White Flint
North Bethesda's Urban Center
Approved and Adopted White Flint Sector Plan
The Montgomery County Council on March 23, 2010 unanimously approved the White Flint Sector Plan. Download the approved and adopted plan. (pdf, 10 MB) Note: The plan file was downsized for faster downloads. For a higher-resolution version, request the approved and adopted plan on CD-ROM.
In February, planners, county officials and the White Flint Partnership accepted a 2012 Maryland Sustainable Growth Award-Smart Growth Communities for White Flint implementation strategies. The recognition came because the Sector Plan implementation addresses several smart growth principles defined by the state Sustainable Growth Commission, from quality of life and sustainability to public participation.
In October 2010, the plan won the "Neighborhood/Small Area Plan award" from the National Capital Area chapter of the American Planning Association.
The White Flint Sector Plan aims to:
- Create thriving, diverse mixed use center with highest intensity closest to Metro and along Rockville Pike
- Create new parks and open spaces
- Transform Rockville Pike into a boulevard with street trees and improved crosswalks
- Develop a transportation network that includes a grid of new public streets
- Improve the pedestrian and bicycling environment
- Promote sustainable development
This Sector Plan updates the 1992 North Bethesda Garrett Park Master Plan. Several stakeholders including property owners, residents, a steering and an advisory committee, contributed to creating the Plan.
- View the plan appendix
- View staff presentations and interim reports
- Keep track of the progress of the Sector Plan Implementation Advisory Committee
White Flint in the news
- Listen to the December 2011 National Public Radio piece, "Maryland County Rethinks the Shopping Mall," featuring an interview with former Planning Director Rollin Stanley
- Read the October 2011 Planning Magazine story, The Upsizing of White Flint(858 kb)
White Flint development activity
Track development in White Flint using our staging monitor, which follows each stage of development plans submitted in the sector plan area.
Approvals
All Commercial Residential (CR) zoned properties in White Flint require a sketch plan as the initial application. A sketch plan illustrates the general massing of new buildings; anticipated uses, open spaces, pedestrian and vehicular circulation systems; and relationships between buildings to existing and proposed uses.
Sketch plan approval is required before applicants can submit preliminary and site plans.
| Plan | Plan approval | Preliminary plan approval | Site plan approval | Details | Rendering |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike and Rose | 32011010 approved January 2011 | 120120020 approved Feb. 2012 | 820120020 approved Feb. 2012 | 24 acres Phase I: 493 residential dwelling units and 341,800 square feet of non-residential development. Phase II: site plan under review by the Planning Department. | See images and additional information at http://pikeandrose.com |
| North Bethesda Gateway | 320110020 approved January 2011 | Up to 1.26 million square feet of non-residential development and up to 1.07 million square feet of residential development. | North Bethesda Gateway Site Plan (369 KB) | ||
| North Bethesda Market II | 320110030 approved January 2011 | 120120060 approved March 2012 | 820120040 Approved March 2012 | Up to 414 residential dwelling units and 368,000 square feet of non-residential development. | Image Gallery |
| White Flint Mall | 320120040 approved October 2012 | 5.22-million square foot development will include 2.87 million square feet of residential uses, office, retail and public uses and public uses. | White Flint Mall Site Plan (20.8 MB) |
Staging Allocations
Prior to the submission of a building permit, each development must receive a Staging Allocation Request (SAR) from the Planning Board. The SAR draws down on the residential and non-residential development recommended in the Sector Plan.
In March 2012, the Board approved Staging Allocation Request No. 25400 for Pike and Rose (Mid-Pike Plaza), allocating 493 residential dwelling units and 262,800 square feet of non-residential development.
White Flint tax district
The County Council approved the establishment of a Special Taxing District for the White Flint Sector Plan area. The tax district is authorized to levy an ad valorem property tax to fund some transportation infrastructure improvements. Download the approved legislation (Bill 50-10 (pdf)) and Implementation Strategy and Infrastructure Improvement (Resolution 16-1570 (pdf)).
To jump start development, the County Council has approved a Planning Board-recommended financing plan that would set up a special tax district for property owners. Diane Schwartz Jones, assistant chief administrative officer with the County Executive's office, and Jacob Sesker, economic planner with the Planning Department, explain in this clip from Montgomery Plans.
