrite process is the potential conversion of 123 existing zones into 30 proposed zones. While some of the proposed zones are a direct one-to-one translation of existing zones, others are the result of combining existing zones with similar standards. Additionally, existing zones that are not currently mapped or are no longer used in the County have been eliminated from the proposed code. Through the conversion process, Montgomery County aims to simplify the number of zones, eliminate redundancy, and clarify development standards. A full conversion chart for all zones can be found in the documents section of our website: www.zoningmontgomery.org.

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

Agricultural, Residential, and Industrial Zone Conversion:

For agricultural and rural zones, the existing zones will be converted to proposed zones on a one-toone basis, with the exception of the Low Density Rural Cluster zone which is not currently used in the County and will be eliminated. Several of the existing residential zones will also directly convert on a one-to-one basis. Other residential zones will be converted by combining existing zones that have similar development standards. The R-4Plex zone, which is not currently mapped anywhere in the county, will be removed from the proposed code. Conversion of Industrial zones will combine similar zones (Rural Service, I-1, and I-4) into the proposed Industrial Light (IL) zone. The existing heavy industrial zone (I-2) will convert directly to the proposed Industrial Heavy (IH) zone.

EXAMPLES:
Agricultural And Rural
Rural Density Transfer (RDT) Agricultural Conservation (AC)

Residential, Detached Unit (R-60) Residential, Detached Unit (R-40) Residential, Mobile Home Development (RMH)

Residential

Residential Detached, Medium Density (RMD-6)

Rural Service (RS)

Industrial

Light Industrial I-4 (I-1)

Industrial Light (IL)

Light Industrial (I-4)

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

Commercial and Mixed-Use Zone Conversion:

Parcels located in the existing Commercial, Mixed-use, Central Business District (CBD), and Transit Station zones will be converted into one of the proposed Commercial/Residential (C/R) or Employment (E) Zones using a two-tiered process. First, decisions for conversions of a specific parcel in these zones were based on recommendations within the Master Plan. Planning staff reviewed each Master Plan in the County. When the Master Plan provided specific recommendations about allowed density, height, or mix of uses for individual commercial or mixed-use parcels, those recommendations were used to build the formula of the proposed zone. This conversion ensures consistency with currently allowed density and height, and helps codify master plan recommendations in a parcel-specific manner. Second, if the Master Plan did not make specific recommendations, the current zone converted to a proposed zone on a one-to-one basis or the proposed zone was determined using a specific standardized decision tree (see example below). The standardized decision tree converts existing zones by considering each specific parcels proximity to auto-centric localities, village and town centers, and detached residential neighborhoods. The goal of the conversion decision tree is to retain currently allowed heights and densities and maintain context sensitivity.

EXAMPLE: C-1 Convenience Commercial

Then

Conversion Decision Criteria for C-1, Convenience Commercial Current Max FAR: None (90% Coverage) Current Max Height: 30 average at finished grade along the building up to 45

Then

If the C-1 Parcel Is:

Then

Then

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

NORTH BETHESDA-GARRETT PARK

PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
The North Bethesda-Garrett Park Master Plan was approved and adopted in July 1992. The Master Plan intends, in particular, to address the Areas problems relating to both increasing housing costs and unprecedented levels of congestion caused by dependence on the single-occupancy vehicle. The Master Plan provides recommendations for Land Use, Transportation, Community Facilities, and Environmental Resources. Land Use and Urban Design Focus future development at Metrorail stops, new transit stations, and areas best served by transportation Provide for new residential and mixeduse development at Twinbrook Introduce a residential component into exclusively commercial parcels at Twinbrook and White Flint Preserve an area for light industrial uses between Twinbrook and White Flint Expand transit related residential and mixed use zoning at White Flint Locate a publicly-owned conference center and a privately-owned hotel on the Garrett Park MARC Station WMATA parking lot Confirm residential zoning at Grosvenor Consider a residential planned neighborhood on the portion of the Georgetown Preparatory School property within the Grosvenor Sector Plan boundary Provide for a mixed-use development at Montrose Crossing Expand retail opportunities at Loehmanns Plaza and Rock Spring Park Consider a mixed-use planned development on the 54-acre vacant parcel in Rock Spring Park Preserve the unique park-like setting of Garrett Park by the application of an overlay zone Reduce the block sizes in the vicinity of Metro areas Improve the pedestrian friendliness of streets, particularly near transit nodes Provide a landmark quality and sense of place for nodal areas and districts Reinforce the concept of Rockville Pike as the Main Street of North Bethesda-Garrett Park

