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White Flint

North Bethesda's Urban Center

Approved and Adopted White Flint Sector Plan

White Flint AppendixThe 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 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.

White Flint in the news

White Flint development activity

The Planning Board on January 20, 2011 approved sketch plans for North Bethesda Market II, North Bethesda Gateway and Mid-Pike Plaza. Each submission will move to the next stage of review, either a preliminary plan or site plan, meaning additional analysis by planning staff and other public agencies and Planning Board review. Learn more about each sketch plan:

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 procedures (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)
Arnold Kohn White Flint Mall (White Flint Partnership)
David D. Freishtat Bethesda 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
Daniel Hoffman Randolph Civic 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
Mike Coveyou Montgomery County Department of Finance
Diane Schwartz-Jones Office of the County Executive

Members will serve an initial two-year appointment.

Implementation Advisory Committee meeting schedule

Upcoming
  • 7 p.m. May 14, 2012
    Wall Local Park, 5900 Executive Blvd., Bethesda
Previous
  • Monday, March 12, 2012
    Representatives from Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) discussed State roadways and related issues.
  • Monday, February 13, 2012
    Rita Gale with the Department of Public Libraries, Facilities and Strategic Planning division will present
    View meeting notes (pdf, 146KB)
  • December 12, 2011
    Representatives from the county Departments of General Services and Transportation discussed the recently released White Flint Public Amenities Report and provided an update on road projects in the plan area.
    View meeting notes (pdf, 148KB)
  • November 14, 2011
    View meeting notes (pdf, 129KB)
    View the presentation (pdf, 4.8MB) about White Flint Mall redevelopment
  • October 11, 2011
    View meeting notes (pdf, 116KB)
  • Monday, July 11, 2011
    View NoBe II presentation
  • June 13, 2011
    View meeting notes; view presentation(pdf, 5.3 MB) on the first phase site plan for Mid-Pike Plaza
  • April 11, 2011
  • March 14, 2011
    View meeting notes
  • February 14, 2011
  • January 10, 2011
  • December 13, 2010
    View meeting notes (pdf, 141 KB) | View transportation approvals/monitoring backgrounder (1.5mb)
  • November 22, 2010
    View meeting notes (pdf, 69 KB)

View the makeup and activity of previous sector plan advisory committees.

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

White Flint Master Plan on "Montgomery Plans"

Our planners, working closely with the community, are finalizing an update of the White Flint sector plan, which guides development for the next 20 years. The White Flint plan recommendations include ideas for new gathering places; the combination of stores, offices and apartments; new streets and walking routes; and easy access to transit. (August 2007)

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, 2012