MasterPlanReview

FRIENDSHIPHEIGHTS
ApprovedandAdopted1998

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

BACKGROUND
ZONINGCODEREWRITE
In2007,theMontgomeryCountyCouncildirectedthePlanningDepartmenttoundertakea comprehensivezoningordinancerewrite.Lastrewrittenin1977,thecurrent1,200+pagecodeis viewedasantiquatedandhardtousewithstandardsthathavefailedtokeeppacewithmodern developmentpractices. WithonlyaboutfourpercentoflandintheCountyavailableforgreenfielddevelopment,thenew zoningcodecanplayacrucialroleinguidingredevelopmenttoareaslikesurfaceparkinglotsand stripshoppingcenters.Anupdatedzoningcodeis importantforachievingthekindofgrowth MontgomeryCountypolicymakersandresidents want. TheMontgomeryCountyPlanningDepartmentis workingincoordinationwithCodeStudio,ateamof nationallyrecognizedconsultants;acitizenpanel, knownastheZoningAdvisoryPanel(ZAP);andother Countyagenciestoimprovethezoningcode.The ZAPwasappointedbythePlanningBoardtoweigh inontheprojectsdirectionandadvisestaff.

PublicListeningSession9/2009

InitialsectionsofthenewcodearedraftedbyCodeStudio,andaresubsequentlyanalyzedand editedbyplannersbasedonfeedbackfromZAP,countyagencyrepresentatives,residentsand otherstakeholders.TheZoningCodeRewritedraftscontinuetoundergomultiplereviewsand revisionsinpreparationforthedistributionofapublicdraftofthenewcodeexpectedinsummer 2012.ThecomprehensivepublicdraftwillthenbepresentedtothePlanningBoardand,ultimately, theCountyCouncilaspartofapublicreviewprocess.

ZONECONVERSIONPROCESS
AnimportantaspectoftheZoningRewriteprocessisthepotentialconversionof123existingzones intoabout30proposedzones.Whilesomeoftheproposedzonesareadirectonetoone translationofexistingzones,othersaretheresultofcombiningexistingzoneswithsimilar standards.Additionally,existingzonesthatarenotcurrentlymappedorarenolongerusedinthe Countyhavebeeneliminatedfromtheproposedcode.Throughtheconversionprocess, MontgomeryCountyaimstosimplifythenumberofzones,eliminateredundancy,andclarify developmentstandards.Afullconversionchartforallzonescanbefoundinthedocumentssection ofourwebsite:www.zoningmontgomery.org.
www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

Agricultural,Residential,andIndustrialZoneConversion:
Foragriculturalandruralzones,theexistingzoneswillbeconvertedtoproposedzonesonaoneto onebasis,withtheexceptionoftheLowDensityRuralClusterzonewhichisnotcurrentlyusedin theCountyandwillbeeliminated. Severaloftheexistingresidentialzoneswillalsodirectlyconvertonaonetoonebasis.Other residentialzoneswillbeconvertedbycombiningexistingzonesthathavesimilardevelopment standards.TheR4Plexzone,whichisnotcurrentlymappedanywhereinthecounty,willbe removedfromtheproposedcode. ConversionofIndustrialzoneswillcombinesimilarzones(RuralService,I1,andI4)intothe proposedIndustrialLight(IL)zone.Theexistingheavyindustrialzone(I2)willconvertdirectlyto theproposedIndustrialHeavy(IH)zone.

Examples:

Agricultural andRural

RuralDensity Transfer(RDT)

Agricultural Reserve(AR)

R60
(detachedresidential)

Residential
R60/TDR
(detachedresidential)

R60
(detachedresidential)

RuralService (RS)

Industrial

LightIndustrial (I1) LightIndustrial (I4)

Industrial,Light (IL)

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UpdatedOctober 2012

CommercialandMixedUseZoneConversion:
ParcelslocatedintheexistingCommercial,Mixeduse,CentralBusinessDistrict(CBD),andTransit StationzoneswillbeconvertedintooneoftheproposedCommercial/Residential(C/R)or Employment(E)Zonesusingatwotieredprocess. First,decisionsforconversionsofaspecificparcelinthesezoneswerebasedonrecommendations withintheMasterPlan.PlanningstaffreviewedeachMasterPlanintheCounty.WhentheMaster Planprovidedspecificrecommendationsaboutalloweddensity,height,ormixofusesforindividual commercialormixeduseparcels,thoserecommendationswereusedtobuildtheformulaofthe proposedzone.Thisconversionensuresconsistencywithcurrentlyalloweddensityandheight,and helpscodifymasterplanrecommendationsinaparcelspecificmanner. Second,iftheMasterPlandidnotmakespecificrecommendations,thecurrentzoneconvertedtoa proposedzoneonaonetoonebasisortheproposedzonewasdeterminedusingaspecific standardizeddecisiontree(seeexamplebelow).Thestandardizeddecisiontreeconvertsexisting zonesbyconsideringeachspecificparcelsproximitytosinglefamilyneighborhoodsorother factors.Thegoaloftheconversiondecisiontreeistoretaincurrentlyallowedheightsanddensities andmaintaincontextsensitivity.

