Montgomery County CR Zone Amendments
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Planning DocsMontgomery County CR Zone Amendments
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Powered by AIThe proposed CR zoning encourages sustainable urban development by incorporating several environmentally friendly features and incentives. For example, the zones support green building practices and offer incentives for sustainable design elements like green roofs and energy efficiency . Furthermore, the requirement for open space on appropriate lots and pedestrian-friendly street design standards fosters a more sustainable and livable urban environment . These measures aim to reduce environmental impact and promote long-term sustainability in urban growth.
The CR zoning addresses affordable housing by integrating requirements and incentives for a mix of housing types, including affordable units, into its planning framework. For example, in Kensington, CR zones necessitate a mix of unit types to include affordable options, and they emphasize proximity to public transit, which can reduce living costs associated with transportation . This approach helps to ensure that a range of affordable housing options are available within new developments, addressing housing concerns in urban planning .
The CR zone approach is designed to integrate with and potentially supersede existing master plans. While zones are implemented through the master plan and must conform to it, the CR zone offers greater flexibility to modify various zoning aspects, such as use, density, and height limits, to better accommodate neighborhood character and current market conditions . By offering this flexibility, the CR zone can adapt more readily to new developments, ensuring that planning goals remain aligned with community needs even as they evolve .
The amenity fund plays a critical role in the context of CR zones by providing flexibility for funding larger public facilities. Developers may opt to contribute to the amenity fund instead of providing specific on-site benefits, becoming part of the planning discussions at the site plan stage . This system allows for pooling resources to develop substantial communal amenities and supports a more strategic distribution of public benefit projects throughout the community .
The proposed CR zones maintain neighborhood character and scale by implementing zoning regulations that reflect the scale and intensity of different neighborhoods, facilitating better transitions between residential and commercial areas . The CRN zones specifically provide a transition between residential areas and commercial centers by focusing on neighborhood services and setting limits on site plan reviews and the types of uses allowed, with restricted density and height ranges . These elements help in retaining the neighborhood's unique identity amidst new developments.
The proposed CRN, CRT, and CR zones differ in their maximum height regulations as follows: CRN zones range from 40 to 65 feet, CRT zones from 40 to 150 feet, and CR zones from 40 to 300 feet . This range allows for flexibility in planning and application of height is determined through a public process .
'By right' development in the CRN and CRT zones is subject to specific limitations: it must not exceed 10 units or 10,000 square feet, cannot have drive-through services, and must not exceed 40 feet in height . These developments must meet standard development requirements and do not require additional site or sketch plan reviews unless exceeding these thresholds .
The new CR zones offer several advantages over current commercial zones. Firstly, they increase public engagement by requiring site plan review at lower thresholds compared to C1 and C2 zones . Secondly, they provide greater certainty regarding density and height compared to CBD and TMX zones, offering better transitions in terms of commercial use, density, and height near residential areas . Moreover, the new CR zones introduce neighborhood protections and are designed to be more flexible in responding to local and current market conditions, making them more suitable for small and low-density lots .
The new planning approach under the CR zones encourages public participation by requiring more comprehensive public review and engagement. All sketch and site plans necessitate pre-submittal meetings where testimony is heard, particularly in areas like Kensington, Takoma, and Wheaton . Additionally, notifications are required for applications, involving posting on sites and online, as well as mailing to adjacent property owners and civic groups . This participatory requirement ensures that public voices are considered in the planning process.
The new CR zoning approach handles transitions between different land uses by better reflecting neighborhood character through zoning that matches the intensity and scale of different neighborhoods . It enables better transitions in terms of commercial uses, density, and height near residential areas, providing appropriate setbacks and eliminating the requirement for such transitions in some current zones . This transition mechanism ensures that developments are harmoniously integrated within existing urban fabrics without abrupt changes in land use intensity.
