SILVER SPRING – Montgomery County planners, who just began working on a new community plan for downtown Wheaton, will host an open forum in the community to hear from residents about how they’d like the plan to take shape.
The meeting will begin with an opening presentation at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 24, at the Crossway Community Center in nearby Kensington.
The process of developing a new sector plan for Wheaton’s Central Business District will identify ways to encourage great urban design, efficient transportation, better pedestrian links, inviting public spaces, environmental sustainability and more. As part of their information-gathering, planners are conducting visioning sessions to learn from Wheaton residents, workers and business owners about what they think the Wheaton of the future should be like.
The September 24 visioning exercise will allow participants to visit any or all of three sessions on exploring Wheaton’s cultural identity; examining public features like streets and sidewalks; and discussing the types of open spaces appropriate for Wheaton.
One of four Central Business Districts (CBDs) in the county, downtown Wheaton holds great potential to become a more pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use downtown with both thriving businesses and diverse neighborhoods, planners say.
The Planning Department last examined Wheaton’s commercial center 18 years ago. Planners develop master and sector plans to create a framework for each community designed to last 15 to 20 years. Those visions help planners and policy-makers – such as the Planning Board and County Council – make policy and decide on proposed development.
Learn more about the Wheaton plan.
WHO:
Montgomery County Planning Department
WHAT:
Community visioning session on Wheaton CBD and Vicinity Sector Plan
WHEN:
Wednesday, September 24, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Crossway Community Center
3015 Upton Drive
Kensington, MD