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draft housing functional master plan

An Amendment to the General Plan

ABSTRACT
This functional master plan contains the text of the Draft Housing Functional Master Plan. It
amends The General Plan (On Wedges and Corridors) for the Physical Development of the
Maryland-Washington Regional District in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, as
amended.
The Plan makes recommendations for housing connected to its community and identifies
the design changes, legislative reforms, and social supports needed to accomplish the
recommendations.

SOURCE OF COPIES
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3760
Also available at www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/housing

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is a bi-county agency
created by the General Assembly of Maryland in 1927. The Commission’s geographic
authority extends to the great majority of Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties; the
Maryland-Washington Regional District (M-NCPPC planning jurisdiction) comprises 1,001
square miles, while the Metropolitan District (parks) comprises 919 square miles, in the two
counties.
The Commission is charged with preparing, adopting, and amending or extending The
General Plan (On Wedges and Corridors) for the Physical development of the Maryland-
Washington Regional District in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.
The Commission operates in each county through Planning Boards appointed by the
county government. The Boards are responsible for all local plans, zoning amendments,
subdivision regulations, and administration of parks.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the
involvement and participation of individuals with disabilities, and its facilities are
accessible. For assistance with special needs (e.g., large print materials, listening
devices, sign language interpretation, etc.), please contact the Community
Outreach and Media Relations Division, 301-495-4600 or TDD 301-495-1331.

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 MARCH 2009

Draft Plan
Housing Functional Master Plan
An Amendment to the General Plan

Prepared by the Montgomery County Planning Department

8787 Georgia Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3760

www.MontgomeryPlanning.org

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 A plan provides comprehensive recommendations for the use of public and private land.
Each plan reflects a vision of the future that responds to the unique character of the local
community within the context of a countywide perspective.
Together with relevant policies, plans should be referred to by public officials and private
individuals when making land use decisions.

The Plan Process

The PUBLIC HEARING DRAFT PLAN is the formal proposal to amend an adopted master
plan or sector plan. Its recommendations are not necessarily those of the Planning Board;
it is prepared for the purpose of receiving public testimony. The Planning Board holds a
public hearing and receives testimony, after which it holds public worksessions to review
the testimony and revise the Public Hearing Draft Plan as appropriate. When the Planning
Board’s changes are made, the document becomes the Planning Board Draft Plan.
The PLANNING BOARD DRAFT PLAN is the Board’s recommended Plan and reflects their
revisions to the Public Hearing Draft Plan. The Regional District Act requires the Planning
Board to transmit a sector plan to the County Council with copies to the County Executive
who must, within sixty days, prepare and transmit a fiscal impact analysis of the Planning
Board Draft Plan to the County Council. The County Executive may also forward to the
County Council other comments and recommendations.
After receiving the Executive’s fiscal impact analysis and comments, the County Council
holds a public hearing to receive public testimony. After the hearing record is closed, the
Council’s Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee holds public
worksessions to review the testimony and makes recommendations to the County Council.
The Council holds its own worksessions, then adopts a resolution approving the Planning
Board Draft Plan, as revised.
After Council approval the plan is forwarded to the Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission for adoption. Once adopted by the Commission, the plan officially
amends the master plans, functional plans, and sector plans cited in the Commission’s
adoption resolution.

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table of contents

Introduction 6

Housing Vision and Goal 8

Housing Strategies 10
Objective 1. Housing and Neighborhood Connectivity
Objective 2. Housing and Neighborhood Design
Objective 3. Diverse Housing and Neighborhoods
Objective 4. Housing and the Environment

Interagency Coordination 16

Appendix 18

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 introduction

The County’s housing goals continue the priorities of the 1993 General Plan Update. We
still strive to provide “housing opportunities for employees of all income levels.” But since
that time the County has changed.
The County’s population grew 30 percent between 1980 and 2000, and it will continue
to increase. But the character of the population is changing with a trend toward smaller
households—seniors living alone, smaller families, and more singles. This new population
will need new housing products including full life-cycle communities, rental housing,
affordable housing, and accessory apartments.

