Master Plan Review

WHITE FLINT
Approved and Adopted
April 2010

White Flint

Page 1 of 16

Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

BACKGROUND

ONING CODE REWRITE

In 2007, the Montgomery County Council directed the Planning Department to undertake a
comprehensive zoning ordinance rewrite. Last rewritten in 1977, the current 1,200 + page code is
viewed as antiquated and hard to use with standards that have failed to keep pace with modern
development practices.
With only about four percent of land in the County available for greenfield development, the new
zoning code can play a crucial role in guiding redevelopment to areas like surface parking lots and
strip shopping centers. An updated zoning code is important for achieving the kind of growth
Montgomery County policymakers and residents want.
Initial sections of the new code were drafted by Code
Studio, a zoning consultant. These drafts were
subsequently analyzed and edited by planners based
on feedback from the Zoning Advisory Panel (a citizen
panel appointed by the Planning Board to weigh in on
the projects direction), county agency representatives,
residents and other stakeholders. In September 2012,
planning staff began the release of a draft code in
sections accompanied by a report highlighting changes
from the current code. The staff drafts were reviewed
at length by the Planning Board.

Public Listening Session 9/2009

The Planning Board held worksessions and public hearings between September of 2012 and May of
2013. On May 2, they transmitted their draft to the County Council. The Council adopted the text of
the new code in March and adopted the new zoning map in July 2014.
The new code and map will go into effect on October 30, 2014.

ZONE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

An important aspect of the Zoning Rewrite process is the potential simplification of 123 existing
zones into about 30 proposed zones. While some of the proposed zones are a direct one-to-one
translation of existing zones, others are the result of combining existing zones with similar
standards. Additionally, existing zones that are not currently mapped or are no longer used in the
County have been eliminated from the proposed code. Through the implementation process,
Montgomery County aims to simplify the number of zones, eliminate redundancy, and clarify
development standards. A full translation table for all zones can be found in the documents section
of our website: www.zoningmontgomery.org.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

Agricultural, Residential, and Industrial Zone Implementation:

For agricultural and rural zones, the existing zones will be translated to proposed zones on a one-toone basis, with the exception of the Low Density Rural Cluster zone which is not currently used in
the County and will be eliminated.
Many of the existing residential zones will remain the same. Other residential zones will be
combined with existing zones that have similar development standards. The R-4Plex zone, which is
not currently mapped anywhere in the county, will be removed from the proposed code.
Implementation of Industrial zones will combine similar zones (Rural Service, I-1, and R+D) into the
proposed Industrial Moderate (IM) zone. The existing heavy industrial zone (I-2) will be renamed as
the Industrial Heavy (IH) zone.

Examples:

Agricultural
and Rural

Rural Density
Transfer (RDT)

Agricultural
Reserve (AR)

R-60
(detached residential)

Residential

R-60
(detached residential)

R-60/TDR
(detached residential)

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

Commercial and Mixed-Use Zone Implementation:

Parcels located in the existing Commercial, Mixed-use, Central Business District (CBD), and Transit
Station zones will be translated into one of the proposed Commercial/Residential (CR) or
Employment (E) Zones using a two-tiered process.
First, decisions about specific parcels in these zones were based on recommendations within the
Master Plan. Planning staff reviewed each Master Plan in the County. When the Master Plan
provided specific recommendations about allowed density, height, or mix of uses for individual
commercial or mixed-use parcels, those recommendations were used to build the formula of the
proposed zone. This ensures consistency with currently allowed density and height, and helps
codify Master Plan recommendations in a parcel-specific manner.
Second, if the Master Plan did not make specific recommendations, the current zone changed to a
proposed zone on a one-to-one basis or the proposed zone was determined using a specific
standardized decision tree (see example below). The standardized decision tree translates existing
zones by considering each specific parcels proximity to single-family neighborhoods or other
factors. The goal of the implementation decision tree is to retain currently allowed heights and
densities and maintain context sensitivity.

