InfoShare Newsletter - March 13, 2009

[Howard Hartman]

THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION InfoShare Montgomery County  March 13, 2009          PLANNING BOARD / DEPARTMENT OF PARKS / PLANNING DEPARTMENT
In This Issue 2009 Speaker Series Growth Policy Discussions Continue New Zoning Advisory Panel Growth Policy Recommendations Moving Forward Joing Public Forum Discussing CIP A New View of Proposed Development Go Green for St. Patrick's Day New Cable Show Encapsulates Monthly Planning Board Activities New Park Permits Online Annual Deer Management Schedule A Gift of Green... Public/Private Partnerships in Parks Check out "Building Better Communities" Video Quick Links    Planning Board homepage Planning Department homepage Department of Parks homepage Park Police homepage   Planning - Career OpportunitiesParks - Career Opportunities   Watch us on County Cable Montgomery Channel 6 Parks Show Montgomery Plans   Find archives of Info-Share and more at Connected Communities		Greetings! Below is a listing of upcoming events, programs and meetings as well as important announcements from The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Montgomery County. Please pass the information along to others who may be interested.   Marcia Goldberg  Community Outreach and Media Relations Planning Board Meetings Agendas will be posted on our website for:   Thursday, March 19, 9 a.m. Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD  20910   Thursday, March 26, 9 a.m.  (Available online Monday morning, March 16) Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD  20910   We now stream the Planning Board meetings online. Watch live on our website or view later from our archives. Please note:  Everyone who officially speaks at a Planning Board meeting must register with the board assistant unless he or she has already signed up in advance. Advance sign-up is available after the agenda is posted online.  Register at the meeting by submitting a yellow form available in the auditorium or a business card.  Was Infoshare Sent to You by a Friend?  Anyone with an email address can sign up to receive our weekly newsletter by visiting Infoshare.
Speaker Series Two-fer: Environmental Presentations Scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday Evenings Growing Smarter Speaker Series Park and Planning Headquarters auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring   The Montgomery County Planning Board is inviting experts in the planning field to share thoughts, visions and personal experience to help inform and guide them as they deliberate on the 2009 Growth Policy and a host of other issues. The 2009 speaker series will provide board members -- and anyone interested in the topic -- an opportunity to hear free, thought-provoking presentations.   Tuesday, March 17, 7 p.m. Peg Staeheli Environmentally Sensitive Design: The High Point Neighborhood Case Study A landscape architect regarded as a true innovator for her work on a 120-acre environmentally responsible townhouse development in Seattle, among other projects, Peg Staeheli has worked on sustainable solutions that incorporate natural features into the built environment. President of SvR Design Company, a Seattle-based landscape architecture and civil engineering firm, she also has worked to modify urban development building codes based on models in Sweden and Germany to bring more greenery to the streets of commercial districts. AICP members may earn Certification Maintenance credits for this activity.   Thursday, March 19, 7:30 p.m. Andrea Sarzynski  Local Opportunities to Influence our Carbon Footprint Sarzynski will summarize research that ranks energy use and carbon footprints across U.S. metropolitan areas. As a researcher working on national, state and metropolitan growth trends, Sarzynksi will discuss the factors both in and out of local control that contribute to an area's carbon footprint, focusing on capital investments, zoning and project approval. AICP members may earn Certification Maintenance credits for this activity.     Plan Ahead...   How Nonprofits, Foundations and Public Agencies Address Smart Growth, Affordable Housing and Social Equity Thursday, April 23, 2009, 7:30 p.m. Speaker: Rick Cohen, Writer and Consultant Planners Continue Community Talks to Discuss Growth Policy Monday, March 30, 7 p.m. Wheaton Sector Plan Work Group meeting Mid County Regional Services Center, 2424 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, Large Conference Room   Learn more about the Planning Department's recommendations for the 2009-2011 Growth Policy at a meeting sponsored by the Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee. Planning Director Rollin Stanley will present the latest ideas about how Montgomery County can grow smarter. The presentation is part of a series of community meetings where county planners drafting the 2009-2011 Growth Policy are exploring ideas about how we manage growth, looking beyond basing it on congestion relief and school capacity. Board Establishes Zoning Advisory Panel, Plans First  Meeting Wednesday, March 18, 7 p.m. Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring   The Planning Board appointed a Zoning Advisory Panel to help test and study new directions and emerging ideas for the Zoning Code Rewrite project. The panel's first meeting will continue a public process to help staff build on the diagnosis phase and begin to tackle ways to reorganize the 119 zones into a streamlined product more relevant to our decade. The Zoning Code Rewrite will be a collaborative effort with all stakeholders over the next three years.    