MasterPlanReview

POTOMAC
ApprovedandAdoptedMarch2002

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

BACKGROUND
ZONINGCODEREWRITE
In2007,theMontgomeryCountyCouncildirectedthePlanningDepartmenttoundertakea comprehensivezoningordinancerewrite.Lastrewrittenin1977,thecurrent1,200+pagecodeis viewedasantiquatedandhardtousewithstandardsthathavefailedtokeeppacewithmodern developmentpractices. WithonlyaboutfourpercentoflandintheCountyavailableforgreenfielddevelopment,thenew zoningcodecanplayacrucialroleinguidingredevelopmenttoareaslikesurfaceparkinglotsand stripshoppingcenters.Anupdatedzoningcodeis importantforachievingthekindofgrowth MontgomeryCountypolicymakersandresidents want. TheMontgomeryCountyPlanningDepartmentis workingincoordinationwithCodeStudio,ateamof nationallyrecognizedconsultants;acitizenpanel, knownastheZoningAdvisoryPanel(ZAP);andother Countyagenciestoimprovethezoningcode.The ZAPwasappointedbythePlanningBoardtoweigh inontheprojectsdirectionandadvisestaff.

PublicListeningSession9/2009

InitialsectionsofthenewcodearedraftedbyCodeStudio,andaresubsequentlyanalyzedand editedbyplannersbasedonfeedbackfromZAP,countyagencyrepresentatives,residentsand otherstakeholders.TheZoningCodeRewritedraftscontinuetoundergomultiplereviewsand revisionsinpreparationforthedistributionofapublicdraftofthenewcodeexpectedinsummer 2012.ThecomprehensivepublicdraftwillthenbepresentedtothePlanningBoardand,ultimately, theCountyCouncilaspartofapublicreviewprocess.

ZONECONVERSIONPROCESS
AnimportantaspectoftheZoningRewriteprocessisthepotentialconversionof123existingzones intoabout30proposedzones.Whilesomeoftheproposedzonesareadirectonetoone translationofexistingzones,othersaretheresultofcombiningexistingzoneswithsimilar standards.Additionally,existingzonesthatarenotcurrentlymappedorarenolongerusedinthe Countyhavebeeneliminatedfromtheproposedcode.Throughtheconversionprocess, MontgomeryCountyaimstosimplifythenumberofzones,eliminateredundancy,andclarify developmentstandards.Afullconversionchartforallzonescanbefoundinthedocumentssection ofourwebsite:www.zoningmontgomery.org.
www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

Agricultural,Residential,andIndustrialZoneConversion:
Foragriculturalandruralzones,theexistingzoneswillbeconvertedtoproposedzonesonaoneto onebasis,withtheexceptionoftheLowDensityRuralClusterzonewhichisnotcurrentlyusedin theCountyandwillbeeliminated. Severaloftheexistingresidentialzoneswillalsodirectlyconvertonaonetoonebasis.Other residentialzoneswillbeconvertedbycombiningexistingzonesthathavesimilardevelopment standards.TheR4Plexzone,whichisnotcurrentlymappedanywhereinthecounty,willbe removedfromtheproposedcode. ConversionofIndustrialzoneswillcombinesimilarzones(RuralService,I1,andI4)intothe proposedIndustrialLight(IL)zone.Theexistingheavyindustrialzone(I2)willconvertdirectlyto theproposedIndustrialHeavy(IH)zone.

Examples:

Agricultural andRural

RuralDensity Transfer(RDT)

Agricultural Reserve(AR)

R60
(detachedresidential)

Residential
R60/TDR
(detachedresidential)

R60
(detachedresidential)

RuralService (RS)

Industrial

LightIndustrial (I1) LightIndustrial (I4)

Industrial,Light (IL)

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

CommercialandMixedUseZoneConversion:
ParcelslocatedintheexistingCommercial,Mixeduse,CentralBusinessDistrict(CBD),andTransit StationzoneswillbeconvertedintooneoftheproposedCommercial/Residential(C/R)or Employment(E)Zonesusingatwotieredprocess. First,decisionsforconversionsofaspecificparcelinthesezoneswerebasedonrecommendations withintheMasterPlan.PlanningstaffreviewedeachMasterPlanintheCounty.WhentheMaster Planprovidedspecificrecommendationsaboutalloweddensity,height,ormixofusesforindividual commercialormixeduseparcels,thoserecommendationswereusedtobuildtheformulaofthe proposedzone.Thisconversionensuresconsistencywithcurrentlyalloweddensityandheight,and helpscodifymasterplanrecommendationsinaparcelspecificmanner. Second,iftheMasterPlandidnotmakespecificrecommendations,thecurrentzoneconvertedtoa proposedzoneonaonetoonebasisortheproposedzonewasdeterminedusingaspecific standardizeddecisiontree(seeexamplebelow).Thestandardizeddecisiontreeconvertsexisting zonesbyconsideringeachspecificparcelsproximitytosinglefamilyneighborhoodsorother factors.Thegoaloftheconversiondecisiontreeistoretaincurrentlyallowedheightsanddensities andmaintaincontextsensitivity.