Example: C-1 Convenience Commercial

Confronts or abuts
R-150 or less intense

then

NR-0.75
H-45

Within a Historic
District

then

NR-0.75
H-45

Confronts or abuts

then

CRT-0.75
C-0.75 R-0.25 H-35

then

CRT-0.75
C-0.75 R-0.25 H-45

or site is bigger than 5 acres

C-1

if
R-90, R-60, R-40, or R-MH

Confronts or abuts RT
or more intense

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

WHITE FLINT
PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
The White Flint Sector Plan was adopted in April 2010. The Sector Planning area includes 430 acres and
lies entirely within a 3/4 mile radius of the White Flint Metro station. The Sector Plan establishes a vision
for White Flint which transforms the existing auto-oriented suburban development pattern into an
urban center of residences and businesses where people can walk to work, shops, and transit.
To support the vision established for White Flint, the Master Plan provides recommendations for six
different components of the community:

Core: The community, the conference center, and commerce converge to express White Flints
special character. The highest density and tallest buildings at the Metro station will form an
identifiable center.

Mobility: White Flint will have a walkable street system.

Rockville Pike, transformed into a grand boulevard, will visually
tie together the east and west sides of the Sector Plan area.
Sidewalks, bikeways, trails, and paths will provide options for
pedestrian circulation and connections to the existing and new
neighborhoods and surrounding communities.

Buildings: The maximum building height in the White Flint

Sector Plan is 300 feet nearest the Metro Station, and is
recommended to be 50-250 feet elsewhere in the Sector Plan
area. Building heights should reflect existing conditions where
existing building heights may be 40 feet or lower. At the edges
of the Sector Plan area, building heights must be compatible
with surrounding residential neighborhoods.

North Bethesda Market

Public Space: The compact development pattern includes a system of public use spaces where
people can gather for events or enjoy recreational activities. The recommended hierarchical public
use space system includes the Wall Park, the Central Civic Green, Urban Plazas, Neighborhood
Greens, and Private Recreation Space.

Compatibility: New development will decline in height and density from the center and Rockville
Pike, providing compatible transitions as it approaches the surrounding neighborhoods.

Sustainability: New development must incorporate environmentally sensitive design to conserve

and generate energy and make maximum use of resources and minimize disruption of the natural
environment.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

ZONE IMPLEMENTATION
The White Flint Planning Area currently has 32 zones: 3 Residential, 4 Commercial, 3 Mixed-Use, 20
Commercial Residential (CR), 1 Industrial, and 1 Planned Development.

Existing Residential:
R-90: Detached Unit, Single Family
R-90/TDR: Detached Unit, Single Family
RT-12.5: Townhouse, Single Family
Existing Commercial
O-M: Office Building, Moderate Intensity
C-T: Commercial Transitional
C-2: General Commercial
C-O: Commercial, Office Building
Existing Mixed-Use:
RMX-3C: Residential Mixed-Use
TS-M: Transit Station, Mixed
TS-R: Transit Station, Residential
Existing Industrial:
I-4: Light Industrial
Existing Planned Development
PD-9: Planned Development

Existing Commercial Residential:

CR-0.5 C-0.25 R-0.25 H-50
CR-0.5 C-0.25 R-0.25 H-50
CR-1.25 C-1.0 R-0.75 H-100
CR-1.5 C-0.25 R-1.5 H-50
CR-2.0 C-1.5 R-0.75 H-100
CR-2.5 C-1.25 R-2.0 H-70
CR-2.5 C-2.0 R-1.25 H-150
CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-100
CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-150
CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-200
CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-250
CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-70
CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-150
CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-200
CR-4.0 C-2.0 R-3.5 H-250
CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-2.0 H-250
CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-150
CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-200
CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-250
CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-300

Standard Translation:
The existing R-90 and R-90/TDR will both be consolidated into the proposed R-90 (Residential Medium
Density) zone. The existing RT-12.5 will remain. The residential TDR zones will be incorporated in a new
TDR Overlay zone.
The existing I-4 zone will be renamed IL (Industrial Light). The existing PD-9 zone will remain PD-9.
Additionally, the existing CR (Commercial Residential) zones will remain the same in the proposed
zoning code.
The existing Commercial and Mixed-Use zones will translate to the specific proposed EOF (Employment
Office), CR (Commercial Residential), CRT (Commercial Residential Town), and CRN (Commercial
Residential Neighborhood) zones using the standard translation criteria, specific Master Plan
recommendations, and project approvals. Most Commercial and Mixed-Use parcels that do not have
specific Master Plan recommendations will translate to the proposed zone based on the standard zoning
translation table.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

