At its Monday, January 27, 2025 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will discuss a Zoning Ordinance Rewrite, addressing comprehensive rezoning. The Mayor and Council will also adopt amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and the Town Center Master Plan. On the Consent Agenda (items approved without discussion) are a contract for electric infrastructure improvements at King Farm Farmstead ($708,856) and approval to purchase a utility truck for city use ($283,582), among others.

This meeting is an important opportunity for you to stay informed and engaged with the decisions that shape our community.

Key Agenda Items:

1. The proposed amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan (page 97+) aim to modernize building standards while preserving the neighborhood’s historic character. Key changes include increasing maximum building footprints, standardizing height limits to 30 feet, and simplifying setback rules. Vague design guidelines have been removed, and a new streamlined compliance process replaces variances. Extensive community input shaped the updates, which seek to balance flexibility for property owners with conservation goals. Critics question how effectively the changes will address long-standing resident concerns.

2. The 2025 Town Center Master Plan (page 135+), amending the 2021 Comprehensive Plan, outlines significant changes to reshape Rockville’s urban core and brought forth deep tensions over Rockville’s future. The proposed amendments to the Town Center Master Plan increase the housing unit goal from 2,000 to 3,000 and add a new 355-Corridor character area with a 235-foot base height limit within a half-mile of the Rockville Metro station. Height limits rise from 75 to 85 feet in the edge character area, and bonus heights (100 feet in the core and corridor, 50 feet in the edge) require 20% affordable housing or climate-resilient green spaces. Off-street parking minimums are eliminated within a half mile of the Rockville Metro station. At the January 13 meeting, the Mayor and Council unanimously agreed to a one-time, 60-day extension for the review and approval period, which adjusts the deadline for taking action to March 17, 2025, but it looks like they plan to take action on January 27 (why the sudden rush?).

The Town Center Master Plan proposes a taller, denser downtown, but its lack of supporting evidence raises concerns. The ambitious vision appears to rest on aspirations rather than data. Tables in the plan show higher-than-average vacancy rates for retail, office space, and housing (Tables 6, 8, and 9), possibly indicating oversupply. Yet critical factors like household income, rental rates, property taxes, and fees—key drivers of residential and business decisions—are notably absent from the analysis.

The plan does note that a 5-10% vacancy rate for multifamily housing is considered stable, and Rockville’s rates usually fell within this range (Table 3). If vacancy isn’t a significant issue, what problem is the plan trying to solve? More importantly, are its proposed solutions the right ones? Without evidence to support its sweeping changes, the plan risks being little more than opinion dressed up as strategy.

Public comments on the 2025 Town Center Master Plan also reveal diverse concerns. Proponents laud increased residential density, transit-oriented development, and stricter affordable housing requirements as steps toward a vibrant urban core. Suggestions include repurposing vacant office spaces and enhancing cultural hubs like the library. Critics raised concerns over strained infrastructure (utilities, public transportation, and schools), reduced parking in transit hubs (public transit is not yet robust enough to accommodate reduced parking), and the potential erosion of Rockville’s small-town character with taller, modern buildings (need for stricter architectural guidelines to ensure respect for the area’s historical context and community identity). There’s no consensus on this issue, which suggests a significant number of voters will be disappointed in the Mayor and Council no matter how they vote.

3. The proposed Zoning Ordinance Rewrite and Comprehensive Map Amendment (page 638+) aims to align zoning laws with the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, focusing on diverse housing, economic development, and sustainability. Key changes include creating zones for varied housing types, consolidating redundant zones, and rezoning properties for transit-oriented development. Engagement efforts included public workshops and targeted meetings, gathering community feedback on density, compatibility, and walkability. Final adoption of the new zoning ordinance and map is expected by 2026.

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 677-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272025-7389.