Montgomery County Council Approves Thrive Montgomery 2050

• October 25th

by UrbanTurf Staff

The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved Thrive Montgomery 2050 on Tuesday, a sweeping update to county's 50 year-old general plan that has been in the works for four years. 

Thrive Montgomery 2050 is a 30-year plan for the county that focuses on future growth, and policy recommendations for land use, zoning, housing, the economy, equity, transportation, parks and open space, the environment and historic resources.

There has been a tremendous amount of debate and opposition to the plan, perhaps most specifically focused on the proposal to allow a mix of housing in what are currently single-family zoned neighborhoods in the county. 

“The previous General Plan has served us well, but it’s time for a new vision that can better meet the evolving needs of our current and future county residents,” said Acting Planning Director Tanya Stern. “The new plan, which reflects three years’ worth of community engagement with thousands of residents, gives us a clear path forward: to focus future growth around corridors and centers and reduce sprawl, increase housing that residents can afford, improve transit, and strengthen businesses, in equitable, sustainable ways.”

While the plan doesn't call for changing zoning, council members acknowledged that zoning changes would be necessary for the plan's vision to be realized. 

For more on the Thrive 2050 plan, click here. 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/montgomery_county_council_approves_thrive_montgomery_2050/20238.