https://www.cccfhmd.org/issues daily 0.75 2023-05-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1584290549031-4K43WMQB8LLVDL1Q6VR0/great+falls+national+park.jpg Issues - Thrive Montgomery Plan Thrive Montgomery 2050 (TM2050) is the proposed County plan to guide land use, zoning and housing among other elements, for the next three decades. A main thrust of TM2050 is to increase housing density by allowing Missing Middle Housing (now called Attainable Housing) in neighborhoods of single family detached homes. Missing Middle Housing consists of such buildings as duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, apartment buildings with fewer than 20 units and condominiums. Although proposed as a means to provide more affordable housing, county planning officials have now conceded such housing instead will rent or sell at market rates. It will not answer the demand for affordable housing, because Attainable Housing will be built on expensive land and will necessarily be at full market price. CCCFH testified before the Montgomery County Planning Board about problems with the proposed Attainable Housing Strategy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1599410164517-JXAZV2IJ9ZG1QE9OPEVF/image-asset.jpeg Issues - Government During the Pandemic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1620566542954-QHA6DD83RJL1TLUKS77M/unsplash-image-snNHKZ-mGfE.jpg Issues - Tax and Zoning Issues CCCFH opposes Zoning Tax Amendment 20-03 which would relax standards and impact taxes for certain townhouse developments. See the letter to the County Council. CCCFH has joined several other civic organizations in opposing certain proposed changes to the Subdivision Staging Policy, which would alter building moratoria and taxes. See the joint letter. CCCFH has also written to the Council in support County Executive Marc Elrich’s veto of Bill 29-20, the Housing at Metrorail Stations Act, as an unwarranted giveaway to developers. See the letter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1584289575061-A8LIPTLM42Q1XUI5LV7F/capital+crescent.jpg Issues - Capital Crescent Trail/Little Falls Parkway Crossing The Parks Department reduced Little Falls Parkway from 4 lanes to 2 lanes where the Capital Crescent Trail crosses the parkway without notification, public signage, or public input. As advocated by CCCFH the Planning Board voted to reconfigure the Trail crossing to the Arlington Road traffic light and retain four traffic lanes on Little Falls Parkway. However, Planning Board in a work session rendered that decision moot by deferring implementation indefinitely beyond 2026. The process in this matter was dismissive of the citizens’ clearly expressed views which were enacted by a Planning Board decision of June 13, 2019. Such disregard of the public engenders an atmosphere of distrust of County policy. CCCFH continues to oppose this maneuver, which has ignored the public and its clearly expressed safer preference for the signal crossing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1586041330819-L5YPWWFKEVX53OTRXSFO/Westbard+IMG_6501.jpg Issues - Westbard The Montgomery County Planning Board approved a Preliminary Plan submitted by Regency Centers for most of the commercial area on both sides of Westbard Avenue (Westwood I and Westwood II). The Westwood I site plan called for demolition of the bank and drug store in the Westwood Shopping Center, followed first by a commercial building with a new Giant and restaurants. In the Westwood II project, Regency plans to construct a 155-bed residential care facility (“Kensington of Bethesda”). Marnie Shaul, Council President, Town of Somerset, has prepared an analysis of the current state of those projects. CCCFH has submitted detailed comments on the Kensington of Bethesda (Westwood II) site plans (with accompanying illustration). One component of the Westwood II plan is construction of a new stream valley park, the Willet Branch Stream Valley Park. The Litle Falls Watershed Alliance has prepared a detailed analysis the status and problems of plans for that park. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1584288995094-8CWGOADJSEJHTTIGU1YS/Westmoreland.jpg Issues - Dalecarlia Parkway Under Construction https://www.cccfhmd.org/home daily 1.0 2025-11-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/8b338d07-b06c-47dd-908a-4d9b20ba61b0/CCCFH+Map.png https://www.cccfhmd.org/about daily 0.75 2023-03-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1584290576455-EC2JPW5PX73IJJNA80NY/great+falls+national+park.jpg About - About CCCFH The Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, Inc. (CCCFH) is a non-profit organization and a coalition of local community organizations representing neighborhoods located along Wisconsin Avenue, River Road and Massachusetts Avenue, near its border with the District of Columbia. Originally comprised of approximately 10 neighborhood groups, the CCCFH was formed in 1971 in anticipation of Montgomery County’s revision of the Friendship Heights Sector Plan, and specifically in response to the proposal to “Manhattan-ize” the area – a term the group coined. The group, which has met monthly since its founding, managed to get its members appointed to all of the residential positions on the Citizens Advisory Committee that assisted in the drafting of that Sector Plan revision. CCCFH members also helped to establish the standards for the Central Business District (CBD) zoning category, first used in the 1974 Friendship Heights Plan. That 1974 Plan was also the first master plan revision in Montgomery