For Immediate Release: Friday, February 10, 2017
Montgomery Council committee to discuss
density for Bethesda Downtown Plan
Also on Monday, Feb. 13: South County Recreation Center,
Elizabeth Square mix-use project in Silver Spring
ROCKVILLE, Md., February 10, 2017—The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, will continue its discussions on the proposed Bethesda Downtown Plan. The plan would guide redevelopment of the County’s busiest community over the next two decades. The primary topic at this worksession will focus on how much density will be allowed.
The PHED Committee, which is chaired by Councilmember Nancy Floreen and includes Councilmembers George Leventhal and Hans Riemer, will meet in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM), which can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. The sessions also will be available live via streaming through the Council web site at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .
On Monday, the PHED Committee will focus on the Bethesda plan's recommendations for density. The proposed sector plan would allow up to 4.6 million square feet of development beyond what is allowed by existing zoning.
The PHED Committee also will hold a worksession on the planned Elizabeth Square project, which would be located at the intersection of Second Avenue and Apple Avenue in Downtown Silver Spring. The plan calls for combining five existing lots into one 3.1-acre mixed-use project. The project could have approximately 900 housing units.
The application was submitted under the County’s “Optional Method of Development” program. This allows for more density if more than the required number of Moderately Price Dwelling Units are included. The project calls for 15 percent of units to be MPDUs (the regular requirement is 12.5 percent). The maximum building height would be 165 feet (approximately 16 stories).
Another item the committee will address is the proposed South County Regional Recreation and Aquatic Park that would be part of the Elizabeth Square project. The park would provide for a new regional recreation, senior and aquatic center. The project is approximately 120,000 gross square feet of public recreation space co-located with Housing Opportunities Commission's (HOC) Elizabeth Square project that is being developed in partnership with the Lee Development Group.
The facility is anticipated to include pools for swimming, low level diving and other aquatic activities; a gymnasium; exercise and weight room spaces; movement and dance studios; multipurpose activity rooms, public use space; and social space with a culinary arts kitchen.
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Release ID: 17-044