Sector Plan: Planning Board Draft
Sector Plan: Planning Board Draft
Sector Plan: Planning Board Draft
MontgomeryPlanning.org
County Executive
Isiah Leggett
Commissioners
Montgomery County Planning Board Prince George’s County Planning Board
Royce Hanson, Chairman Samuel J. Parker, Jr., Chairman
John M. Robinson, Vice Chair Sylvester J. Vaughns, Vice Chair
Joe Alfandre Sarah A. Cavitt
Jean B. Cryor Jesse Clark
Amy Presley Colonel John H. Squire
on the pike
Jobs/Housing Ratio 9.85/1 3.0/1 1.9/1 3.4/1
The area for the demographic and housing analysis is twice the size of the Sector Plan area.
Within the analysis area, there are about 18,720 residents, 3,000 detached units, 1,140
townhouses, 2,900 garden apartments, and 1,755 high-rise units. Within the Sector Plan
area, there are 2,321 existing and 2,220 approved dwelling units, all of which are high rises
(Table 2). More than 1,000 of the existing units in the Plan area are rental units. There are 211
existing moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs) and 258 more affordable units have been
approved.
In the core, the community, the conference center, and commerce converge to
Core express White Flint’s special character. The highest density and tallest buildings at the
Metro station will form an identifiable center.
White Flint will have a walkable street system. Rockville Pike, transformed into a grand
boulevard, will visually tie together the east and west sides of the Sector Plan area.
Mobility
Sidewalks, bikeways, trails, and paths will provide options for pedestrian circulation and
connections to the existing and new neighborhoods and surrounding communities.
White Flint will have buildings with podiums that line the street and slender towers
Buildings that articulate the skyline. Architectural details will incorporate features that add
interest at the ground level as well as the floors above.
Public Use The compact development pattern includes a system of public use spaces where
Spaces people can gather for events or enjoy recreational activities.
New development will decline in height and density from the center and
Compatibility Rockville Pike, providing compatible transitions as it approaches the surrounding
neighborhoods.
New development must incorporate environmentally sensitive design to conserve and
Sustainability generate energy and make maximum use of resources and minimize disruption of the
natural environment.
Core
The core of White Flint is located between Marinelli Road and Old
Georgetown Road and within a ¼-mile of the Metro station. Here
density is high and buildings are tall. Two districts define the core:
the Metro West District with the Conference Center, Wall Local Park,
and civic green on the west side of Rockville Pike, and the Metro
East District with two Metro entrances, a bridge over the Metro
tunnel, and the North Bethesda Center development. Market Street
connects the two districts across Rockville Pike. A secondary focal
area lies along both sides of Rockville Pike between Montrose Road
and Executive Boulevard, where existing and planned retail centers
will continue to serve the regional market. Buildings along Rockville
Pike take advantage of long views out as well as visibility from the
northern and southern edges of the Plan area (Figure 7).
Local Streets
These streets provide access into the interior of the blocks
and can have special features to distinguish the different
enclaves of development from each other, such as special
paving materials. The streets are intended to have narrower
cross-section and should emphasize pedestrian activity.
Vehicles should operate at greatly reduced speeds.
Promenades
Promenades are designated for those streets where a
distinctive streetscape lends character and importance
to the pedestrian experience. There are two intersecting
promenades in the Plan area: the Market Street Promenade
(Figure 10) and the Rockville Pike Promenade over the
WMATA Tunnel. A portion of the proposed Rockville Pike
Promenade exists along the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
frontage and should be extended north and south to create
a unique walking environment.
Bike Paths and Trails
This Plan proposes an integrated network of bike paths and
trails. Two bike paths in White Flint are part of the regional
pedestrian and bicycle circulation system: the planned
Montrose Parkway bike path and the Bethesda Trolley Trail.
The Montrose Parkway bike path provides east-west links to
trails in Cabin John Regional Park and Rock Creek Regional Park. The Bethesda Trolley Trail should be extended along Woodglen
Drive to connect to Wall Local Park, the Market Street Promenade, and the Montrose Parkway bike path. The Plan recommends
providing connections to these regional trails.
Recreation Loop
The recreation loop is a continuous signed recreational pathway that connects the public open spaces to the civic green and Wall
Local Park. The loop is intended to link new and existing neighborhoods (see Open Space Plan, Figure 12).
For Everyone
Wall Park
swimming sports, recreation, and fitness
activities
Compatibility
White Flint Park, Garrett Park Estates,
Crest of Wickford, Old Georgetown
Village and Fallstone are single-family
and townhouse communities that
immediately surround the Plan area.
These neighborhoods have differing
densities and scales. New development
at the edges must be compatible with
these neighborhoods in building height
and scale and should accommodate
pedestrian and bicycle access from
existing neighborhoods. Landscaped
buffers, compatible uses, and buildings
of appropriate bulk and height should be
located adjacent to existing communities.
