preserving the quality of life in Olney, Maryland

Thank you to Jim Humphrey for this report on the Housing Montgomery Plan:

Reemergence of the "Housing Montgomery" Plan in February 2004

The Housing Montgomery Plan, subtitled “A Menu of Options to Dramatically Increase the Supply of Housing for Our Workforce,” was originally released to the public by the Planning Board in March 2003. The Plan outlines a legislative and planning approach to maximizing housing density as the county approaches build-out (details provided below). The stated justification for the Plan is “to ensure that the county’s economy is not constrained by a lack of affordable housing.” However, many citizen advocates view the Plan as offering great benefit to developers (those same developers who contributed over $1.7 million to certain Councilmembers’ election campaigns in 2002), while posing a potential risk to our environment, to historic preservation, to our ability to provide adequate roads, schools and services to support this new development, and to the fiscal health of our county government—in short, a threat to our quality of life.

Over the past eleven months, only a few aspects of the plan have been introduced in the form of legislation in Council, with four key items receiving approval—a bill reducing the size of residential developments required to provide Moderately Priced Dwelling Units or MPDUs (and, therefore, able to receive developer bonuses allowed for MPDU provision), the Voluntary MPDU bill (allowing projects under 35 units in size to volunteer MPDUs and take advantage of developer bonuses), the MPDU Infill Development ZTA (allowing townhouse developments in R-60 zoned areas if MPDUs are included), and elimination of the Annual Growth Policy that had been used to establish the pace for approval of new development. Although met with citizen opposition, these legislative proposals were approved by majority vote of the Council.

Many hoped that the Housing Montgomery Plan had been shelved in response to citizen concerns. But, at its February 5 meeting, staff presented the Planning Board with a draft of the updated Housing Montgomery Plan. It was made clear during the discussion that staff has been working on this update for months, asking advice from the National Capital Area Builders Association but without seeking any input from citizens.

When the Montgomery County Civic Federation President last April filed his concern with Council and the Planning Board that citizens were not consulted in the drafting of the original Plan, he was assured by then-Council President Subin that citizens would be included in future at every step of the process on the Housing Montgomery Plan. Since citizens have once again not been invited to the table to formulate this Plan update they are forced into the role of reacting to a proposal they did not help draft, allowing their input to be denigrated and dismissed by certain Councilmembers as the criticism of those uninformed and uninvolved. When will the citizens of this county, not just special interests, be invited to participate in planning their future?

In analyzing the Housing Montgomery Plan Update, it should be remembered that the Plan is based on the assumption that there is a critical need for more housing in Montgomery County. If one truly believes that the county government should be of, by, and for the people, then before this Plan was ever drafted certain questions should have been asked and answered--“Do the current citizens of Montgomery County want to see more housing built in the county? How much? What kind? And where?”  So, with the understanding that this Plan begins at Step Two of the land use planning process, the following is a list of some of the particular issues involved.

Some Particulars of the Housing Montgomery Plan

• Comprehensive Rewrite of the County’s Zoning Ordinance - insert mixed-use housing component into commercial and industrial zone categories, and allow alternative building types and increased density in zoning categories that already include housing
   
• Master Planning Revision Process - revise each master plan to include a chapter on housing, and recommend increased densification of housing for each planning area
   
• Metro Station Areas/Central Business Districts - using Smart Growth as a justification, increase housing target goals by raising height and density limits (even if resulting traffic congestion worsens to the point where drivers are forced out of their cars onto mass transit)
   
• Affordable Housing – use need for affordable housing, such as MPDUs, as rationale for allowing alternative building types in zones (such as townhouses in traditionally single-family detached home zones), increased building heights, increased density, and decreased minimum setback requirements. Propose accessory apartments be allowed in new development, such as at King Farm, without counting toward density limit
   
• Develop County Owned Land for Affordable Housing - target surplus schools, county and Planning Commission owned properties for sale to developers (with agreement for provision of percentage of affordable units), for joint partnership development, or to have the county itself develop (county not required to abide by building standards of a zone category, such as height and density limits)
   
• Public/Private Partnership – coordinate with private groups on issues such as project financing, affordable home mortgages, even development of housing component in some area shopping centers (e.g.; the empty Ames store in Hillandale Shopping Center, and the empty Sears store in White Oak Shopping Center)
   
• Public Information Packet  - the Planning Board staff will print and distribute, perhaps with some funding from private industry (developers?), an information packet explaining the Housing Montgomery Plan to county citizens

Tentative Time Table for Implementation of Housing Montgomery

March 9 - MCPS to decide on possible use of 3 surplus properties for affordable housing

April 12 - Planning Board to deliver Bi-Annual Report to Council, including draft Plan update

April 15 - County to decide on possible use of 4 surplus properties for affordable housing

Summer 2004 - Planning Board sends Council proposal for implementing Plan, including draft of ZTAs required for comprehensive rewrite of the county Zoning Ordinance

Fall 2004 - Zoning Text Amendments introduced in Council to effect Plan implementation

End of 2004 – Council approves legislative package necessary to begin Plan implementation

While some aspects of this Plan appear worthy of consideration, others appear to be thinly veiled developer giveaways. One thing is certain--the Housing Montgomery Plan will affect every area of the county. Even those areas not currently targeted for densification or manipulation of zone categories will eventually come under scrutiny, once all other areas are developed or redeveloped. There is no more important issue facing this county, with the possible exception of the fiscal mismanagement currently being exhibited by the County Council and Executive (estimated budget shortfall for next fiscal year now stands at $200 million).

-- Jim Humphrey. For more information, contact Mr. Humphrey at theelms518@earthlink.net or telephone at (301) 652-6359