County to include the down zoning of certain properties to decrease the density of development allowed. The CCCFH joined with the government in winning a landmark State Court of Appeals decision that confirmed the county’s authority to down zone. https://www.cccfhmd.org/issues/accessory-dwelling-units daily 0.75 2020-03-01 https://www.cccfhmd.org/westbard daily 0.75 2020-11-18 https://www.cccfhmd.org/capital-crescent-trail daily 0.75 2020-09-15 https://www.cccfhmd.org/dalecarlia-parkway daily 0.75 2020-03-08 https://www.cccfhmd.org/members daily 0.75 2023-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Members https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Members https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Members https://www.cccfhmd.org/accessory-dwelling-units daily 0.75 2020-05-24 https://www.cccfhmd.org/government-during-pandemic daily 0.75 2021-05-18 https://www.cccfhmd.org/thrive-montgomery-2050 daily 0.75 2021-05-18 https://www.cccfhmd.org/thrive-plan daily 0.75 2022-10-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621202094492-GNCJJ0FX273SJOYUUVUK/Minn_superJumbo+Brick+Four+plex.jpg Thrive Plan - Thrive Montgomery Plan Thrive Montgomery 2050 (TM2050) is the proposed County plan to guide land use, zoning and housing among other elements, for the next three decades. A main thrust of TM2050 is to increase housing density by allowing Missing Middle Housing (now called “attainable” housing, which has not been defined) in neighborhoods of single family detached homes. Attainable Housing consists of such buildings as duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, apartment buildings with fewer than 20 units and condominiums. Although proposed as a means to provide more affordable housing, county planning officials have now conceded such housing instead will rent or sell at market rates. It will not answer the demand for affordable housing, because “attainable housing” will be built on expensive land and will necessarily be at full market price. CCCFH has submitted testimony to the Montgomery County Planning Board about the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative. CCCFH has also joined in comments and criticisms submitted by a large coalition of community groups. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621290417282-XGUB44Q418I2S6XTW1RT/Screen+Shot+2021-04-28+at+7.53.47+AM+2.jpg Thrive Plan - Zoning Proposals ZTA 20-07: Zoning Text Amendment 20-07, introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, significantly affects neighborhoods that are zoned R-60 (single family detached homes on lots about 60’x100’) and a mile radius from a Metro station. It was originally believed this would provide a source for needed affordable housing. However, CM Jawando has conceded that this amendment will not provide affordable housing but will allow developers to tear down homes that could be affordable as they now exist and, next to single family homes, build duplexes, townhouses, and apartment buildings to be rented or sold at market rate. This is now called “attainable” housing, which has not been defined. The zoning text amendment provides no architectural or design standards to assure the new duplexes, townhouses and apartment buildings have some compatibility with existing single family detached homes. Onsite required parking will be significantly reduced or eliminated for new buildings within a half a mile from Metro stations resulting in more parked cars on neighborhood streets. There is no provision for funding the needed infrastructure, schools, green space, or storm water management, etc. Read the full text of ZTA 20-07 Zoning Text Amendment Draft for Missing Middle Optional Method Development, March 4th, 2021. This is the response of Councilmembers Hucker and Reimer to ZTA20-07. They decided to take it a step further. This ZTA opens up more single family detached home areas: those zoned R-40, R-60, R-90 and R-200 as well as townhouse zones to developing Missing Middle Housing. The ZTA allows significantly increased heights up to 45 feet and normal setbacks are reduced. It encourages duplexes, triplexes (three townhouses), apartment buildings (four-unit apartments are quadraplexes) in single family home neighborhoods and along certain corridors within a stated distance of proposed rapid transit. There are no financial provisions for impacts to schools, green space, or additional traffic and parking on neighborhood streets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621202673783-K7T26V18ACEOQDTVEO17/IMG_1302.PNG Thrive Plan - Examples of “Missing Middle Housing” and or “Affordable Housing,” and or proposed “Attainable Housing” Pictured: duplexes, triplexes (three townhouses), apartment buildings (four-unit apartments are quadraplexes) in single family home neighborhoods and along certain corridors within a stated distance of proposed rapid transit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621203174214-LGLT303DGLSO4S2FSXDJ/typorama+25.PNG Thrive Plan - Communicate with your Elected Officials Contact County Council to share your perspective and OBJECT TO PROPOSED THRIVE MONTGOMERY PLAN AND ZONING CHANGES . Councilmember.Hucker@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.albornoz@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Friedson@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Jawando@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Katz@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Rice@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov Opportunities to