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

Transportation Increase the frequency of Metrorail and MARC service, and increase bus services in the area Create a transportation management district to increase transit ridership and car pooling Construct the Montrose Parkway from Montrose Road to Veirs Mill Road, with grade separated intersections at Rockville Pike and the MARC railroad, and no through access at Veirs Mill Road Retain the former Rockville Facility right-of-way from I-270 to Veirs Mill Road for a possible future transitway Extend Executive Boulevard across Rockville Pike to meet Huff Court and extend Nebel Street to Chapman Avenue Consider a new MARC station to serve Twinbrook and Montrose Crossing Add two lanes in the medians of the I-270 spurs Provide a direct access ramp from I-270 to Rock Spring Park Provide a direct access HOV ramp from the I-270 west spur to Rock Spring Park Provide a high capacity transit connection between Grosvenor Metrorail station and Montgomery Mall Implement intersection capacity improvements at selected locations Community Facilities Extend the existing Wall Park to include the parcel to the north Locate five urban amenity open spaces at Twinbrook Metro, Montrose Crossing, White Flint Metro, Grosvenor Metro, and Rock Spring Park Reserve a continuous portion of the Montrose Parkway right-of-way as a greenway Locate the new ball parks on the state-owned land west of Tildenwood Drive Locate a community recreation center on the Davis Parcel at Rock Spring Park Expand the Strathmore Hall Arts Center as envisioned by the Strathmore Hall Foundation Provide day care centers at Metro stations and at Rock Spring Park Provide affordable elderly housing through the special exception process Environmental Resources Protect the woodlands through land use recommendations and development guidelines Provide a system of greenways Implement a green corridors policy for North Bethesda roadways Focus development at transit stations in order to improve air quality Mitigate noise pollution related to the proposed I-270 spur widening and proposed Grosvenor transitway Address existing stormwater management problems Remove existing billboards in North Bethesda

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

ZONE CONVERSION
The North Bethesda-Garrett Park Planning Area currently has 20 zones:11 Residential, 3 Commercial, 1 Industrial, and 5 Planned Development zones.

Existing Residential: R-200: Detached Unit, One Family R-200/TDR: Detached Unit, One Family R-60: Detached Unit, One Family R-60/TDR: Detached Unit, One Family R-90: Detached Unit, One Family R-90/TDR: Detached Unit, One Family RT-10: Townhouse, One Family RT-12.5: Townhouse, One Family R-30: Multiple Family, Low Density R-20: Multiple Family, Medium Density R-10: Multiple-Family, High Density Existing Commercial: O-M: Office Bulding, Moderate Intensity C-P: Office Park

C-1: Convenience Commercial Existing Industrial: I-3: Technology and Business Park Existing Planned Development MXPD: Planned Development Mixed Use PD-11 PD-25 PD-28 PD-9

