by Amy Waychoff
Thrive Montgomery 2050 is a long-range guide for the development of the county. It was passed unanimously by the Montgomery County Council on 25 October 2022. One of its visions is to focus on infill development along major corridors in the county. The plan also “aims to ensure that exclusively single-family zoning is not a barrier to development in many Montgomery County neighborhoods.” The “growth corridors” affected are:
- Rockville Pike
- Georgia Avenue
- Colesville Road/Columbia Pike (Rt. 29)
- New Hampshire Avenue
- Connecticut Avenue
- University Boulevard
- Veirs Mill Road
- Randolph Road/Old Georgetown Road/Rock Spring Drive between Rock Spring and Columbia Pike; and
- River Road
The first corridor, the Planning Board and the County Council is tackling is University Boulevard. So far, the Board, but not the Council, has passed the University Boulevard Corridor Plan (UBCP). Neighboring communities are very upset about the possible zoning changes to single-family home neighborhoods and the lack of infrastructure to support the proposed new development. As the President of the Montgomery County Civic Federation, Cheryl Gannon, explained:
- The plan reaches into the neighborhoods and upzones more than 500 homes.
- It zones for commercial properties, while ZTA 25-02 [More Housing Now, passed in July] allows only ancillary uses.
- Although Thrive called for keeping the master plan process-- this plan ignores the master plan process.
- It eliminates several traffic lanes on University Blvd on a presumption that there will be a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), although BRT isn't expected to be there within the 20 year horizon of the plan.
- The plan includes apartment buildings of various heights, including as high as 100 feet tall.
Why should we care about a 3.5 mile stretch (from Wheaton to Four Corners) of University Boulevard? Because all of the Thrive corridors are subject to this redevelopment. As Cheryl concludes, “we all need to stand with our neighbors there. Leaving each Civic Association to fend for themselves is not a strategy for success.”
Others have also pointed out that the pedestrian safety improvements needed on University Boulevard should be made now, without waiting for the implementation of the UBCP.
In other planning news, the Planning Board issued a report about the many building projects approved but stuck in the pipeline. A notable admission by the Board was that the rent control bill passed in 2023 (which took effect in 2024) had chilled investment and made long-term returns more uncertain. Also cited were regulatory processes and a lack of infrastructure.
Upcoming Meetings in the Montgomery County Council on Housing Issues
November 3, 2025, 1:30-4:30 pm: University Boulevard Corridor Plan (UBCP) Work session, Planning Housing and Parks Committee. You can watch on County Cable Montgomery (CCM) or the Council’s YouTube channel. On CCM, it is Comcast, channels 6 and 996; RCN channels 6 and 1056; and Verizon, channel 30.
November 17, 2025, 1:30-4:30 pm: ZTA 25-12, University Boulevard Overlay Zones Work session, Planning Housing and Parks Committee. Watch as above.
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Amy Waychoff is a member of the Executive Committee of the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee. She can be reached at [email protected].