September 4, 1997

Agenda for Meeting 03-2012 CITY OF ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION David Hill, Chair Jerry Callistein Kate Ostell Kathleen Cook Dion Trahan Don Hadley John Tyner Wednesday, February 8, 2012 7:00 p.m. Mayor and Council Chamber City Hall, 111 Maryland Avenue Bridget Donnell Newton, Council Liaison Andrew Gunning, Staff Liaison Marcy Waxman, Senior Assistant City Attorney Planning Commission Agendas and Staff Reports are available online at: http://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/Planning-Commission-4 I. WORK SESSION ITEMS A. Draft Rockville Pike Plan - Sixteenth work session on the Draft Rockville Pike Plan: Transportation and Land Use - Jefferson and Fleet Street Extensions. B. Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and Standards – discussion of the report prepared by the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance Review Committee. Final Report | Appendices | Minority Report II. COMMISSION ITEMS A. Staff Liaison Report B. Old Business C. New Business D. Minutes E. FYI Correspondence III. ADJOURN HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR STAKEHOLDERS AND APPLICANTS I. GENERAL ORDER OF SESSION FOR DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS • Staff presentation • City Board or Commission comment • Applicant presentation (10 min.) • Public comment (3 min, or 5 min for the representative of a group) • Planning Commission Discussion and Deliberation • Decision or recommendation by vote Note: The Planning Commission may ask questions of any party at any time during the proceedings II. PLANNING COMMISSION BROADCAST SCHEDULE • Watch LIVE on Comcast Cable Rockville Channel 11 and online at: www.rockvillemd.gov • Replay on Comcast Cable Rockville Channel 11: Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. (if no live meeting) Sundays at 7:00 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at 12:00 am (midnight) • Video on Demand (within 48 hours of meeting) at: www.rockvillemd.gov/VideoOnDemand III. NEW DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS For a complete list of all applications on file, visit: www.rockvillemd.gov/DevelopmentWatch IV. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RESOURCES The following resources are available to anyone who would like more information about the development review process. City staff can be reached at 240-314-8200 and additional information can be found on the City’s web site at: www.rockvillemd.gov/CPDS • Citizen’s Guides to Development Review and Zoning • Development Review Manual • Planning Academy Information Maryland law and the Planning Commission’s Rules of Procedure regarding ex parte (extra-record) communications require all discussion, review and consideration of the Commission’s business take place only during the Commission’s consideration of the item at a scheduled meeting. Telephone calls and meetings with Commission members in advance of the meeting are not permitted. Written communications will be directed to appropriate staff members for response and included in briefing materials for all members of the commission. M E M O R A N D U M February 1, 2012 TO: Planning Commission FROM: Cindy Kebba, Planner III VIA: David Levy, Chief of Long Range Planning SUBJECT: Rockville's Pike: Envision a Great Place – Work Session #16 Transportation/Land Use topics revisited: Fleet Street Extension, Jefferson Street Extension, Street network between Jefferson Street and Rockville Pike On February 8, 2012, the Planning Commission will hold a work session on the draft Rockville Pike plan, which can be found at http://www.rockvillemd.gov/rockvillespike/2010DraftPlan/index.html. The Planning Commission expressed interest in continuing the broad discussion of Architectural Standards and Document Format that was started on January 25, 2012. The memorandum for the January 25 work session is attached (without its attachments 1-3, which related to other issues) for your convenience in preparing for that discussion. Staff recommends that this session also return to some of the issues of the draft plan that were not resolved during earlier transportation work sessions that were held in June and July, 2011, specifically recommendations to expand the street network. Added street network in the plan area is in line with the revised Development Principles, especially Transportation Principle #3: “Access and movement choices for all travel modes that provide connections within the corridor and with surrounding areas.” Within this Principle, it is stated that “This plan seeks to expand the street network to enhance connectivity throughout the corridor for both cars and pedestrians.” Staff recommends that the Planning Commission use the February 8, 2012 work session to provide direction on the transportation and land use components of: 1) The proposed Jefferson Street extension; 2) Additional street grid between the proposed Jefferson Street extension and Rockville Pike (including the parallel “B” Street extension); and, 3) The proposed Fleet Street extension. Staff recommends that Commissioners view the July 27, 2011 work session as a refresher on the previous discussion, since it has been six months since these topics were discussed. The link to that work session is http://rockvillemd.