Standard Conversion: The existing R-200 and R-200/TDR will convert to the proposed RLD-20 (Residential Low Density) zone. The existing R-60 and R-60 TDR will combine to convert to the proposed RMD-6 zone. The existing R-90 and R-90/TDR zones will convert to the proposed RMD-9 (Residential Medium Density) zone. The existing RT-10 and RT-12.5 will convert to the proposed TMD (Townhouse Medium Density) zone. The existing R-30 will convert to the proposed RHD-3 (Multi-Family, Low Density) zone, the existing R-20 will convert to the proposed RHD-2 (Multi-Family, Medium Density) zone, and the existing R-10 will convert to the proposed RHD-1 (Multi-Family, High Density) zone. The existing I-3 zone will convert to the proposed EOF (employment office) zone with an FAR of 0.75 and height limit of 100 ft. The existing Commercial zones will convert to the specific proposed CRN or EOF zones using both the standard conversion criteria and specific Master Plan recommendations. Commercial parcels that do not have specific master plan recommendations will convert to the proposed zone based on the standard zoning conversion table.

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

MASTER PLAN-DRIVEN CONVERSIONS

Master Plan Recommended Conversion: Several North Bethesda-Garrett Park parcels will convert to the proposed zones based on Master Plan recommendations. We refer to these as non-standard conversions. These parcels and the Master Plan guided conversions are shown below.

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

MASTER PLAN-DRIVEN CONVERSIONS

Area Existing Zoning Proposed Zoning Number of Parcels Reason for NonStandard Conversion Modification Relevant Text

1 O-M EOF-0.5 H-45 6 Master plan density recommendations. Overall FAR limited to 0.5. North Bethesda/Garrett Park Master Plan (1992): Page 106
There are five converted houses on a stub of Bells Mill Road southwest of Walter Johnson High School.The Plan recommends confirming the existing O-M zoning with a development cap of 0.5 FAR over the entire site.

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

ZONE CONVERSION
North Bethesda - Garrett Park
Existing Zone
R-200 R-200/TDR R-60 R-60/TDR R-90 R-90/TDR RT-10 RT-12.5 R-30 R-20 R-10 O-M C-P C-1 I-3 MXPD PD-11 PD-25 PD-28 PD-9

Proposed Percent
21.05 0.10 17.21 0.00 29.94 0.66 1.35 1.08 3.51 1.45 1.35 0.14

Total
845.94 4.14 691.60 1203.34 26.41 1.909897 43.49 140.98 58.25 54.36 5.54 52.72 16.94 130.18 50.68 13.25 30.45 15.36 194.24

Zone
RLD-20 RMD-6 RMD-9 TMD RHD-3 RHD-2 RHD-1 EOF-1.0 H-45 EOF-0.5 H-45 EOF-1.5 H-75 EOF-1.25 H-90 CRN-0.5 C-0.5 R-0.25 H-35 EOF-0.75 H-100

Total
850.08 691.60 1229.75 45.39 140.98 58.25 54.36 0.67 1.40 3.47 52.72 16.94 130.18

Percent
21.15 17.21 30.60 1.13 3.51 1.45 1.35 0.02 0.03 0.09 1.31 0.42 3.24

1.31 0.42 3.24 1.26 0.33 0.76 TBD-PUD 0.38 4.83

303.97

7.56

Grand Total

3579.77

Grand Total

3579.77

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

ZONE CONVERSION

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

EXISTING ZONING MAP

Existing Zones
Residential Low Density
R-200 R-200/TDR

Residential Medium Density

R-60 R-60/TDR R-90 R-90/TDR

Townhouse
RT-10 RT-12.5

Multi-Family
R-10 R-20 R-30

Commercial
C-1 C-P O-M

Light Industrial
I-3

Planned Development
MXPD PD-9 PD-11 PD-25 PD-28

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

PROPOSED ZONING MAP

Proposed Zones
Residential Low Density
RLD-20

Residential Medium Density

RMD-6 RMD-9

Townhouse
TMD

Multi-Family
RHD-1 RHD-2 RHD-3

Comm/ResNeighborhood
CRN

Employment, Office
EOF

Planned Development
PD

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org

PLANNING AREA CONTEXT

Proposal based on November 22, 2011 ZAP Review Draft

www.zoningmontgomery.org