Montgomery County is gearing up to write a new downtown Bethesda Sector Plan, which will set zoning rules and guidelines for the development of the area over the next few decades.
To kick off the process, county planners are holding a community meeting on Monday, Nov. 4 to make a presentation and hear ideas, concerns and questions from downtown residents, business owners and other stakeholders.
The 1994 Bethesda CBD Sector Plan established the “Metro Core District,” an area immediately around the Bethesda Metro station that would be home to more density for close-in office and commercial buildings.
That part of the plan has worked, but only to a certain extent. With little demand for new office buildings and a lot of demand for new housing units, planners have expressed concern with the balance of pipeline projects in the Bethesda Central Business District. A few are in the works for lots previously thought of as part of that Metro Core.
The Sector Plan will also address transportation issues, pedestrian circulation, parking and capacity for roads and schools.
The meeting on Nov. 4 is set for 6:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7 p.m. and discussion afterward at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center (4805 Edgemoor Lane).
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