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1983. The Jefferson Street discussion begins approximately two hours into the meeting and lasts about an hour. The Fleet Street discussion follows immediately afterward. Jefferson Street Extension At the July 27, 2011 work session, the Planning Commission indicated that it was in favor of the Jefferson Street extension, but some of the details of that recommendation needed to be evaluated further. Draft Plan Fig. 5.15. In the draft Rockville Pike Plan, it is The red line is the stated that “an extension of Jefferson Plan area boundary. Street [from where it now ends, just north of Congressional Lane, northward to Wootton Parkway] should be considered as a component of any future land use changes to the Country Club that affect that portion of the Club’s property in the Pike planning area.” Figure 5.15 on page 5.17 of the draft plan (also shown here, left) depicts a conceptual alignment for this extension. This alignment also follows the plan area boundary through most of the Club property. The draft plan states that the extension would redistribute some of the Rockville Pike traffic, and allow local travel to reach the west side of future Rockville Pike redevelopment in the Middle Pike without having to use the Pike. According to the draft plan, the extension would be considered when and if Woodmont Country Club proposes land use changes to the portion of the Club property that is within the Pike Plan area. Testimony received from Woodmont Country Club (testimony # 20, 100, and 129) requests that the extension only be considered if it is in conjunction with rezoning to a more intensive use or substantial redevelopment of the club property outside of the plan area boundaries. Testimony in opposition to the extension was received from the President of the Village Green Condominiums, representing the Board of Directors and the condominium residents (testimony # 112). A few other citizens also testified against the extension. Testimony in favor of the Jefferson (and Fleet) Street extensions was received from Rockville Pike Joint Venture, the owners of Wintergreen Plaza Shopping Center (testimony # 73). Others have testified in favor of an expanded street grid generally without specific reference to Jefferson Street. Staff believes that the Jefferson Street extension would improve traffic operations along Rockville Pike as it would alleviate some of the congestion at the Pike’s intersections with Congressional Lane and Twinbrook Parkway, both shown as failing, on page B.4 of the draft plan (Appendix B). Staff recommends that the City’s best interest would be served if the extension could be considered in conjunction with any development or redevelopment project that merits it, whether it is part of the Club property, inside or outside of the plan area, or another project that has significant impact on traffic congestion in the vicinity. The language “be considered” indicates that the extension would not automatically be built if development/redevelopment occurred, only that the option be available. 2 The draft plan recommends that the extension be classified as an “A” street (see page 5.20), with one lane of travel in each direction and a bike lane in each direction between the vehicle lane and on-street parking. Vehicular movement on “A” streets is meant to be slow (25 miles per hour). This type of street, with the bike lanes, could replace the bicycle/pedestrian connection shown in the Comprehensive Master Plan and shown on Figure 5.15 in the draft Pike Plan to avoid redundancy while still connecting to existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to the north and south. The City is in the midst of updating and revising its road code (Chapter 21, Article II, Division 3 of the City’s Code). Therefore, the dimensions and particular operating characteristics of the “A”, “B”, “Collector” streets shown in the draft plan may need to be revised to match up with new road classifications and requirements. However, staff estimates that approximately 78 feet of right-of-way would be needed for a road extension that would include one travel lane in each direction, bike lanes, on-street parking, sidewalks and sidewalk amenities such as trees. These road components are part of the City’s “Complete Streets Policy” that was adopted in July 2009. Complete streets provide facilities for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users and motorists, to the extent appropriate

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