NON-STANDARD CONVERSIONS
In some cases, properties were not converted using the standard conversions as outlined earlier in the
packet.
Generally, this is because the relevant Master or Sector Plan made recommendations regarding the
appropriate density, height, or mix of uses on a given site.
In other cases, the text of the zoning ordinance or an overlay zone can affect the development potential
of a site, and therefore affect the conversion given as part of the draft proposed DMA.
Additionally, the PHED Committee instructed that, when requested by a property owner, existing site
approvals be reflected in the draft proposed DMA. Non-standard conversions sometimes reflect these
project approvals.
The following pages will give detail on all of the non-standard conversions in this plan area.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

Modifications

MP Number:
WFLNT-01
Master Plan:
White Flint
Location:
Randolph & Route 355
Existing Zone:
RMX-3C
Standard Conv:
CRT-2.0 C-0.5 R-1.5 H-65 T
Proposed Conv:
CR-2.0 C-0.5 R-1.5 H-220 T
Zone Group:
Changed to CR
Overall FAR:
Standard
Comml FAR:
Standard
Residl FAR:
Standard
Height:
Increased to 220
Reason for non-standard conversion:
Match Development Approvals:
This site is currently approved for development up to 218.5 by
site plan 8-2004-013B.
Notes:
Because the CRT zone is limited to 150 in height, in order to
match the approved height of 218.5, this property needed to
be in the CR zone.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

Modifications

MP Number:
WFLNT-02
Master Plan:
White Flint
Location:
Rockville Pike and Marinelli Rd
Existing Zone:
TS-M
Standard Conv:
N/A
Proposed Conv:
CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-0.75 H-200 T
Zone Group:
Overall FAR:
Comml FAR:
Residl FAR:
Height:
Reason for non-standard conversion:
Match Development Approvals:
The translation was based on the site area originally approved
for the TS-M zone by G-96, which consisted of 12.25 acres.
However, a portion of the original TS-M zoned site (Lot 5,
owned by HOC) has since been rezoned to CR by the White Flint
Sector Plan.
The portion of the site that remains in the TS-M zone is 6.646
acres. If the density is calculated based on the 6.646 acres,
673,990 sf of commercial space is 2.32 FAR, and 200 dwelling
units is approximately 0.69 FAR, assuming an average unit size
of 1000 sf.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

MP Number:
Master Plan:
Location:
Existing Zone:
Standard Conv:
Proposed Conv:

WFLNT-03
White Flint
TS-M
N/A
CR-2.5 C-0.25 R-2.5 H-190 T

Modifications

Zone Group:
Overall FAR:
Comml FAR:
Residl FAR:
Height:
Reason for non-standard conversion:
Floating Zone Approval:
The CR formula is based on DPA 86-1, Preliminary Plan 1-1980-1120,
and Site Plan 8-1986-0590 which authorized:
945 dwelling units at a total FAR of 2.43
3,000 sf of retail
A maximum height of 18 stories

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

Modifications

MP Number:
WFLNT-04
Master Plan:
White Flint
Location:
Existing Zone:
TS-M
Standard Conv:
None
Proposed Conv:
CR-2.5 C-0.25 R-2.5 H-190 T
Zone Group:
Overall FAR:
Comml FAR:
Residl FAR:
Height:
Reason for non-standard conversion:
Floating Zone development approvals:

The zoning translation was based on Local Map

Amendment/Development Plan G-726, as amended by
DPA-01-01, DPA-04-1, and DPA 06-04.
The most recent zoning approval, DPA 06-04, authorized
an overall density of 2.4 FAR (2.39 FAR of residential plus
.01 FAR of commercial) and a maximum height of 18
stories.