By 2010, the County will have an estimated

900,000 residents.
—Analysis of Supply & Demand for Housing,
Montgomery County, Maryland

As its population grows, the County is facing buildout. Eighty two percent of existing
residential capacity has already been reached and approved but unbuilt projects push it
up to 91 percent. The County will no longer be able to support greenfield development.
Infill development will supply most new housing capacity that should use new construction
techniques to build new types of houses.
Both the economic and environmental climates are changing as well. There is a trend
toward building larger, multifamily units, which reflects a shift in consumer preference to
housing at centers close to transit, jobs, shopping, and entertainment. Housing with lower
maintenance and commuting costs is also affordable and environmentally friendly. Even the
trend toward larger single-family homes may reverse as constraints drive up their prices.
Market demand for new housing products and changing locational preferences fit well
with County smart growth policies. And since good design is key to making our new
communities desirable and affordable, the growth policy emphasizes the transit-friendly,
varied communities we seek.
These and other significant environmental, economic, and technological changes
overtook and outdistanced the ability of the 1993 General Plan to address such housing
needs. Since the County has changed, our strategies need to change. This document
sets out housing objectives that meet our long-standing goal of housing to serve a
broad community and seeks to shape the way housing is provided to meet our goals for
connectivity, design, diversity, and the environment.

The affordability crisis is climbing up the income ladder. By 2030, the

shortage of housing is estimated to reach households earning up to
$120,000 per year.

Energy costs must be included as part of the cost of housing - if

housing isn’t energy efficient, it is not affordable.

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The recommendations emphasize:
• Encouraging transit-oriented development
• Planning and zoning for vertical mixed-use communities
• Preserving existing affordable housing
• Establishing strategies that allow aging in place
• Designing a diversity of housing types
• Requiring energy-efficiency as a means to greater affordability.

Housing Inventory 1920-2007

1920 1930

1940 1950

1960 1970

1980 1990

2000 2007

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 housing vision and goal

Our Housing Vision

Montgomery County’s communities are livable and sustainable, and they offer opportunities
for our economically and culturally diverse residents and workforce to continue to live here
throughout their lives.

Housing Goal
By 2030, neighborhoods will offer housing choices that are diverse and affordable with
services that enable residents to stay connected with their neighborhoods as long as they
choose.

“In 2005, about one-half

of our households lived
in single-family detached
houses”

A diversity of housing options in neighborhoods will allow

continuum of residency in one’s community for a lifetime.
A mix of uses will be allowed, so that public health and
retail services, for example, can be located within residential
neighborhoods. The County will be able to decentralize
many health and social services. Internal and external
pedestrian and transit linkages will be in greater demand.
Many of the jobs generated by employers in the county
have paid far less than the Area Median Income. Many
workers earning less than the AMI find housing at affordable
selling prices out of the county, even though the true costs
of energy and transportation can make such housing
choices much less affordable than originally thought. While
we cannot guarantee each worker a house, we can make
sure that we are building housing that is affordable to the
range of incomes paid by the jobs we create. Investment in
the preservation of existing affordable housing will redirect
public investment from new construction to rehabilitation of
affordable units in existing neighborhoods.

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Performance Indicators
• Number of years at residence
• In county migration, by structure type and planning area
• Out of county migration, by county and state
• Services provided through neighborhood centers
• Jobs-housing balance
• Number of jobs by income category compared to number of homes and apartments
affordable to that range of income
• Housing affordability gap
• Affordability Index
• Number of new and affordable and workforce units over the minimum required
• Number of existing affordable units preserved

Affordable housing costs no more than 30 percent of a household’s income

The 2007 median income in Montgomery County for a household of four
was $94,500, which would allow a $2,363 monthly mortgage payment on a
house valued at about $346,500.

More than 1/2 of the

MPDUs produced
have had their control
period expire.

The Affordability Index is housing costs

divided by household income.

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 housing strategies

Objective 1:

Housing and Neighborhood Connectivity

Provide for neighborhood vitality and
sustainability by creating housing opportunities
that connect all residents to their daily activities.

