The Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing, 7 p.m. Monday, June 21, on modifications to several sections of the city’s zoning ordinance to improve the code’s administration and implement Rockville’s FAST program.
FAST, which stands for “faster, accountable, smarter and transparent,” is a city initiative to improve Rockville’s development review and permitting services.
Modifications include:
• Allowing concurrent reviews of development applications during annexation.
• Clarifying street connection requirements in the mixed-use guidelines.
• Allowing for the abandonment of previous development approvals and providing a process for an alternate development proposal on a site.
• Establishing a streamlined approval process for non-residential redevelopment within the city’s commercial corridors and for minor site improvements in general.
• Provision of a new research and development use and associated regulations, to be established in certain non-residential zones.
• Modifying the definition of a demolition to include the removal of more than 50% of a building’s floor area or substantial reconstruction.
The proposed zoning text amendment was presented to the Planning Commission by city staff at its May 26 meeting.
Changes to the zoning ordinance are intended to address issues that have arisen during the review of recent development applications or proposals and to enhance the city’s ability to encourage economic recovery and attract businesses and major companies to the city.
HOW TO TAKE PART:
To submit comments, email mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov, or write to the City Clerk’s Office, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, Maryland, 20850, by 10 a.m. the day of the public hearing. Those submitting testimony should provide their names and addresses.
To sign up to testify virtually during the hearing, send your name and phone number to mayorcouncil@rockvillemd.gov, no later than 10 a.m. the day of the meeting.
All comments will be acknowledged by the Mayor and Council at the meeting and added to the agenda for public viewing at www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter. Agendas are typically posted a few days before the meeting.
To practice responsible social distancing, Mayor and Council meetings are conducted by teleconference and broadcast on Rockville 11, channel 11 on county cable, livestreamed at www.rockvillemd.gov/rockville11, and available a day after each meeting at www.rockvillemd.gov/videoondemand.