MOCO - County Wide Upzoning, Everywhere

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Looking at the Planning site it looks like they took their direction by splitting the difference between the Jawando and Riemer ZTAs. Mind you neither actually passed so to take un passed law as direction for policy is not the way it’s supposed to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTF... The Planning Board recommends creating a new type of Minor Subdivision to allow for the subdivision of existing platted lots for duplex and multiplex building types under the standard method (small scale) of development, and a new Administrative Subdivision for creating lots for 19 or fewer dwelling units as either standard method (small scale) or smaller AHOM developments (medium scale)...This is absurd. They are recommending a development loophole that will allow by right subdivisions with less than 20 unit developments.

It appears so. Anywhere within 500 feet of one of the corridors, so pretty much 1 block left or right of Georgia, Connecticut, University, River, Wisconsin, Colesville, New Hampshire, Randolph/Montrose, etc.

Agenda item just started. 240-773-3333 to listen in.

"Were going to move forward with policy changes"

500 feet is like 3 blocks.

Depends on the block, but not usually 3. Check the map/first link from the resources page for a visual:

https://montgomeryplanning.org/planning/housing/attainable-housing-strategies-initiative/attainable-housing-strategies-initiative-resources/

Direct link:

https://montgomeryplans.org/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=7f5f2305e4824e2290b635787fcb4d5d

Be sure to bring up the layers and check the box for the Attainable Housing Optional Method, with the sub-box for the 500 foot buffer. You can also check the two parcel sub-boxes to see individual parcel outlines.

Those would be where they could build 19-unit 4-story structures without going through a standard site plan/hearing (the optional "administrative" method). They could also go through a site plan process if they wanted 20 or more unutits. The "floating zones" and "local map amendments" to which they referred could up these to larger-scale buildings, as well. And these are without consideration for the stacked effects with recent state legislation.

They did not mention the impacts of state legislation when I watched it.

Page 50-51 of the report indicates that Planning is still "investigating" the potential effect. From that law, though, it looks like a nonprofit (e.g., church) along one of the corridors (e.g., Georgia Ave) could break up their parcel, take the 19-unit, 4-story apartment county provision and increase that to something like 24 units, possibly with mixed use and with none of the community-compatible requirements for setback, etc , on each sub-parcel, given that a percentage of the new units were affordable. That's just one of the possible stacked effects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Looking at the Planning site it looks like they took their direction by splitting the difference between the Jawando and Riemer ZTAs. Mind you neither actually passed so to take un passed law as direction for policy is not the way it’s supposed to work.

Is Hans Riemer in the room with you right now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

Emphasize with bullet points in flyer, that it will worsen traffic, increase school overcrowding, create parking issues for residents, etc.

Here is a image picture for your flyer to get message across that it will be disastrous.
https://flic.kr/p/2pZpdb7

All of the houses have the wrong number of fingers.

Also, whoever used AI to make that image missed an opportunity to blame bike lanes. I hope they do better next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

Emphasize with bullet points in flyer, that it will worsen traffic, increase school overcrowding, create parking issues for residents, etc.

Here is a image picture for your flyer to get message across that it will be disastrous.
https://flic.kr/p/2pZpdb7

All of the houses have the wrong number of fingers.

Also, whoever used AI to make that image missed an opportunity to blame bike lanes. I hope they do better next time.

And yet shockingly realistic compared to the YIMBY fanfic presented to the council. They mostly just need to photoshop in a bunch of empty buses and cars sitting in traffic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Looking at the Planning site it looks like they took their direction by splitting the difference between the Jawando and Riemer ZTAs. Mind you neither actually passed so to take un passed law as direction for policy is not the way it’s supposed to work.

Is Hans Riemer in the room with you right now?

Nah, he got sent packing. Hopefully he’s getting the place ready for a few current members of the council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

Emphasize with bullet points in flyer, that it will worsen traffic, increase school overcrowding, create parking issues for residents, etc.

Here is a image picture for your flyer to get message across that it will be disastrous.
https://flic.kr/p/2pZpdb7

All of the houses have the wrong number of fingers.

Also, whoever used AI to make that image missed an opportunity to blame bike lanes. I hope they do better next time.

And yet shockingly realistic compared to the YIMBY fanfic presented to the council. They mostly just need to photoshop in a bunch of empty buses and cars sitting in traffic.

If that's what you think, no wonder you are not effective at persuading elected officials to your point of view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

Emphasize with bullet points in flyer, that it will worsen traffic, increase school overcrowding, create parking issues for residents, etc.

Here is a image picture for your flyer to get message across that it will be disastrous.
https://flic.kr/p/2pZpdb7

All of the houses have the wrong number of fingers.

Also, whoever used AI to make that image missed an opportunity to blame bike lanes. I hope they do better next time.

And yet shockingly realistic compared to the YIMBY fanfic presented to the council. They mostly just need to photoshop in a bunch of empty buses and cars sitting in traffic.

If that's what you think, no wonder you are not effective at persuading elected officials to your point of view.