Planners to Present Preliminary Recommendations for the 2009-2011 Growth Policy Thursday, March 26, 9 a.m.. Park and Planning Headquarters   Learn more about the Planning Department's preliminary recommendations for the 2009-2011 Growth Policy at a March 26 staff briefing to the Planning Board. Staff will present their ideas about how the growth policy -- which, once approved by the County Council, sets requirements for new development -- can help Montgomery County grow smarter. The presentation kicks off a months-long process for the board to explore ideas about how we manage growth. Staff recommends expanding the growth policy beyond congestion relief and school capacity to focus on ways to enhance quality of place in our communities, which reflects parallel initiatives underway in our zoning code rewrite project and current and future master plans. The briefing is open to the public; staff recommendations will be posted on the board's agenda March 20 for public comment.   Can't attend?  Tell us what you think by taking our Growing Smarter online survey or request to be on our growth policy mailing list. Joint Public Forum for the Department of Parks' and the Department of Recreation's Proposed FY 11-16 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) Budget Thursday, April 2, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Park and Planning Headquarters 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring   The Montgomery County Planning Board and the Montgomery County Recreation Advisory Boards encourage public input on future capital improvement projects (CIP) for parks and recreation facilities for fiscal years 2011-2016.. The CIP for the Department of Parks includes proposals for parkland acquisition, renovation of older park facilities, and new park development. The Recreation Department's CIP includes proposals for construction and renovation of community/recreation centers and aquatic facilities.   To sign up to speak at the public forum, call 301-495-2545 by noon, Wednesday, April 1. The forum is limited to 35 speakers, although written comments may be submitted to Montgomery County Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson at 8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910 by Thursday, April 2. New Web Site Features Realistic Views of Proposed Development By providing a portal to views of pending projects, including information about building heights, square footage and the mix of uses, DesignMontgomery will engage Montgomery County residents and others in a discussion about good design. The site shows current or recently approved projects, public buildings and spaces, and other design issues.   The site features four projects - three privately developed and one public project - with three-dimensional and/or animated views. The innovative angles allow web visitors to envision how a building will fit on a site. Planners will update pages with new projects in the coming months. Flowers to Bring Out the Leprechaun in You Tuesday, March 17 Brookside Gardens Visitors Center Adult Workshop 1800 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton   Course number 66355; Fee of $45 includes all materials. Registration required at www.parkpass.org For more information on this course or other spring offers call, 301-962-1400 or visit us online at www.brooksidegardens.org . You'll be green with envy when you see the beautiful flower arrangements made at Brookside Gardens to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day and the arrival of spring. Join Karen Nelson Kent, AIFD and owner of Floral Diversity, to go green for St. Patrick's Day. New Monthly Cable Show Features Planning Board Activities  Now you can learn more about Planning Board activities each month on our new cable program, Growing Right. In partnership with County Cable Montgomery, we launched Growing Right in October to highlight the Planning Board's main actions in a news show format. Learn more about development applications, parks initiatives and county-wide planning studies. The lively show includes interviews with board members and planners as well as onsite location shots. Other CCM-produced educational programs about parks and plannning include The Parks Show and Montgomery Plans. Park Permits Website Upgraded - Now Faster and Easier! www.ParkPermits.org has a new look with new features allowing park users to find, check the availability of, reserve and pay to permit popular park facilities, such as picnic shelters, campsites, park activity buildings and others with ease. The recently upgraded Park Permits website offers park users 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week access. Be Aware:  Deer Management Operations Continue through March The Department of Parks has listed park closures on various days from sunrise until sunset for seasonal deer management beginning  Friday, October 24 at Hoyles Mill Conservation Park. Park users are encouraged to be safe and observe "Park Closed" signs that will be posted outside the affected parks. Scheduled closings run through Tuesday, March 31. A Gift of Green: Trees, Benches and Other Amenities Friends and family members can be honored by having a tree planted or a bench or picnic area installed in a Montgomery County Park. This gift keeps on giving! For more information and suggestions, visit GreenGifts.  For information on planning your gift, contact Tin-Mala in the Grants and Donations Program at 301-650-5650. Join the Public/Private Partnership of the Department of Parks The Department of Parks partners with non-profit groups and individuals in creating new and expanded recreation in Montgomery County Parks.  The Public/Private Partnership Committee meets monthly to review proposals and ideas offered to the team. For more information visit  Public/Private Partnerships. Increasing Understanding of Montgomery County Park and Planning To better inform Montgomery County residents and others interested in parks and development issues in Maryland's largest jurisdiction, we produced a 14-minute video explaining the agency's role in the community. The video, "Building Great Communities: Montgomery County, Maryland," sheds light on how the agency works to maintain the area's high quality of life. View the video online as part of our "Montgomery Plans" cable TV series or visit your local public library and ask for "Building Communities" on DVD.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission | 8787 Georgia Ave | Silver Spring | MD | 20910