Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment (2024)

County Planning to Hold 3 Q&A Sessions 

The Montgomery County Council has authorized the Montgomery County Planning Department to update the 2017 Bethesda Downtown Plan through a Minor Master Plan Amendment (MMPA). This update will specifically examine whether the development cap in the Bethesda Overlay Zone (BOZ) should be raised or removed. While downtown Bethesda has reached the soft cap limit, with less than 2 million square feet remaining before hitting the hard cap, much of the approved new development is still pending construction, leaving the full impact on infrastructure, such as schools and roads, yet to be seen.

Montgomery Planning will be in the community in the coming weeks to share information, answer questions, and hear your feedback about the Minor Master Plan Amendment:

-- Sunday, May 19: Bethesda Farmers Market at Bethesda Elementary School

-- Wednesday, May 29: Bethesda Connie Morella Library, 7400 Arlington Road, from 7-9 p.m.

-- Saturday, June 1: Chevy Chase Town Hall Meeting Room, 4301 Willow Lane, from 11-1 p.m.

About the Bethesda Overlay Zone

The Bethesda Overlay Zone (BOZ) was created to implement the recommendations of the Bethesda Downtown Plan as it relates to density, building heights, affordable housing, parks, and open space and design. 

The BOZ cap on development was set to ensure that total density in the Plan Area, including existing, approved, and new development would not exceed 32.4 million square feet of gross floor area. The Plan recommended that once development came within 2 million square feet of the cap, the Montgomery Planning Department would check in with the County Council to assess the implementation of the Plan and to see if additional recommendations are needed to help implementation of public amenity and infrastructure recommendations like new parks and transportation-related improvements.  

During the fall of 2023, development (existing, new, and approved) triggered the soft cap limit as well as a call for a review of the Plan that would include the possible removal or raising of the hard cap. The Town testified about this issue at a Planning Board hearing. Afterward, it was decided that the appropriate approach was to study the issues and update the Plan using a Minor Master Plan Amendment.

About the Minor Master Plan Amendment

A Minor Master Plan Amendment (MMPA) provides an update of an existing Master Plan or Sector Plan, with a narrower focus, either in terms of geography or the topics to be covered. These plans follow the same process steps as a Master Plan and Sector Plan, with community outreach, a public hearing, and the Planning Board and County Council’s review.

The MMPA will not re-open the entire 2017 plan. The existing zoning, park plans, transportation improvements, and other recommendations will remain unchanged while the Montgomery Planning Department explores how better to implement those recommendations. The Planning team is working closely with the Bethesda Downtown Plan Implementation Advisory Committee, which is a volunteer panel that consists of representatives from the resident and real estate development communities on this update. With many opportunities to engage and provide comments, the current schedule anticipates a Planning Board Public Hearing later in the fall and a County Council review in early 2025.  

Questions, comments? 
Contact: Elza Hisel-McCoy, Chief, Downcounty Planning
Email: elza.hisel-mccoy@montgomeryplanning.org
Telephone: 301-495-2115