Development in accordance with this
Plan should add value and enhance the
quality of life that surrounds the area
by providing increased services, better
facilities, employment opportunities
and greater housing opportunities. The
proposed density and height map (Figure
13) indicates the areas where heights
and density transition to the surrounding
neighborhoods.
• Confirm existing residential development (Grand and Wisconsin) in the TS-R zone since
redevelopment with mixed uses is unlikely.
• Rezone the TS-M zoned Holladay property, located at Marinelli Road and Rockville Pike,
and the C-2 property at the corner of Nicholson Lane and Rockville Pike to CR 4: C 3.5,
R 3.5, and H 300. The Holladay property is currently subject to a development plan with
a maximum 2.2 FAR. If the owners choose to take advantage of the greater potential
FAR of the CR zone, the new plan will be subject to the requirements of the CR zone.
Metro East forms the eastern half of the core area and
contains the 32-acre North Bethesda Center project on the
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
property and the Forum, an older residential high rise.
Along Old Georgetown Road, between Rockville Pike and
Nebel Street, are the recently built Sterling, Gallery, and
White Flint Station mixed-use, high-rise developments
(Figure 20).
Block 1: North Bethesda Center
The 32-acre North Bethesda Center development is a planned mixed-use development Figure 20: Location
with high rise multifamily residential, child daycare, office, and retail development on the
WMATA site. The Center, because of its Metro station proximity, should take advantage
of the additional density and provide more residential and office development. There are
four other properties along Nebel Street that could redevelop into mixed uses.
• A development plan and preliminary plan govern the TS-M zoned North Bethesda
Center. Some of the parcels in the project have received site plan review approval.
Rezone the TS-M area between Rockville Pike and Citadel Street Extended
(Chapman/Oak Grove Street) to CR 4: C 3.5, R 3.5, and H 300. This will create
potential for more density at the Metro station than is currently approved under the
existing TS-M Zone. McGrath Boulevard (the eastern extension of Market Street) has
an approved streetscape plan, building setbacks, and cross-section. Figure 10 on
page 20 does not apply to McGrath Boulevard.
• Rezone the TS-M land between Citadel Road Extended (Chapman/Oak Grove) and Figure 21: Height and Density
Wentworth Place to CR 4: C 2.0, R 3.5, and H 250. This will allow more residential
development at the Metro, but not directly on Rockville Pike. In this section, building
heights should be lower, allowing a transition to the Nebel District.
• Rezone the remaining TS-M area and the I-1 parcel east of Wentworth Place (once
used for stormwater management) in the North Bethesda Center project to CR 3: C
1.5, R 2.5, and H 200. Rezone the 0.17-acre, R-90 Montouri property to CR 3: C 1.5,
R 2.5, and H 200.
• Rezone the three properties on the south end along Nebel Street to the same zone,
CR 3: C 1.5, R 2.5, and H 200 feet. This will allow for assembly or independent
redevelopment.
Block 2: Sterling
• Confirm TS-M Zone on properties along the north side of Old Georgetown Road. The
mixed-use development is recent and there is little likelihood of redevelopment over the
Plan’s lifetime.
• Confirm the O-M Zone on the existing office buildings and the R-H Zone on the Forum
property.
• Rezone the I-4 properties to CR 3: C 1.5, R 2.5, and H 200. This will allow existing
properties to continue in their current uses, but if future redevelopment is desirable,
mixed use is possible.
The Mid-Pike District contains the Mid-Pike Plaza Shopping Center and excess
right-of-way for Montrose Parkway. This District will function as a regional retail
magnet with a substantial residential component and public services (Figure
23.) Mid-Pike Plaza is a 20-acre strip shopping center with surface parking
and one and two-story buildings in the C-2 Zone. The State of Maryland owns
approximately 9.5 acres immediately north of the shopping center, much of
which will be used for Montrose Parkway.
Redevelopment in the district should retain its regional marketplace function and include residential and civic
uses. Building heights of 300 feet should frame the corner of Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown Road. Public
use space, such as an urban plaza or neighborhood green, a civic or cultural attraction, such as a community
playhouse or theater, in conjunction with an express/electronic library, will provide reasons to gather and
encourage all day activity.
Figure 28
The 30-acre Maple Avenue District has three sections. Along Rockville Pike is an office
building and excess right-of-way for the Montrose Road interchange. In the interior on
either side of Maple Avenue are small lots with low-scale industrial and commercial uses,
including automobile repair. Many of these properties are small and redevelopment is
unlikely in the near term. The Montrose Shopping Center is located at the intersection of
Nebel Street and Randolph Road. The historic Montrose School is located on the north
side of Montrose Parkway. Existing zones in this district are I-4, C-2, O-M, and R-90
(Figure 29).
The Montrose Parkway interchange limits the desirability for residential uses for properties
along Rockville Pike and Randolph Road. However, the extension of Maple/Chapman
Avenue to Old Georgetown Road will provide new access to the Metro station and
residential redevelopment may be appropriate. Some light industrial and commercial Figure 30: Height and Density
properties may redevelop with mixed uses along Maple/Chapman Avenue.