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

MASTER PLAN-DRIVEN TRANSLATION

ZONE IMPLEMENTATION
White Flint

Existing
Zone

Acres Percent

R-90

0.49

0.15

R-90/TDR

3.81

1.15

RT-12.5

Zone

Acres Percent

R-90

4.3

1.29

2.0

0.6

RT-12.5

2.0

0.6

CR-0.5 C-0.25 R-0.25 H-50

0.65

0.2

CR-0.5 C-0.25 R-0.25 H-50

0.65

0.19

CR-1.0 C-0.75 R-0.5 H-50

1.35

0.41

CR-1.0 C-0.75 R-0.5 H-50

1.35

0.41

CR-1.25 C-1.0 R-0.75 H-100

1.15

0.35

CR-1.25 C-1.0 R-0.75 H-100

1.15

0.35

CR-1.5 C-0.25 R-1.5 H-50

10.39

3.13

CR-1.5 C-0.25 R-1.5 H-50

10.39

3.13

CR-2.0 C-1.5 R-0.75 H-100

1.78

0.54

CR-2.0 C-1.5 R-0.75 H-100

1.78

0.54

CR-2.5 C-1.25 R-2.0 H-70

4.77

1.44

CR-2.5 C-1.25 R-2.0 H-70

4.77

1.44

CR-2.5 C-2.0 R-1.25 H-150

2.59

0.78

CR-2.5 C-2.0 R-1.25 H-150

2.59

0.78

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-100

6.86

2.07

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-100

6.86

2.07

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-150

0.61

0.18

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-150

0.61

0.18

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-200

119.47

36.01

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-200

119.47

36.01

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-250

4.36

1.31

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-250

4.36

1.31

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-70

3.61

1.09

CR-3.0 C-1.5 R-2.5 H-70

3.61

1.09

CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-150

2.79

0.84

CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-150

2.79

0.84

CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-200

5.62

1.69

CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-1.5 H-200

5.62

1.69

CR-4.0 C-2.0 R-3.5 H-250

30.4

9.16

CR-4.0 C-2.0 R-3.5 H-250

30.4

9.16

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-2.0 H-250

10.75

3.24

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-2.0 H-250

10.75

3.24

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-150

1.1

0.33

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-150

1.1

0.33

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-200

3.71

1.12

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-200

3.71

1.12

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-250

1.45

0.44

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-250

1.45

0.44

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-300

46.43

13.99

CR-4.0 C-3.5 R-3.5 H-300

46.43

13.99

3.25

0.98

CR-2.0 C-0.5 R-1.5 H-220 T

3.25

0.98

TS-R

13.81

4.16

CR-2.5 C-0.25 R-2.5 H-190 T

13.81

4.16

TS-M

16.58

5.00

CR-3.0 C-2.5 R-0.75 H-200 T

CR-2.5 C-0.25 R-2.5 H-190 T

6.65
9.93

1.91
2.86

C-T

4.34

1.31

CRN-0.5 C-0.5 R-0.25 H-35

4.34

1.31

C-2

1.02

0.31

CRT-2.25 C-1.5 R-0.75 H-75

1.02

0.31

C-O

2.74

0.83

EOF-3.0 H-100

2.74

0.83

O-M

2.81

0.85

EOF-1.5 H-75

2.81

0.05

I-4

9.85

2.97

IL-1.0 H-50

9.85

2.97

11.28

3.4

11.28

3.4

RMX-3C

PD-9

Grand Total

White Flint

Proposed

331.8

PD-9

Grand Total

Page 12 of 16

331.8

Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

ZONE IMPLEMENTATION
White Flint: Existing Zoning
Residential Medium Density

Townhouse

Mixed-Use

Commercial/Residential

Commercial

Light Industrial, Low Inten.

Planned Development

White Flint: Proposed Zoning

Residential Medium Density

Townhouse

Comm/Res - Neighborhood

Comm/Res - Town

Commercial/Residential

Employment, Office

Light Industrial

Planned Development

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

EXISTING ZONING MAP

Existing Zones
Residential
Medium Density
R-90
R-90/TDR

Townhouse
RT-12.5

Commercial
C-T
C-2
C-O
O-M

Mixed-Use
RMX-3C
TS-M
TS-R

Commercial/
Residential
CR

Light Industrial
I-4

Planned
Development
PD-9

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

PROPOSED ZONING MAP

Proposed Zones
Residential
Medium Density
R-90

Townhouse
RT-12.5

Comm/ResNeighborhood
CRN

Employment,
Office
EOF

Comm/ResTown
CRT

Commercial/
Residential
CR

Light Industrial
IL

Planned
Development
PD-9

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA

PLANNING AREA CONTEXT

White Flint

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Updated July 2014 based on Adopted DMA