At its Monday, January 6, 2025 meeting starting at 6:30 pm, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss revisions to the Lincoln Park Conservation District and the Town Center Master Plan. On the Consent Agenda (items approved without discussion) is an additional loan of $1.5 million from Montgomery County to RHE Scarborough Square. This meeting is an important opportunity for you to stay informed and engaged with the decisions that shape our community.

Key Agenda Items:

Approval of $1.5M Housing Initiative Fund Loan (starting page 14). In 2022, RHE Scarborough Square, LLC acquired the 121-unit Scarborough Square Townhomes and Apartments for $40 million to increase the availability of moderately-priced housing in Rockville, relying on a complex financial arrangement involving loans, grants, refinancing, and extensions from the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, and ORLO Scarborough Investors, LLC. Montgomery County now proposes an additional $1.5 million loan to address financial shortfalls. While this reflects the city’s commitment to collaborative efforts to provide affordable housing for low-income residents, it also highlights that financial sustainability requires significant government funding. Landlords and developers face the same financial challenges and must earn a profit to survive, unlike the non-profit Rockville Housing Enterprises.

Amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan (49). The proposed amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan aim to preserve the neighborhood’s character while providing flexibility for property improvements. Key changes include updated design guidelines for building footprints, materials, porches, and garages, as well as increased lot coverage allowances to balance conservation with modern needs. While the guidelines provide clarity and adaptability, limited public participation and potential cost increases for homeowners remain concerns.

Rockville Town Center Master Plan Worksession #3 (134). The third worksession on the Rockville Town Center Master Plan focuses on finalizing unresolved issues, including the boundary for the MD-355 Corridor Character Area (where do we allow increased development height allowances—235′ base height with an additional 100′ bonus height? Downtown’s tallest building—51 Monroe—is 225′ high) and reducing parking to decrease housing costs (but how much and for how long? the research provides lots of theory, but no hard data on results that are comparable to Rockville—it’s not DC or NYC. Town Center is surrounded by neighborhoods and public transportation is unreliable and slow—how will this affect College Gardens or Twinbrook?). This session aims to clarify these key elements to ensure the plan aligns with community goals and is ready for adoption at the next meeting.

How to Participate:

Attend in Person: The meeting will be held at City Hall, 111 Maryland Avenue (downtown, behind the Maryland District Courthouse). We encourage residents to attend and voice their opinions during Community Forum.

Watch Online: If you can’t make it in person, you can watch the live stream on the city’s website at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/157/Rockville-11.

Submit Comments: You can submit your comments or questions in advance by emailing MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.

Your participation is crucial in shaping the future of our city. Whether you have specific concerns or just want to stay informed, we hope to see you at the meeting.

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Thank you for being an active and engaged member of our community. More details in the 260-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01062025-7365.