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Chevy Chase Lake Rezoning

At the request of the County Council, the County Planning Board is updating the Chevy Chase Lake Sector Plan. This review will likely result in major changes in permitted residential and commercial density as well as traffic.

Current Zoning Conditions: Under the current zoning plan adopted in 1990, there is a potential for 780,449 sq feet of commercial development (office, retail & other) with 518,551 sq feet of that currently built. Similarly, there is a potential for 2,332 dwelling units (single family detached, attached and multi-family) with 1,319 currently built.

Potential Changes: In their review, planners will examine both commercial and residential zoning density. It is likely that significant changes will be made to the 1990 plan including far greater densities, taller buildings, and a complete change in the type of retail services offered. Traffic congestion will increase, possibly leading to pressure to widen Connecticut Avenue and other roads.

There are many factors the planners will look at in their review. Some of them include:

  • Impact of the Purple Line
  • Changes in the type of retail provided
  • Increase in types of housing choices
  • Need for community open space and other community facilities
  • Road widening and other improvements to accommodate BRAC traffic
  • Access to the CC Lake area from surrounding communities
  • Existing and future congestion on Connecticut Avenue which already has some of the most congested intersections in the County

The planners will be looking at ‘smart growth’ principles and new urban zoning approaches to support significant and far-reaching changes to this area.

Timing: This effort is on a fast track. Staff will be making recommendations to the Planning Board in the next several months (March-April 2011). Please view the official website for this project. You may also reach the planning staff directly.

Upcoming Meetings: Two meetings have been scheduled for the public. The first is on January 10, 2011 to hear presentations from the Chevy Chase Land Company, the Howard Hughes Institute, and the Housing Opportunities Commission. The second is on Feb 2, 2011 for ‘visioning presentations’ by the greater Chevy Chase Lake community. Both are set for 7:00 PM at 8787 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD.

Connecticut Avenue Corridor Committee: Twenty-three directly affected communities listed below have joined together as the Connecticut Avenue Corridor Committee (CACC) to engage in the planning process and to assure the best possible outcome for the communities surrounding the Chevy Chase Lake.

Issues that this group will be focusing on include:

  1. pressure on already congested roadways;
  2. the desire to maintain or expand neighborhood-oriented retail; and
  3. the amount, nature and placement of any proposed increased density.

Community participation is called for in the planning process. By joining together we hope to amplify our voices and insure that our concerns are heard in a timely and effective manner. The spokesperson for this group is David Lublin, Mayor of the Town of Chevy Chase, who can be reached via email.

As of December 2010 the following municipalities, civic associations, condominiums and others are part of this effort:

Town of Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase Village
The Village of Chevy Chase, Section 3
The Village of Chevy Chase, Section 5
The Village of Martin’s Additions
The Village of North Chevy Chase
Town of Kensington
Chevy Chase View
Rollingwood Citizens Association
Coquelin Run Citizens Association
Chevy Chase Hills Citizens Association
Chevy Chase Valley Citizens Association
East Bethesda Citizens Association
Chevy Chase Section 4B (Edgevale)
Chevy Chase Park Home Owners Association
The Hamlet Citizens Association
Hamlet Place Owners Association
Farmington Hills Citizens Association
Columbia Country Club
Classic Residence VI (8100 Conn Ave)
8101 Connecticut Ave. Condominium Association
Hamlet House Condominium Association
Chevy Chase Mews Condominium Association

What can you do to have a impact on this process? It is important to follow this issue and let your community leaders know your concerns. In particular, there will be critical times for individuals to write in and/or testify. We will let you know when, where and how.

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