EXAMPLE:C1ConvenienceCommercial Confrontsorabuts R150orlessintense Abuts R90,R60, R40,orRMH ConfrontsR90,R60, R40,orRMH ConfrontsorabutsRT ormoreintense Within RuralVillageOverlay
then

ENR1.0 H45 CRN0.5 C0.5R0.25H35 CRT0.75 C0.5R0.5H45 CRT1.0 C0.75R0.75H45 CRN0.25 C0.25R0.0H35

then

C1

if

then

then

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then

UpdatedOctober 2012

 PLANHIGHLIGHTS

FRIENDSHIPHEIGHTS

TheFriendshipHeightsSectorPlanwasapprovedandadoptedin1998.ThePlanestablishes recommendationsinfourareasofLandUse,NeighborhoodPreservation,Transportation,andOpen SpaceandEnvironment. LandUse: ConcentratenewgrowthintheMetroservedareawhilepreservingsurroundingneighborhoods EnhancetheTownCenterbyaddingmixedlandusesonmajorredevelopableparcelsto integratethedifferentpartsofFriendshipHeights ProvidenewplacesforsocialgatheringontheHechtsandChevyChaseLandCompanysitesto reinforcecommunity EnhanceWisconsinAvenueasashoppingboulevard byexpandingopportunitiesforretailontheHechts siteandalongWisconsinAvenueontheChevyChase LandCompanysite SupportneighborhoodservingretailattheChevy ChaseCenter Provideopportunitiesforadditionaloffice developmentontheHechts,ChevyChaseLand Company,andGEICOsites,includingreplacingthe existingGEICOofficebuilding ProvidehousingopportunitiesontheHechtsand GEICOsites NeighborhoodPreservation Createanewresidentialneighborhoodof townhousesandlowriseapartmentsonpartofthe GEICOsite WisconsinPlaceinFriendshipHeights Preserveviewsfromexistinghighriseapartment buildingsbyincorporatingguidelinesfortheheight andlocationofnewdevelopment,andbytree preservationandplanting ProtectsinglefamilyresidentialneighborhoodssurroundingtheSectorPlan
UpdatedOctober 2012

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 Transportation ImproveaccesstotheMetrostationbyprovidingdirectpedestrianconnections,enhanceaccess forpeoplewithdisabilities,shorttermparkingandtaxifacilitiesonthewestsideofWisconsin Avenue,andaneighborhoodshuttleservice CreateaTransportationManagementDistrict,anentitywhosestructurewouldencourageuse oftransit Createabikewaynetworkforcommutersandrecreationaluserswithadditionalbicyclestorage attheMetrostation Improvethepedestrianenvironmentwithsaferstreetsandpedestriancrossings

OpenSpaceandEnvironmentalProtection ProvideamajorpublicparkontheHechtssite ProvideurbanparksandplazasintheTownCenterontheChevyChaseLandCompanyand Barlowsites Provideothersmallgreenopenspacestocomplementthepromenadesandcreatequietseating areasontheGEICOandHechtssites CreateanewneighborhoodparkonParcel6intheVillageofFriendshipHeights,expanding BrookdalePark,andaddingotheropenspacesontheGEICOsite PreserveandextendgreenwaysontheedgesoftheSectorPlanareaforvisualscreening, pedestrianandbicyclepaths,wildlifehabitat,andwatershedprotection Improvewaterqualityandquantitycontrolthroughonsiteand/orregionalstormwater managementfacilities ImprovelongtermregionalairqualitythroughMetrocentereddevelopmentandshiftfrom singleoccupantvehicles ImplementtheCountyagriculturalpreservationpolicythroughtheuseoftransferable developmentrights(TDRs)ontheGEICOsite

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

ZONECONVERSION

TheFriendshipHeightsPlanningAreacurrentlyhas6zones:3Residential,2CentralBusinessDistrict (CBD)and1TransitStationzone. ExistingResidential: R60:DetachedUnit,OneFamily R60/TDR:DetachedUnit,OneFamily RH:MultipleFamily,HighDensity PlannedResidential StandardConversion:

ExistingCBD: CBD1:CentralBusinessDistrict CBD2:CentralBusinessDistrict ExistingTransitStation TSM:TransitStation,Mixed

TheexistingR60andR60TDRwillcombinetoconverttotheproposedR60zone.TheexistingRH zonewillconverttotheproposedAF(ApartmentFloating)zone.TheR60/TDRpropertieswillbe incorporatedintoanewTDROverlayzone. TheexistingCBDandTransitStationzoneswillconverttothespecificproposedCR(Commercial Residential)andCRF(CommercialResidentialFloating)zonesusingboththestandardconversioncriteria andspecificMasterPlanrecommendations.CBDandTransitStationparcelsthatdonothavespecific masterplanrecommendationswillconverttotheproposedzonebasedonthestandardzoning conversiontable. MasterPlanRecommendedConversion: SeveralFriendshipHeightsparcelswillconverttotheproposedzonesbasedonFriendshipHeights MasterPlanrecommendations.Werefertotheseasnonstandardconversions.Theseparcelsandthe MasterPlanguidedconversionsareshownbelow. www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText 1 CBD1 CR3.0C0.5R2.5H90 1 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingdensity. CommercialFARlimitedto0.5. FriendshipHeightsSectorPlan(1998):Page77
Iftheexistingofficebuildingisdemolished,reconfirmtherecommendationof the1974SectorPlanforanoptionalmethodresidentialdevelopmentwitha maximumof200dwellingunitsand30,000squarefeetofgroundfloorretail.

Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

2 TSM CRF2.5C2.0R1.0H90 1 Masterplanrecommendationsregardingdensityandheight. Overalldensitysetat2.5FAR.Commercialelementsetat2.0,residentialat 1.0.Heightsetat90feet. FriendshipHeightsSectorPlan(1998):Page6365

Thisareawillaccommodatetheproposedcommercialredevelopmentofthe GEICOpropertyalongFriendshipBoulevard:approximately295,000square feetofnewofficedevelopmentoramaximumof810,000squarefeetoftotal officedevelopment.Itwillalsoaccommodatemultifamilyresidential developmentalongWillardAvenue.Theapproximatenumberofdwellingunits intheresidentialportionoftheTSMareawouldbe272,includingModerately PricedDwellingUnits(MDPUs)andapplyingthemaximumMPDUbonus.The numberofdwellingunitsintheresidentialportionoftheTSMarea,when combinedwiththedwellingunitsintheR60/TDRarea,maynotexceed500, includingMPDUs.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

3 CBD1(ChevyChaseComparisonRetailProtectionOverlay) CR3.0C2.5R1.5H90 2 Masterplanrecommendeddensities. Densitieslimitedto3.0FARoverall. FriendshipHeightsCBDSectorPlan(1998):Page53

RezonethesitefromtheCBD1ZonetotheCBD2Zone,withamaximumof 1,050,000squarefeetoftotaldevelopment.

Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

5 CBD1(ChevyChaseNeighborhoodRetailOverlay) CR2.0C2.0R1.5H90 1 Masterplanheightanddensityrecommendations. OverallFARsetat2.0.Residentialcomponentsetat1.5.Heightsetat90feet. FriendshipHeightsSectorPlan(1998):Page42

Allowamaximumof300,000squarefeetoftotaldevelopment (approximately65,000squarefeetofneighborhoodretailspace,generallyon thegroundfloor,and235,000squarefeetofofficespace).Thislimitincludes anyexistingstructurethatisnotredeveloped.

and FriendshipHeightsSectorPlan(1998):Page43
Stepbuildingsdownfromamaximumofninestoriesinthecenter(on WisconsinCircle)tonomorethanfivestoriesonWisconsinAvenueandfour storiesalongWesternAvenue.

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UpdatedOctober 2012

 Area ExistingZoning ProposedZoning NumberofParcels ReasonforNon StandardConversion Modification RelevantText

MASTERPLANDRIVENCONVERSIONS
6 TSM CRF1.5C1.0R1.0H40 1 Masterplanheightanddensityrecommendations. OverallFARsetat1.5,commercialandresidentialeachat1.0.Heightsetat40 feet FriendshipHeightsSectorPlan(1998):Page47
Allowupto112,000squarefeetofdevelopmentalongWisconsinAvenue.No developmentisallowedonParcel10Aotherthanthatdescribedinthedesign guidelinesbelow,whichincludethepossibilityofterraceparking.Buildings proposedforotherlocationswouldnotbeincompliancewiththeSectorPlan Limitthebuildingheighttothreefloorsandsetbackthetopfloor.

www.zoningmontgomery.org
UpdatedOctober 2012


Existing Acres
10.41 14.62 13.88

ZONECONVERSION
FriendshipHeights
Proposed Acres
25.03 13.88 3.57 2.12 24.02 7.97 1.40 4.48 10.24 92.70

Zone
R60 R60/TDR RH CBD1

Percent

Zone

Percent
27.00 14.98 3.85 2.29 25.91 8.60 1.51 4.83 11.04

37.68

CBD2 TSM GrandTotal

1.40 14.72 92.70

11.23 R60 15.77 14.98 AF CR2.0C2.0R1.5H90 CR3.0C0.5R2.5H90 40.64 CR3.0C2.0R2.5H90 CR3.0C2.5R1.5H90 1.51 CR5.0C5.0R4.5H145 CRF1.5C1.0R1.0H40 15.87 CRF2.5C2.0R1.0H90 GrandTotal

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UpdatedOctober 2012

ZONECONVERSION

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UpdatedOctober 2012

EXISTINGZONINGMAP
ExistingZones
Residential MediumDensity
R60 R60/TDR

MultiFamily
RH

CentralBus.Dist.
CBD1 CBD2

MixedUse
TSM

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UpdatedOctober 2012

PROPOSEDZONINGMAP
ProposedZones
Residential MediumDensity
R60

MultiFamily
AF

Commercial/ Residential
CR CRF

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UpdatedOctober 2012

PLANNINGAREACONTEXT

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UpdatedOctober 2012