Monday, December 17, 2012
Montgomery County Planning Board on Thursday is expected to discuss changes to the proposed Village West at Germantown Town Center.
A developer wants to add 15 more residences to a proposed 455-unit development off Father Hurley Boulevard and Wisteria Drive, according to records submitted to the Montgomery County Planning Board, who is expected to discuss the changes during its meeting Thursday. The proposed development—Village West at Germantown Town Center—would be built behind the 600-unit Fairfield of Germantown community and would sit on 26.48 acres, abutting Waters Road, planning records show. The sought amendment would add more residences, permit taller buildings—to the maximum five story height—and change the parking lot and layout design, planning records show. County planners have recommended approving the changes. The full agenda is available at the …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Ervin: ‘We’re turning on a faucet and only letting some drops drip out of the faucet, and then we’re pretending like that’s good enough.’
Officials, advocates and the community at large need to shed outdated ideas about the long-hailed strength of Montgomery’s affordable housing programs, councilmembers say, and come up with concrete plans that work effectively. More than a year in the making, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs has drafted a 100-page housing policy—the first update since 2001—that puts a priority on: Councilmembers want to make sure the county does not rest on the laurels of decades past, when initiatives like the MPDU program LINK made Montgomery a pioneer in affordable housing. “Before we start patting ourselves on the back and congratulating ourselves for all the wonderful things we’ve done, we still have to recognize that Montgomery County…
Monday, November 12, 2012
County Council will hold eight public hearings and introduce three pieces of legislation on Tuesday.
The Montgomery County Council is set to take up its vision for a new housing policy, declare its position on this year's request for school construction funding, and introduce a bill to rewrite the fee structure for mitigating the traffic and school-population impacts of new developments. Tuesday's weekly meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. in the Council hearing room at 100 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD. Call 240-777-7803 to testify. The meeting is also televised live on CCM Channels Comcast 6, RCN 6, Verizon 30. For more information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council. See the full agenda here. A NEW VISION ON HOUSING The Council will be briefed on the 2012 update to Montgomery County’s Housing Policy. The draft policy—finished …
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
M-NCPPC: Amendment would streamline approval process
During a series of public meetings Monday, several residents objected to a proposal that would elminate the special exception process for certain accessory apartments, also known as "mother-in-law" apartments. “If they take away our voice by allowing accessory apartments by right, we don’t have a say,” said Kim Persaud, president of the Wheaton Regional Park Neighborhood Association. “These laws are going to change the way single-family homes look today.” Montgomery County residents turned out in force at two public meetings Monday. They expressed concerns over an amendment proposed by Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission staff that would permit by right “attached” accessory apartments of up to 1,200 square feet in …
Monday, May 21, 2012
Community members can learn more at public meetings Monday afternoon and evening.
The Montgomery County Planning Department is considering an amendment that would make it easier for county residents to operate accessory apartments. According to the county, an accessory apartment is "a completely independent living facility with separate cooking, eating, sanitation and sleeping facilities that is either in or added to an existing single-family dwelling or in a separate accessory structure on the same lot as an existing dwelling." Under the proposal, accessory apartments in some cases would not be subjected to an extensive special exception approval process. The Planning Department's amendment would also make a distinction between the size of the accessory apartment and whether it is "attached" or "detached" from the home…
Monday, May 7, 2012
At a housing summit Monday, local and federal officials recognized the need for more affordable housing in Montgomery County.
Nearly 26,500 people in Montgomery County are waiting for assistance to receive a housing voucher or placement in public housing, according to officials who spoke Monday at the Affordable Housing Summit of Montgomery County. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) also reported that there are more than 700 homeless veterans living in the DC metro region. The numbers are only expected to grow as nearly a million veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, according to officials. The Housing Choice Vouchers, formerly known as Section 8, allow for low-income residents to find affordable housing in the private sector, while public housing is run by the Housing Opportunities Commission and funded by taxpayer dollars. Montgomery …
Kim Cooke
8:05 pm on Friday, November 23, 2012
Well said, Mr. Hydorn. more ›