In combination with the state level zoning changes. It’s definitely possible to that there will be incompatible development like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

My neighbors (some blindly liberal) won't care about any of this. What they will care about is changes to storm drainage, water runoff rules, lot coverage, height restrictions, historic preservation, and tree preservation. Are these all planned to be overridden by this policy, or do we not know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

My neighbors (some blindly liberal) won't care about any of this. What they will care about is changes to storm drainage, water runoff rules, lot coverage, height restrictions, historic preservation, and tree preservation. Are these all planned to be overridden by this policy, or do we not know?

Rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes will not change the regulations about stormwater runoff, historic preservation, or trees, because these things cannot be changed through changes to the zoning code. In addition, rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes by itself will not change the regulations about height, setbacks, or lot coverage, although these things can be changed through changes to the zoning code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

Emphasize with bullet points in flyer, that it will worsen traffic, increase school overcrowding, create parking issues for residents, etc.

Here is a image picture for your flyer to get message across that it will be disastrous.
https://flic.kr/p/2pZpdb7

All of the houses have the wrong number of fingers.

Also, whoever used AI to make that image missed an opportunity to blame bike lanes. I hope they do better next time.

And yet shockingly realistic compared to the YIMBY fanfic presented to the council. They mostly just need to photoshop in a bunch of empty buses and cars sitting in traffic.

If that's what you think, no wonder you are not effective at persuading elected officials to your point of view.

In combination with the state level zoning changes. It’s definitely possible to that there will be incompatible development like this.

"incompatible" meaning what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

That's incorrect, though. At most, the proposed zoning changes would eliminate exclusively single-family zoning in many parts of Montgomery County. Don't you think the flyer should provide information that is correct? You wouldn't want to purvey misinformation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

That's incorrect, though. At most, the proposed zoning changes would eliminate exclusively single-family zoning in many parts of Montgomery County. Don't you think the flyer should provide information that is correct? You wouldn't want to purvey misinformation.

That is factually accurate. Eliminating single family zoning effectively eliminates single family neighborhoods. The only neighborhood that will be spared are covered by HOAS or covenants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

My neighbors (some blindly liberal) won't care about any of this. What they will care about is changes to storm drainage, water runoff rules, lot coverage, height restrictions, historic preservation, and tree preservation. Are these all planned to be overridden by this policy, or do we not know?

Rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes will not change the regulations about stormwater runoff, historic preservation, or trees, because these things cannot be changed through changes to the zoning code. In addition, rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes by itself will not change the regulations about height, setbacks, or lot coverage, although these things can be changed through changes to the zoning code.

The county literally said they are waving setback and lot coverage requirements. They also mentioned during the meeting yesterday, that zoning codes are currently silent on triplex and quadplex units. This means that they will have to write new codes for it and there is no reason to believe that MOCO can be trusted to enforce the same standards on the plex units. Also the recent state changes in law create a loophole for by-right waivers of development standards. Once single family zoning is eliminated the state laws that override local zoning authority will apply to the entire county!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This just sounds like a free for all chaotic mess not a well planned out area such as Reston Town Center. Who are the council members involved and ok with this? It feels like a bait and switch. I’d say the majority of my neighborhood is unaware of what is on the horizon.

Hand out flyers to all the homes in your neighborhood. Put them on the porch.

The actual details are sufficiently unclear to actually make a flyer. Is this intentional?

Of course it is.

You can still make a flyer to try to get the point across why it's a bad idea to make people upset about it. Title: " Proposed Zoning Changes Will Eliminate Single Family Neighborhoods in MOCO".
County is planning on pushing through significant zoning changes that will increase the zoned density of out neighborhood by 4x. ..... Please contact the planning commission and and our county supervisor to voice your opposition to these proposed zoning changes... List emails for people to send complaints to and provide a link with an email template for people to copy.

My neighbors (some blindly liberal) won't care about any of this. What they will care about is changes to storm drainage, water runoff rules, lot coverage, height restrictions, historic preservation, and tree preservation. Are these all planned to be overridden by this policy, or do we not know?

Rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes will not change the regulations about stormwater runoff, historic preservation, or trees, because these things cannot be changed through changes to the zoning code. In addition, rezoning to allow duplexes/triplexes/fourplexes by itself will not change the regulations about height, setbacks, or lot coverage, although these things can be changed through changes to the zoning code.

The county literally said they are waving setback and lot coverage requirements. They also mentioned during the meeting yesterday, that zoning codes are currently silent on triplex and quadplex units. This means that they will have to write new codes for it and there is no reason to believe that MOCO can be trusted to enforce the same standards on the plex units. Also the recent state changes in law create a loophole for by-right waivers of development standards. Once single family zoning is eliminated the state laws that override local zoning authority will apply to the entire county!!

This state law specifically exempts areas zoned single family before a cutoff date, but the protections will no longer apply if single family zoning is eliminated. The county is trying to push this significant overhaul of zoning laws through, without conducting a thorough evaluation of the impacts. Some of these state level zoning reform law were literally passed this year. The planning office has barely scratched the surface of potential impacts through mandatory density bonuses and development standard waivers in combination eliminating single family zoning.