Walkable neighborhoods are becoming more desirable. Score your

neighborhood at www.walkscore.com

Strategies
1.1 Emphasize non-vehicular connectivity, through “most direct” pedestrian and bike
routes among homes, jobs, basic services, recreation, schools, and public services.
1.2 Increase connectivity through flex cars, vanpools, and shuttles, particularly where
transit is lacking.
1.3 Create new housing opportunities by infilling around suburban office parks,
schools, and shopping centers. Coordinate infrastructure investment through
master and sector plans to create a high level of mobility that connects people to
where the live, work, and shop.
1.4 Support the development of naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs)
by removing regulatory barriers to neighborhood retail, office services, day and
health care, and other activities that allow residents to stay in the neighborhood.
1.5 Support flexible land requirements for schools, so that smaller, better-connected
neighborhood sites can be used for new construction and existing neighborhood
schools can continue to be used.

Performance Indicators
• Number of housing units called for in master plans and sector plans in Metro
Stations Areas (MSAs) and Transit Station Areas (TSAs)
• Numbers of market rate and affordable housing units with pedestrian access to
basic services, jobs, recreation, health care, cultural and educational facilities
• Investments in infrastructure and services to increase connectivity in existing
neighborhoods
• Number of NORCs
• Number of new schools built on small sites within walking distance of
neighborhoods
• Transit ridership for CBDs, MSAs, and TSAs

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 Objective 2:
Housing and Neighborhood Design
Increase residential capacity and
neighborhood sustainability through design
innovation and excellence.

One goal of the Planning Department’s Zoning Ordinance

Rerwrite is “promoting infill of appropriate scale and creating
neighborhoods of mobility, where sustainable design makes
great spaces.”

Strategies
2.1 Remove regulatory barriers to the production of market-rate and affordable
housing types that use innovative architectural styles, building techniques, and
materials, including a mix of unit styles, types, ownership, and sizes (bedrooms).
2.2 Create pedestrian-oriented public spaces that are fronted by well-designed housing
and activities.
2.3 Use new and innovative construction techniques and products, such as green,
modular, and pre-fabricated components.
2.4 Allow smart growth residential mixed-use development to share open space and
amenity space requirements.
2.5 Phase development so neighborhood services are provided early or are near
enough to create a sustainable mix of uses for the existing and new residents.
2.6 Remove regulatory barriers that prevent residential capacity from being achieved in
strategic growth areas—such as in transit areas, central business districts (CBDs),
mixed-use areas, and strip malls—with minimal negative impacts to existing
neighborhoods and communities.
2.7 Where possible, public building projects should include affordable family units.
Parking garages should be faced with these units. Other than park lands or land
held in conservation, locate underused public parcels suitable for high density
redevelopment.
2.8 Ensure land use strategies encourage efficient and compact design that reduces the
use of land and maximizes the use of existing infrastructure.
2.9 Create design guidelines to help define quality public spaces that create walkable
active communities with sidewalks, bike paths, and trails connecting well-designed
buildings to work and leisure activities.
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 Transit oriented communities allow
people to live, work, shop, and play
without using a car.

Performance Indicators
• New transit oriented communities
• Average lot size of new lots
• Number of new units within an easy walk of basic services and amenities
• Number of development applications approved with mixed tenure opportunities
• Variety of unit types and sizes built
• Number of visitable and accessible units built or rehabbed
• Sales and rental statistics in CBDs, MSAs, and TSAs
• Parking utilization in CBDs, MSAs, and TSAs
• Number of public buildings that include affordable housing units

Visitable units are those where a friend or family member with a

physical disability can easily visit you in your home. They include
access features such as wide exterior entries and interior doors.

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 Objective 3.
Diverse Housing and Neighborhoods
Create diversity in the type and size of units, services, infrastructure,
and programs for current and future residents.