White Flint Urban Design Guidelines
White Flint Design Guidelines make specific recommendations for streets, open spaces and buildings within the White Flint Sector Plan. The guidelines promote an attractive and successful public realm defined by streets, open spaces, and attractive buildings.
View guidelines (5.7MB)
Commercial Residential Zone
Most of the White Flint Sector Plan area is in the CR zone. The zone requires the establishment of CR guidelines that detail the standards and requirements for public benefits. View the Incentive Density Guidelines.
Implementation
Download the Planning Board-approved guidelines (5.3 MB) for coordinating, staging and monitoring the implementation of the recommendations in the White Flint Sector Plan.
The county's Department of General Services is developing an implementation strategy for some amenities -- such as a recreation center and meeting space -- in White Flint. Two public charettes held in June 2011 provided input on proposed public facilities.
Sector Plan Implementation Advisory Committee
Property owners and residents from within the plan area, civic and homeowners associations from surrounding residential communities, transportation management representative, and Executive Branch staff were appointed to this overview committee by the Planning Board on September 30, 2010. The Committee will:
- Review assumptions made regarding traffic, including transit use and parking
- Monitor plan recommendations
- Identify new projects for the amenity fund
- Monitor the county Capital Improvement Program and Growth Policy
- Recommend action by the Planning Board and County Council
Members
| NAME | AFFILIATION |
|---|---|
| Evan Goldman | Mid-Pike Plaza (White Flint Partnership) |
| Michael Springer | US Nuclear Regulatory Commission |
| Mike Smith | LCOR |
| Greg Trimmer | JBG Companies (White Flint Partnership) |
| David D. Freishtat | Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce |
| Todd Lewers | Forum Condominium |
| John King | White Flint Community Coalition |
| Della Stolsworth | Luxmanor Citizens Association |
| Mary Ward | Crest of Wickford |
| Chad Salganik | Franklin Park Homeowners Association |
| Ruwan Salgado | Gables, Tuckerman Condominium Association |
| Meredith Josef | Timberlawn Homeowners Association |
| Edward Rich | Resident of Old Farm |
| Natalie Goldberg | Resident of Garrett Park Estates |
| Barnaby Zall | Friends of White Flint |
| Peggy Schwartz | Transportation Action Partnership, Inc. |
| Francine Waters | White Flint Partnership, Lerner Enterprise |
| Paul Meyer | Resident of the Wisconsin Condominium |
| Kurt Meeske | Combine Properties (White Flint Partnership) |
| Anne Root | Montgomery County Department of Transportation |
| Allison Dollar | Montgomery County Department of Finance |
| Dee Metz | Office of the County Executive (White Flint Coordinator) |
| Gabriela Cadenda | Resident of Walnut Grove Condominium |
| Jeff Derogatis | Resident of White Flint Park-Garrett Park Estates |
| Brian Downie | Saul Centers (White Flint Partnership) |
Members will serve an initial two-year appointment.
Implementation Advisory Committee meeting schedule
Upcoming
- 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 13
Wall Local Park/Shriver Aquatic Center
5900 Executive Boulevard, Rockville
Developer collaborative
The development collaborative is a group of commercial property owners in White Flint: Federal Realty Investment Trust, The JBG Companies; Holladay Corporation; White Flint Mall (Lerner Enterprises/The Tower Companies) and the Combined Properties. Read the collaboratives economic analysis report.
Resources
- Draft Commercial Residential District and staff report (pdf, 42.2 MB)
- White Flint Sector Plan Transportation Appendix (pdf, 4.21 MB)
- Examples of Existing Buildings in the White Flint Area (pdf, 1.38 MB)
- Proposed TMX Zoning Text Amendment (pdf, 56KB)
- Transferable Development Rights (TDR) Program
- GIS Data for White Flint
- Estimated Land Use and Trip Generation for Selected Alternative Scenarios Evaluated (pdf, 72 5KB) (Transportation data)
White Flint Master Plan on "Montgomery Plans"
In August 2007, the White Flint Master Plan was featured on "Montgomery Plans" the Planning Board's show airing on County Cable Montgomery.
M-NCPPC Staff Contact
Nkosi Yearwood,
Area 2 Planner
301-495-1332
Nkosi.Yearwood@mncppc-mc.org
Date of last update: April 30, 2013
Montgomery County Planning Department
8787 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910
www.montgomeryplanning.org