EXAMPLE:C1ConvenienceCommercial Confrontsorabuts R150orlessintense Abuts R90,R60, R40,orRMH ConfrontsR90,R60, R40,orRMH ConfrontsorabutsRT ormoreintense Within RuralVillageOverlay
then

ENR1.0 H45 CRN0.5 C0.5R0.25H35 CRT0.75 C0.5R0.5H45 CRT1.0 C0.75R0.75H45 CRN0.25 C0.25R0.0H35

then

C1

if

then

then

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then

UpdatedOctober 2012

 PLANHIGHLIGHTS

POTOMAC

ThePotomacSubregionMasterPlanwasapprovedandadoptedinMarch2002.Animportantgoalof theMasterPlanismaketheenvironmentthepreeminentpolicydeterminantinthePotomac Subregion.TheMasterPlanprovidesrecommendationsinfourmainareas:theenvironment,landuse, transportation,communityfacilities. Environment: MaintainandreaffirmalowdensityresidentialgreenwedgeformostoftheSubregion Augmentexistingstreamvalleyparksandprovideadditionalprotectionforwaterqualitybythe acquisitionofkeyvacantparcels AcquireuniqueforestareasintheGreenbriarwatershed,tobepreservedasconservationpark land. ReconfirmthePineyBranchSpecialProtectionArea Limitsewerextensionstowithintherecommendedsewerenvelope ExploretheultimateuseoftheRockvilleCrushedStoneQuarryasaregionalreservoir LandUse: Rezonealimitednumberofdevelopmentandredevelopmentsites RezonetheCabinJohnCentertoprovidedevelopmentflexibilitywhileensuringneighborhood compatibilitythroughthesiteplanreviewprocess Amendthe1980MasterPlanrecommendationforFortuneParcinordertocreateamixeduse development Proposealternativeusesfor twoofPotomacsstone quarriesastheirreserves becomeexhausted CreateaRuralVillageOverlay ZoneforDarnestownVillage centertoaddressitsunique characteristics ProtecttheChesapeakeand OhioCanalNationalHistoric Park,majortransportation Chesapeake&OhioCanalNationalHistoricPark corridors,andresidential communitiesfromincompatibledesignofspecialexceptionuses Avoidexcessiveconcentrationofspecialexceptionsalongmajortransportationcorridors

UpdatedOctober 2012

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Transportation: MaintainPotomacstwolaneroadpolicythatlimitsroadcapacityexpansion Designatenineidentifiedroadsorroadsegmentsasrusticorexceptionalrustic DonotrecommendanewPotomacRivercrossingwithintheSubregion Adjustroadclassificationstoprovidearationalhierarchy ProvideaninterconnectedsystemofClassIbikeways Supportasapriority,astudyofparatransitoptionsforTobytown CommunityFacilities Acquiresurplusschoolsitesasnewparks Establishagreenwaysystemofparktrails,primarilywithanaturalsurface AcquiresitesfortheNorthPotomaccommunityrecreationcenter,firestation,andaregional servicescentersatelliteoffice ExpandtheScotlandcommunitycenter

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

ZONECONVERSION

ThePotomacPlanningAreacurrentlyhas31zones:2Rural,18Residential,4Commercial,2MixedUse, 2Industrial,and3PlannedDevelopment. ExistingRural RC:RuralCluster RNC:RuralNeighborhoodCluster ExistingResidential: RE2:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily RE2/TDR:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily RE2C:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily RE2C/TDR:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily RE1:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily R200:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily R200/TDR:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily R150:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily R90:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily R90/TDR:DetachedUnit,SingleFamily RT6:Townhouse,SingleFamily RT8:Townhouse,SingleFamily RT10:Townhosue,SingleFamily RT12.5:Townhouse,SingleFamily RT:15:Townhouse,SingleFamily StandardConversion:

R30:MultiFamily,LowDensity R20:MultiFamily,MediumDensity RH:MultiFamily,HighRise ExistingCommercial C1:ConvenienceCommercial C2:GeneralCommercial CINN:CountryInn OM:OfficeBuilding,ModerateIntensity ExistingMixedUse: RMX1/TDR:ResidentialMixedUse RMX2C:ResidentialMixedUse ExistingIndustrial: I3:LightIndustrial I2:HeavyIndustrial PlannedDevelopment PD2 PD3 PD5

TheexistingRCwillconvertdirectlytotheproposedRCzoneandtheexistingRNCzonewillconvert directlytotheproposedRNCzone.TheexistingRE1willconverttotheproposedRE1zone.The existingRE2andRE2/TDRwillcombineandconverttotheproposedRE2zone.TheCINNzonewill reverttothezoneithadpriortorezoningtoCINN,inthiscase,RE2.TheRE2C,andRE2C/TDRwill converttoRE2C.TheexistingR200,R200/TDRandR150zoneswillconverttotheproposedR200 (ResidentialLowDensity)zone.TheexistingR90andR90/TDRwillbothconverttotheproposedR90 (ResidentialMediumDensity)zone. TheresidentialTDRzoneswillbeincorporatedintoanewTDROverlayzone. TheexistingRT6willconverttoTF6(TownhouseFloating),RT8willconverttoTF8,RT10willconvert toTF10,andRT12.5willconverttoTF12.5.TheR30willconverttotheproposedR30(Multifamily, LowDensity)zone,theR20willconverttotheproposedR20(Multifamily,MediumDensity)zone,and theexistingRHwillconverttotheproposedAF(ApartmentFloating). www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

 TheExistingI2willconverttotheproposedIH(IndustrialHeavy)zoneandtheexistingI3willconvert totheproposedEOFF(EmploymentOfficeFloating)zone.TheexistingPlannedDevelopmentzoneswill converttoTF(TownhouseFloating)andAF(ApartmentFloating). TheexistingCommercialandMixedUsezoneswillconverttothespecificproposedCRN(Commercial ResidentialNeighborhood),CRT(CommercialResidentialTown),ENR(EmploymentNeighborhood Retail),EGR(EmploymentGeneralRetail),andEOFF(EmploymentOfficeFloating)zonesusingboththe standardconversioncriteriaandspecificMasterPlanrecommendations.CommercialandMixedUse parcelsthatdonothavespecificmasterplanrecommendationswillconverttotheproposedzonebased onthestandardzoningconversiontable. MasterPlanRecommendedConversion: SeveralPotomacsparcelswillconverttotheproposedzonesbasedonPotomacSubregionMasterPlan recommendations.Werefertotheseasnonstandardconversions.TheseparcelsandtheMasterPlan guidedconversionsareshownbelow.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
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UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText 2 I3 EOFF1.0H75 173 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingdensity. FARlimitedto1.0. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page4952
IncludingtheadjacentLot40[#3below],theallowabledensityonthesitewill notexceed850,000squarefeet(0.39FAR)ofcommercialspaceor,withoutLot 40,800,000squarefeet;office,streetretail,andhotel,300apartments,and 150singlefamilyhomes.Anadditional150dwellingunitsmaybeprovidedas partofaTDRprogram.

Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

3 OM EOFF1.0H75 3 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingdensity. FARlimitedto1.0. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page4952

IncludingtheadjacentLot40,theallowabledensityonthesite[includes#2 above]willnotexceed850,000squarefeet(0.39FAR)ofcommercialspaceor, withoutLot40,800,000squarefeet;office,streetretail,andhotel,300 apartments,and150singlefamilyhomes.Anadditional150dwellingunits maybeprovidedaspartofaTDRprogram.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText 4 RMX2C CRT0.75C0.5R0.5H35 5 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingdensityandheight. OverallFARlimitedto0.75.ResidentialFARlimitedto0.5.Heightlimitedto35 feet. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page4348
Commercialdevelopmentislimitedto300,000squarefeetofgrossfloor area.Housingisnotpermittedunderthestandardmethod.Undertheoptional method,thefollowingresidentialcomponentsarepermitteduptoatotalof 135dwellingunits(includingMPDUs) Heightsofbuildings,includingcombinationsofhousingandstructured parking,shallnotexceed35feettoensureascalecompatiblewiththe surroundingneihborhoods.

Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

5 C1 CRT1.0C0.75R75H35 7 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingheight. Heightlimitedto35feet. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page6367

Providegroundfloorretailincompatiblebuildingsnotmorethan35feet high.

Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

6 C1 ENR1.0H35 5 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingheight. Heightlimitedto35feet. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page6367

Providegroundfloorretailincompatiblebuildingsnotmorethan35feet high.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText 7 RMX1/TDR CRT0.5C0.25R0.5H60 2 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingheightanddensity. OverallFARlimitedto0.5,commercialto0.25,residentialto0.5.Height limitedto60feet. PotomacSubregionMasterPlan(2002):Page5662
Themaximumdensityonthesitemustnotexceed80singlefamilyunits (includingMPDUs)underthestandardmethod.Awaiveroftherequirement for15percentdetacheddwellingisrecommended.Undertheoptional method,upto97units(includingMPDUs)arepermitted Maximumheightforanyportionofbuildingtobefivestories.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

ZONECONVERSION

Potomac
Zone
RC RNC RE1 RE2 RE2/TDR CINN RE2C RE2C/TDR R150 R200 R200/TDR R90 R90/TDR RT6 RT8 RT10 RT12.5 RT15 R20 R30 RH RMX1/TDR RMX2C C1

Existing Acres
7,067.27 137.84 1,597.59 14,153.85 182.44 6.80 860.41 968.86 505.00 7,081.22 1,374.46 1,854.82 36.90 3.06 26.08 18.83 26.36 2.76 17.17 44.91 21.30 13.08 23.53 44.92

Percent Zone
19.17 0.37 4.33 38.39 0.49 0.02 2.33 2.63 1.37 19.21 3.73 5.03 0.10 0.01 0.07 0.05 0.07 0.01 0.05 0.12 0.06 0.04 0.06 RC RNC RE1 RE2 RE2C R200 R90

Proposed Acres
7,067.27 137.84 1,597.59 14,343.10 1,829.27 8,960.68 1,891.72 3.06 26.08 18.83 26.36 2.76 17.17 44.91 21.30 13.08 23.53 9.30 4.37 17.00 14.43 24.49 61.20 2.75 4.37 41.89 292.60 84.96 193.26 86.13 3.05 36,864.21

Percent
19.17 0.37 4.33 38.91 4.96 24.31 5.13 0.01 0.07 0.05 0.07 0.01 0.05 0.12 0.06 0.04 0.06 0.03 0.01 0.05 0.04 0.07 0.17 0.01 0.01 0.11 0.79 0.23 0.52 0.23 0.01

C2 OM I3 I2 PD2 PD3 PD5 GrandTotal

85.69 7.12 41.89 292.60 84.96 279.39 3.05 36,864.21

TF6 TF8 TF10 TF12.5 TF15 R20 R30 AF CRT0.5C0.25R0.5H60 CRT0.75C0.5R0.5H35 CRN0.25C0.25R0.0H35 CRT1.0C0.75R0.75H35 0.12 ENR1.0H35 ENR1.0H45 CRT2.5C1.5R1.5H75 0.23 EGR1.5H65 EOFF1.5H75 0.02 EOFF1.0H75 0.11 0.79 IH 0.23 TF2 AF3 0.76 TF3 0.01 AF5 GrandTotal

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

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UpdatedOctober 2012

EXISTINGZONINGMAP
ExistingZones
Rural
RC RNC

Residential Estate
RE1 RE2&RE2/TDR RE2C&RE2C/TD

Residential LowDensity
R150 R200&R200/TD

Residential MediumDensity
R90&R90/TDR

Townhouse
RT6 RT8 RT10 RT12.5 RT15

MultiFamily
RH R20 R30

Commercial
C1 C2 OM CInn

MixedUse
RMX1/TDR RMX2C

LightIndustrial
I3

HeavyIndustrial
I2 I 2

Planned Development

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UpdatedOctober 2012

PD2 PD3 PD5

PROPOSEDZONINGMAP
ProposedZones
Rural
RC RNC

Residential Estate
RE1 RE2 RE2C

Residential LowDensity
R200

Residential MediumDensity
R90

Townhouse

TF6 TF8 TF10 TF12.5 TF15

MultiFamily
AF R20 R30

Comm/Res Neighborhood
CRN

Comm/Res Town
CRT

Employment, General

Employment, Office EOFF

ENR

EGR

Employment, Neighborhood HeavyIndustrial

IH I 2

Floating
TF2 TF3 AF3 AF5

UpdatedOctober 2012

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PLANNINGAREACONTEXT

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012