Proposed Zoning
• Confirm the Montgomery County Pre-Release Center and the Washington Gas facility in the I-4
Zone.
• The I-4 zoned Montouri and Washington Real Estate Trust properties north of the Washington
Gas Company should be re-zoned CR 3, C 1.5, R 2.5, and H 200 to encourage as much
residential development as possible. Signature buildings, between 150 and 200 feet tall may
be located at the terminus of Old Georgetown Road and Nebel Street or at the intersection
of Randolph Road and Nebel Street, in conjunction with development in the Maple Avenue
District.
• Rezone the five C-2 properties at the southern end of the Nebel Street and Nicholson Lane to
CR 3, C 1.5, R 2.5, and H 100 to allow for mixed uses.
Proposed Zoning
The NRC District, approximately 38.5 acres, is bounded by Rockville Pike, Nicholson
Lane, Nebel Street, and Marinelli Road. The headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC); Strathmore Court, a Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC)
multifamily residential development; and a WMATA bus facility are located within the
district. Properties are zoned TS-M, I-1, and C-2. The WMATA site has the greatest
potential for future redevelopment and could add a substantial amount of residential
uses should the bus facility no longer be needed (Figure 35).
Existing Zoning
Proposed Zoning
Proposed Zoning
Street Network
• Augment the master planned street
network (Figure 43). Plan area streets
should adhere to the design standards
of the County Road Code. Nebel Street
is to have a three-lane cross section to
allow for a southbound travel lane and
continuous left turn lane. Pedestrian
refuge islands can be provided where
Nebel Street forms a T intersection with
B-2, B-13 and B-6, because there is no
left turn lane.
• Implement non-master planned street
and alley connections in conformance
with the Montgomery County Zoning
Ordinance, White Flint Urban Design
Guidelines, and the County Road Code.
These streets may be public or private
and provide flexibility for operational
functions including property access,
loading, and parking.
• Target speeds for the Plan area roadways
are 25 miles per hour except for
Montrose Parkway, which has a target
speed of 35 miles per hour.
Transit
• Construct a northern entrance to the
Metro station in the southeast quadrant
of Rockville Pike and Old Georgetown
Road.
Figure 45: Existing and Proposed Community Facilities and Historic Sites
60 White Flint Sector Plan • July 2009 • Planning Board Draft
Figure 46: Proposed Open Space System and Recreation Loop
• Locate a new police substation with other public uses, with the new Fire and Emergency Services on excess SHA property
in the Mid-Pike Plaza District.
• Contract for the construction of the realignment of Executive Boulevard and Old Georgetown Road.
• Contract for construction of Market Street (B-10) in the Conference Center block.
• Fund streetscape improvements, sidewalk improvements, and bikeways for all streets within one quarter-mile of the Metro
station: Old Georgetown Road, Marinelli Road, and Nicholson Lane.
Establish a bus circulator system linked to surrounding Construct Nebel Street Extended between Nicholson
office districts and residential neighborhoods. Lane and Rockville Pike as needed for road capacity.
Establish an inventory of long-term parking spaces Conduct a North Bethesda residential areas circulation
to set requirements for Phase 1 and Phase 2 parking study.
caps that provide a progressive achievement of the
Increase non-auto driver mode to 35 percent.
end-state limitation of 0.61 long-term parking spaces
per employee in the Plan area. Limit long-term parking spaces to capacity established
in the Annual Growth Policy.
Limit long-term parking spaces to capacity established
in the Annual Growth Policy.
Achieve 30 percent non-auto driver mode share for the
Plan area.
1 “Old” Old Georgetown Rd Executive Blvd to Montrose Pkwy M-4(a) 0.2 $ 1.3 0.3 $ 7.5 $ 8.8
1 Executive Blvd realignment B-15 2.6 $ 16.9 0.3 $ 7.5 $ 24.4
2 Nebel St Extended (south) MD 355 to Nicholson Ln B-5 5.2 $ 33.8 0.5 $ 12.5 $ 46.3
2 Metrorail northern station entrance $ - $ 25.0 $ 25.0
2 Streetscape improvements $ - 5.4 $ 27.0 $ 27.0
3 Rockville Pike boulevard Montrose Rd to Edson Ln M-6 2.4 $ 15.6 1.2 $ 66.0 $ 81.6
3 MARC station/access improvements Nicholson Ct $ - $ 15.0 $ 15.0
Project Team
Community Based Planning
Piera Weiss
Nkosi Yearwood
Jacob Sesker
Transportation
Dan Hardy
Tom Autrey
Ed Axler
Environment
Mary Dolan
Amy Lindsey
Steve Findley
Research
Sharon Suarez
Chris McGovern
Krishna Akundi
Urban Design
Luis Estrada
Margaret Rifkin
Clare Kelly
Park Planning
Brooke Farquhar
Planning Board Draft
The White Flint Sector Plan
midtown on the pike
July 2009
www.MontgomeryPlanning.org