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Stories from the NFCCA Newsletter, the “North Four Corners News”

North Four Corners News ♦ December 2024

Zoning, Transportation Issues Progressing

By Sharon Canavan

The Montgomery County Planning Board directed planning agency staff to develop a Working Draft Plan for the University Boulevard Corridor Plan (UBCP) at a 31 October hearing.  Although the UBCP covers the entire area along University Boulevard from the I-495 exit east of Woodmoor to Amherst Avenue in Wheaton, this article focuses on how the plan’s proposals could affect traffic flow, transportation, housing, and commercial redevelopment in our NFCCA neighborhood.

Upzoning Housing

The UBCP recommends upzoning over 200 single-family homes in the NFCCA community to allow higher density housing redevelopment.  The Planning Board’s goal is to “expand housing options and unit types for residents at different stages of life and at different price points.” The recommendations are also designed to promote denser transportation-oriented redevelopment near the projected Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) stops along University Boulevard at Arcola and Dennis Avenues, as well as the Four Corners intersection.  To be clear, the UBCP does not propose that the County redevelop properties.  The decision to redevelop one’s own property or to sell to a redeveloper is solely up to a landowner.

The UBCP recommends upzoning for specified R-60 single-family blocks to Commercial Residential Neighborhood (CRN), which will allow different dwelling types, such as duplexes or triplexes, up to 50' high.  Within 500 feet of University Blvd. or Colesville Rd., a quadplex is permissible.  Currently, height limits in an R-60 zone range from 30' (up to the mean height level of attic space) to 35' (flat roof).  Redevelopment for eligible types of multi-unit dwellings is “by-right,” which reduces the approval steps before construction can begin to submission of a building permit and sketch plan, rather than having to seek a variance from the Planning Board as current single-family zoning requires.

The CRN recommendation in our NFCCA area limits the maximum square footage of a building to one times lot size; for example, if a lot is 1,800 square feet, a redeveloper could build a 3-story multi-unit building with a 600-square-foot footprint or a duplex with 900-square-foot units.  The UBCP recommendation does not allow commercial use for CRN-designated properties in the NFCCA area.

Commercial Residential Town (CRT)

Closer to the Four Corners “Town Center” intersection, the UBCP calls for denser CRT zoning with varying proportions of commercial and residential mixed-use redevelopment rising up to 60'–75' high.  CRT is proposed for properties with frontage on University Blvd. from Lorain Ave. to Lexington Dr., including properties in the median “island” dividing University Blvd.  Religious institution properties located on University Blvd. nearer to Arcola are also CRT-zoned, with redevelopment primarily as multifamily residential with limited commercial use.

Attainable Housing

In a separate workstream, the County Council is beginning consideration of the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative (AHSI), which proposes upzoning for redevelopment “by right” for more than 80% of the single-family residential properties in Montgomery County.  AHSI also envisions denser housing redevelopment at medium-scale (quadplex, stacked flats, and small multifamily up to 19 units) and large-scale mixed use housing/commercial redevelopment in certain other areas.  (See the October 2024 newsletter article explaining “How the CC’s Attainable Housing Strategies Proposal Will Affect Us,” link below.)

The County Council conducted a series of public Listening Sessions on the AHSI and met on 19 November to be briefed on the public’s views.  At this writing, the timeline for further Council consideration of the AHSI and accompanying zoning text amendments is not clear.

Parking Issues

In the neighborhood within one-quarter mile of the FLASH bus stop on US 29/Colesville, redevelopers will not be required to provide any parking spaces.  (See the April 2024 newsletter article, “Parking Requirements Reduced Near Public Transportation by CC,” link below.)  BRT on University Blvd. is not yet funded, so the UBCP will not change the current parking requirements (one or two spaces per unit depending on number of bedrooms).  Depending on the availability of on-street parking, AHSI recommends reducing or eliminating parking requirements for redeveloped residential properties.

For properties that front onto University Blvd., the planning agency would like to require redevelopers to consolidate or relocate driveways to side streets or alleys and limit future driveways that can be directly accessed from University Blvd.

Transportation

On University Boulevard, the UBCP envisions a Dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lane, widening sidewalk pathways for walking and biking, and consideration of options to change how traffic flows through the complex Four Corners intersection with US 29/Colesville Rd.

At the UBCP Transportation Workshop on 25 September, planning staff described two alternative traffic routing scenarios near the Four Corners intersection at University Blvd. and Colesville Rd:  Limited Change and Street Grid.  A pedestrian/multimodal (bike, scooter, etc.) lane in each direction is recommended for both scenarios.

The Limited Change scenario has three traffic lanes in each direction, with buses running in mixed traffic.  The Street Grid scenario envisions extending Gilmoure street in South Four Corners for use as a local street.  The Street Grid scenario would eliminate the current “jug handles” and incorporate a grid pattern of cross streets from South Four Corners and Blair High School to Northwood and Woodmoor.  There is strong opposition to this second scenario from South Four Corners Civic Association (link below).

At the 31 October Planning Board hearing, planning staff recommended limiting University Blvd. to three lanes in each direction with buses traveling in mixed traffic, while studying a longer-term approach to be unveiled in the future.  Several Planning Board Commissioners questioned this “interim solution” and asked planning staff to submit a more workable reconfiguration of the Four Corners intersection in their Working Draft, adding that the current confusing traffic pattern contributes to accidents.

In another workstream focused on U.S. 29/Colesville Rd., the engineering design for a Dedicated BRT Lane for the FLASH bus is well underway.  Currently, the engineering plan will install a curbed busway (which will restrict access/egress to and from our community by blocking turns at Lorain) and reduces roadway on Colesville to construct a two-lane wide FLASH bus stop in the middle of Colesville Rd. between the church building and 7-Eleven.

Next UBCP Steps

The Planning Board directed staff to develop a Working Draft; the timeline for finishing this step is Fall 2024.  After the Working Draft is complete, the Planning Board will hold a hearing in Winter 2025 and there will be an opportunity for the public to testify or send statements or letters expressing their views.  If the Planning Board directs the staff to make adjustments, those will be made before a Draft UBCP is sent to the County Council for work sessions in Spring 2025.

Then the Council will hold a public hearing, where public testimony, statements, and letters can be submitted.  The timeline for this step is Summer 2025.  When the Council concludes its hearing process, its vote on the UBCP as a Master Plan Amendment will incorporate zoning changes and does not need further adoption by Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA).

NFCCA Policy on UBCP

NFCCA has no policy positions on the UBCP and AHSI.  There are differing views in our community on the UBCP proposal as well as AHSI.  Three Steering Committees will be established to begin developing a position and strategy for responding to these proposals:  (1) Housing Issues, (2) Traffic and Transportation Issues, and (3) Education and Outreach.  If you are interested in participating on a Steering Committee, please contact the NFCCA president.

The best way to stay abreast of these fast-moving developments is to go to NFCCA’s dedicated webpage titled “MoCo Planning” located on the top banner of our nfcca.org website homepage (link below).  This webpage will be updated with current information about these initiatives, our process for developing NFCCA’s policy, and contact information to submit your own views to the agencies and Council members responsible for making these important decisions.   ■

CC’s Attainable Housing Strategies Proposal Will Affect Us  Parking Requirements Reduced Near Public Transportation  South Four Corners Civic Association  MoCo Planning

   © 2024 NFCCA  [Source: https://nfcca.org/news/nn202412d.html]