ABSTRACT

TITLE: Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan

SUBJECT: A redevelopment plan for the Shady Grove Metro Station area

DATE: March 2006

SOURCE OF
COPIES: The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3760

ABSTRACT: This document contains the text and supporting maps of the Shady Grove Sector
Plan. This Sector Plan is a comprehensive amendment to the approved and
adopted 1977 Sector Plan for the Shady Grove Transit Station Area, 1985
Gaithersburg Vicinity Master Plan, 1990 Shady Grove Study Area Master Plan
and the 1996 Amendment to the Gaithersburg & Vicinity Master Plan. It also
amends the General Plan (On Wedges and Corridors) for the Physical
Development of the Maryland-Washington Regional District Within Montgomery
and Prince George’s Counties, as amended.

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan ii March 2006

CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL AND ADOPTION

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan iii March 2006
THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency created by the
General Assembly of Maryland in 1927. The Commission's geographic authority extends to the great
majority of Montgomery and Prince George's Counties; the Maryland-Washington Regional District (M-
NCPPC planning jurisdiction) comprises 1,001 square miles, while the Metropolitan District (parks)
comprises 919 square miles, in the two counties.

The Commission has three major functions:

1. The preparation, adoption, and, from time to time, amendment or extension of The General Plan
(On Wedges and Corridors) for the Physical Development of the Maryland-Washington Regional
District in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties;

2. The acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance of a public park system; and

3. In Prince George's County only, the operation of the entire County public recreation program.

The Commission operates in each county through a Planning Board appointed by and responsible to
the county government. All local plans, recommendations on zoning amendments, administration of
subdivision regulations, and general administration of parks are responsibilities of the Planning Boards.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the involvement
and participation of individuals with disabilities, and its facilities are accessible. For
assistance with special needs (e.g., large print materials, listening devices, sign language
interpretation, etc.), please contact the Community Relations Office, 301-495-4600 or TDD
301-495-1331.

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan iv March 2006

 ELECTED AND APPOINTED OFFICIALS

COUNTY COUNCIL

George L. Leventhal, President

Marilyn J. Praisner, Vice-President
Philip Andrews
Howard A. Denis
Nancy M. Floreen
Michael J. Knapp
Thomas E. Perez
Steven A. Silverman
Michael L. Subin

COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Douglas M. Duncan

THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

Derick P. Berlage, Chairman

Samuel J. Parker, Jr., Vice Chairman

COMMISSIONERS

Montgomery County Prince George's County

Planning Board Planning Board
Derick P. Berlage, Chairman Samuel J. Parker, Jr., Chairman

Wendy C. Perdue, Vice Chair William M. Eley, Jr., Vice Chairman

Allison Bryant Jesse Clark
John M. Robinson Colonel John H. Squire
Meredith K. Wellington Sylvester J. Vaughns

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan v March 2006

NOTICE TO READERS

A sector plan, after approval by the County Council and adoption by The Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, constitutes an amendment to the General Plan for Montgomery
County. As such, it provides a set of comprehensive recommendations and guidelines for the use of
publicly and privately owned land within its plan area. Each area sector plan reflects a vision of future
development that responds to the unique character of the local community within the context of a
countywide perspective.

Sector plans are intended to provide a point of reference with regard to public policy. Together with
relevant countywide functional master plans, sector plans should be referred to by public officials and
private individuals when decisions are made that affect the use of land within the plan‘s boundaries.

Sector plans generally look ahead 20 years from the date of adoption, although it is intended that they
be updated and revised every ten to fifteen years. The original circumstances at the time of plan
adoption will change, and specifics of a sector plan may become less relevant as time passes.

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan vi March 2006

THE SECTOR PLAN PROCESS

STAFF DRAFT PLAN — This document is prepared by the Montgomery County Department of Park
and Planning for presentation to the Montgomery County Planning Board. The Planning Board reviews
the Staff Draft Plan, makes preliminary changes as appropriate, and approves the Plan for public
hearing. When the Planning Board‘s changes are made, the document becomes the Public Hearing
(Preliminary) Draft Plan.

PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT PLAN — This document is a formal proposal to amend an adopted master
plan or sector plan. Its recommendations are not necessarily those of the Planning Board; it is prepared
for the purpose of receiving public hearing testimony. The Planning Board holds a public hearing and
receives testimony on the Draft Plan. After the public hearing record is closed, the Planning Board
holds public worksessions to review the testimony and to revise the Public Hearing (Preliminary) Draft
Plan as appropriate. When the Planning Board‘s changes are made, the document becomes the
Planning Board (Final) Draft Plan.

PLANNING BOARD DRAFT PLAN — This document is the Planning Board's recommended Plan and
it reflects the revisions made by the Planning Board in its worksessions on the Public Hearing Draft
Plan. The Regional District Act requires the Planning Board to transmit the Sector Plan directly to the
County Council with copies to the County Executive. The Regional District Act then requires the County
Executive, within sixty days, to prepare and transmit a fiscal impact analysis of the Planning Board
Draft Plan to the County Council. The County Executive may also forward to the County Council other
comments and recommendations regarding the Planning Board Draft Plan within the sixty-day period.

After receiving the Executive's fiscal impact analysis and comments, the County Council may hold a
public hearing to receive public testimony on the Sector Plan. After the record of this public hearing is
closed, the Council's Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee holds public
worksessions to review the testimony and makes recommendations to the County Council. The Council
holds its own worksessions, then adopts a resolution approving the Planning Board Draft Plan, as
revised.

ADOPTED PLAN — The Sector Plan approved by the County Council is forwarded to The Maryland-
National Capital Park and Planning Commission for adoption. Once adopted by the Commission, the
Plan officially amends the various master or sector plans cited in the Commission's adoption resolution.

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan vii March 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1
WITHIN THE I-270 CORRIDOR ............................................................................................................... 1
Context ........................................................................................................................................... 1
Planning History ............................................................................................................................. 1
DESCRIPTION OF THE SECTOR PLAN AREA ................................................................................... 5
EXISTING LAND USE ............................................................................................................................. 5
DEMOGRAPHICS .................................................................................................................................. 5
Housing and Households ................................................................................................................ 7
EMPLOYMENT AND RETAIL USES ........................................................................................................... 8
PLANNING POLICIES ............................................................................................................................. 8
VISION ................................................................................................................................................ 11
GOALS .............................................................................................................................................. 12
PLAN POLICIES .................................................................................................................................. 12
LAND USE AND URBAN DESIGN ..................................................................................................... 19
OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................................... 19
DERWOOD COMMUNITIES ................................................................................................................... 21
SHADY GROVE ROAD TECHNOLOGY CORRIDOR ................................................................................... 25
UPPER MILL CREEK AREA .................................................................................................................. 29
METRO NEIGHBORHOODS .................................................................................................................. 33
Metro West ................................................................................................................................... 39
Metro South .................................................................................................................................. 42
Metro North................................................................................................................................... 42
Metro East/Old Derwood............................................................................................................... 45
TRANSITION AREA .............................................................................................................................. 51
Sites North of Shady Grove .......................................................................................................... 51
Jeremiah Park (County Service Park – Sites 3 and 4) .................................................................. 52
Potential Joint Development Properties (Casey 6, Casey 7 and County Service Park) ...................... 54
INDUSTRIAL CORE .............................................................................................................................. 55
CRABBS BRANCH OFFICE INDUSTRIAL PARK ........................................................................................ 56
MD 355 CORRIDOR............................................................................................................................ 56
OAKMONT INDUSTRIAL PARK .............................................................................................................. 57
SPECIAL EXCEPTION GUIDELINES ....................................................................................................... 58
AREA-WIDE ELEMENTS .................................................................................................................... 61
HOUSING ........................................................................................................................................... 61
HISTORIC RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................... 65
TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................................................. 69
PUBLIC FACILITIES ............................................................................................................................. 93
ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................................. 105
IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................................... 111
STAGING ......................................................................................................................................... 111
IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES ........................................................................................................... 114
STAGING SEQUENCE: NO RELOCATION OF THE COUNTY SERVICE PARK ............................................. 115
ZONING PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 117
GUIDELINES FOR REGULATORY PLANNING AND REVIEW ..................................................................... 122

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan viii March 2006
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Wedges and Corridors ........................................................................................................................... 3