Testify The Montgomery County Council held a hearing on the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Plan on June 17th. Listen to a recording of the hearing. The Planning Board held a virtual public meeting on the Attainable Housing Strategies initiative on June 24th. Listen to a recording of the meeting. https://www.cccfhmd.org/thrive-plan-1 daily 0.75 2022-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621202094492-GNCJJ0FX273SJOYUUVUK/Minn_superJumbo+Brick+Four+plex.jpg Thrive Plan (Copy) - Thrive Montgomery Plan Thrive Montgomery 2050 (TM2050) is the proposed County plan to guide land use, zoning and housing among other elements, for the next three decades. A main thrust of TM2050 is to increase housing density by allowing Missing Middle Housing (now called “attainable” housing, which has not been defined) in neighborhoods of single family detached homes. Attainable Housing consists of such buildings as duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, apartment buildings with fewer than 20 units and condominiums. Although proposed as a means to provide more affordable housing, county planning officials have now conceded such housing instead will rent or sell at market rates. It will not answer the demand for affordable housing, because “attainable housing” will be built on expensive land and will necessarily be at full market price. CCCFH has submitted testimony to the Montgomery County Planning Board about the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative. CCCFH has also joined in comments and criticisms submitted by a large coalition of community groups. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621290417282-XGUB44Q418I2S6XTW1RT/Screen+Shot+2021-04-28+at+7.53.47+AM+2.jpg Thrive Plan (Copy) - Zoning Proposals ZTA 20-07: Zoning Text Amendment 20-07, introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, significantly affects neighborhoods that are zoned R-60 (single family detached homes on lots about 60’x100’) and a mile radius from a Metro station. It was originally believed this would provide a source for needed affordable housing. However, CM Jawando has conceded that this amendment will not provide affordable housing but will allow developers to tear down homes that could be affordable as they now exist and, next to single family homes, build duplexes, townhouses, and apartment buildings to be rented or sold at market rate. This is now called “attainable” housing, which has not been defined. The zoning text amendment provides no architectural or design standards to assure the new duplexes, townhouses and apartment buildings have some compatibility with existing single family detached homes. Onsite required parking will be significantly reduced or eliminated for new buildings within a half a mile from Metro stations resulting in more parked cars on neighborhood streets. There is no provision for funding the needed infrastructure, schools, green space, or storm water management, etc. Read the full text of ZTA 20-07 Zoning Text Amendment Draft for Missing Middle Optional Method Development, March 4th, 2021. This is the response of Councilmembers Hucker and Reimer to ZTA20-07. They decided to take it a step further. This ZTA opens up more single family detached home areas: those zoned R-40, R-60, R-90 and R-200 as well as townhouse zones to developing Missing Middle Housing. The ZTA allows significantly increased heights up to 45 feet and normal setbacks are reduced. It encourages duplexes, triplexes (three townhouses), apartment buildings (four-unit apartments are quadraplexes) in single family home neighborhoods and along certain corridors within a stated distance of proposed rapid transit. There are no financial provisions for impacts to schools, green space, or additional traffic and parking on neighborhood streets. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621202673783-K7T26V18ACEOQDTVEO17/IMG_1302.PNG Thrive Plan (Copy) - Examples of “Missing Middle Housing” and or “Affordable Housing,” and or proposed “Attainable Housing” Pictured: duplexes, triplexes (three townhouses), apartment buildings (four-unit apartments are quadraplexes) in single family home neighborhoods and along certain corridors within a stated distance of proposed rapid transit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e21bcd49ae7fc473d4530b4/1621203174214-LGLT303DGLSO4S2FSXDJ/typorama+25.PNG Thrive Plan (Copy) - Communicate with your Elected Officials Contact County Council to share your perspective and OBJECT TO PROPOSED THRIVE MONTGOMERY PLAN AND ZONING CHANGES . Councilmember.Hucker@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.albornoz@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Friedson@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Jawando@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Katz@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Rice@montgomerycountymd.gov, Councilmember.Riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov Opportunities to Testify The Montgomery County Council held a hearing on the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Plan on June 17th. Listen to a recording of the hearing. The Planning Board held a virtual public meeting on the Attainable Housing Strategies initiative on June 24th. Listen to a recording of the meeting. https://www.cccfhmd.org/new-page-2-1 daily 0.75 2022-03-23 https://www.cccfhmd.org/forums daily 0.75 2026-03-25 https://www.cccfhmd.org/store daily 0.75 58201-01-10 https://www.cccfhmd.org/store/p/candidate-forum-april-15 monthly 0.5 2026-03-25