Existing Land Use .................................................................................................................................. 4
Vacant and Potentially Redevelopable Properties.................................................................................. 6
Shady Grove Existing Development....................................................................................................... 9
Land Use Vision................................................................................................................................... 10
Transit and Pedestrian-Oriented Principles .......................................................................................... 15
Park Network ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Districts and Corridors ......................................................................................................................... 18
Derwood Community ........................................................................................................................... 20
Residential Communities ..................................................................................................................... 22
Shady Grove Road Technology Corridor ............................................................................................. 24
View of Shady Grove Road Technology Corridor ................................................................................. 27
Upper Mill Creek Area.......................................................................................................................... 28
Metro Neighborhoods .......................................................................................................................... 32
Density Distribution Map ...................................................................................................................... 35
View of Town Square ........................................................................................................................... 37
View of Redland Road ......................................................................................................................... 37
View of the Promenade........................................................................................................................ 38
Potential Retail Locations .................................................................................................................... 40
View of Metro Boulevard (Street B) ...................................................................................................... 41
View of Metro Station – East Side ........................................................................................................ 43
Metro Neighborhoods Illustrative Concept ........................................................................................... 48
Illustrative Concept by Areas ............................................................................................................... 49
Transition Area .................................................................................................................................... 50
View of Jeremiah Park ......................................................................................................................... 53
View of MD 355 Looking South ............................................................................................................ 56
Proposed Land Use ............................................................................................................................. 59
Diverse Housing Types ........................................................................................................................ 60
Existing and Potential Historic Resources ............................................................................................ 64
Roadway Network................................................................................................................................ 68
Transit Improvements .......................................................................................................................... 70
Pedestrian Network ............................................................................................................................. 74
Bikeway Network ................................................................................................................................. 75
Proposed Roadway Network................................................................................................................ 78
Commercial Business Streets for Metro Neighborhoods ...................................................................... 83
Streetscape Plan ................................................................................................................................. 87
Proposed Street Cross Sections for the Metro Neighborhoods ............................................................ 88
Views of Existing Roadways ................................................................................................................ 91
Existing and Proposed Public Facilities ................................................................................................ 92
Park, Trail, and Open Space Concept.................................................................................................. 94
Existing and Proposed Parks and Open Space ................................................................................... 97
Recreation Opportunities ..................................................................................................................... 99
Urban Park Network .......................................................................................................................... 100
Watersheds ....................................................................................................................................... 104
Environmental Protection and Restoration Concept ........................................................................... 106
Existing Zoning .................................................................................................................................. 120
Proposed Zoning ............................................................................................................................... 121

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan ix March 2006

LIST OF TABLES

Shady Grove/Derwood Population by Race and Ethnicity ...................................................................... 7

Shady Grove/Derwood Multi-Family Housing ......................................................................................... 7
Distribution of Housing Units ................................................................................................................ 55
Bikeway Classifications........................................................................................................................ 76
Street and Highway Classifications ...................................................................................................... 84
Staging Sequence: Relocation of the County Service Park ................................................................ 115
Proposed Zoning ............................................................................................................................... 119

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan x March 2006

 STAFF ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Charles R. Loehr, Director
John A. Carter, Chief, Community-Based Planning Division

Project Team

Sue Edwards, I-270 Team Leader

Karen Kumm Morris, Project Coordinator, Urban Designer
Claudia Kousoulas, Senior Planner
N‘kosi Yearwood, Senior Planner

Lyn Coleman, Countywide Park Planning

Mary Dolan, Countywide Planning Division, Environmental Planning
Dan Hardy, Countywide Planning Division, Transportation Planning
Sharon Suarez, Research and Technology Center
Tanya Schmieler, Countywide Park Planning
Michael Zamore, Countywide Planning Division, Environmental Planning
Thomas VanderPoel, Word Processing
Holly Adams, Word Processing
Dave Fugitt, Mapping and Graphics
Sam Dixon, Graphic Design

Special thanks to all staff of the Department of Park and Planning, and staff of various
Montgomery County and State of Maryland agencies who contributed to this Plan. The residents of
Derwood and Shady Grove should also receive special thanks for their important contributions to this
Sector Plan.

Approved and Adopted Shady Grove Sector Plan 125 March 2006