Strategies
3.1 Promote neighborhood diversity with a range of housing sizes and types that increase
affordability and opportunities, and provide a community where people to can stay
in their neighborhood as their lives change.
3.2 Allow different types of housing in all areas of the County, including accessory
apartments in all residential zones.
3.3 Promote group homes and other normal and necessary residential uses, such as
boarding homes and single-room occupancy centers, within new and existing
neighborhoods.
3.4 Promote housing diversity in competitive design and programming for use of
publically owned land.
3.5 Allow housing cooperatives and neighborhood housing groups to purchase land
and/or buildings for the production and/or preservation of affordable housing.
3.6 Explore opportunities to acquire vacated properties, including land donations from
banks, grant programs, and other charitable organizations.
3.7 Allow child and adult day care by right in all residential neighborhoods, especially in
all multifamily development projects—new, rehab, or reuse.
3.8 Promote local small retail through land use planning.
3.9 Promote shared parking facilities in retail and commercial development.
3.11 Defer property taxes for seniors, so that there is relief to senior residents.
3.12 Promote a policy of “no net loss” of affordable housing units on a neighborhood basis.

Performance Indicators
• Variety of unit types and sizes
• Number of mixed-use, mixed-market residential development applications approved
• Number of day care and senior care centers
• Number of accessory apartments approved
• Number of affordable units in neighborhoods
• Number of complaints of cultural bias in housing
• Number of businesses created in new developments
• Number of shared retail and commercial parking facilities
• Number of public health and social services located within neighborhoods
• Number of senior property tax deferments granted
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 Objective 4.
Housing and the Environment
Provide healthy, sustainable housing and
neighborhoods.

Population and VMT Changes

3,000,000

2,500,000

2,000,000

1,500,000
All Person (000)
1,000.000 Household VMT (NPTS/NHTS) (000,000)
500,000 US Total VMT (FHWA) (000,000)

0
1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001
FHWA Highway Statistics Series 2004 *VMT - vehicle miles traveled

“A home is not affordable if it is

not energy efficient, healthy and
durable.”
—U.S. Green Building Council

Strategies
4.1 Encourage green design and materials to reduce operating, maintenance, and
commuting costs for residents.
4.2 Use the Housing Initiative Fund and other public resources to make older
affordable housing units as healthy and sustainable as new units.
4.3 Fast track the review of any residential or mixed-use residential development
application that generates its energy requirements on site or eliminates the need for
personal automobiles.
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4.4 Reduce parking requirements for residential units and accessory apartments near
transit and within parking districts to decrease impervious surfaces and carbon
emissions.
4.5 Give credit to pervious pavers and other such materials through the DPS permitting
process.
4.6 Work to alleviate any lead paint issues in the rehab of units, particularly those for
families.
4.7 Encourage new or rehab housing to include energy efficiency and energy
production measures.
4.8 All development applications with landscaping should indicate sustainable
plantings that require minimal watering and treatment.
4.9 Include urban solutions for storm water management, including green roofs and
filtering combined with underground storage tanks for controlled release as well as
reuse.
4.10 New developments should include grey water strategies.
4.11 Reduction in average house size to reflect changing demographics and to enhance
energy efficiency.
4.12 Consider measures for regular review of rental units for general health and safety.

Performance Indicators
• Energy efficiency and carbon generation of buildings—including the number of
buildings retrofitted or including energy production measures
• Number of units and jobs created near transit
• Number of buildings with enhanced stormwater control, including filtering and reuse
• Reduction in average house size
• Reduction in homeowner insurance rates, utility costs, maintenance costs
• Amount of reserves and special assessments for condominiums and homeowners
associations
• Reduction in hardscapes and increased use of pervious pavers
• Increase in sustainable landscapes
• Number of units remediated for lead paint
• Number of urban solutions to stormwater management applied by DPS to reduce
land consumption
• Efforts by County agencies to identify and alleviate barriers to current sustainability
practices
• Number of LEED certified buildings

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interagency coordination

Financial
Performance Coordination Matrix MC M-NCPPC HOC Developers
& insurers
State Federal Utilities

CONNECTIVITY - Objective 1
Number of housing units called for in master plans
! ! ! !
and sector plans in MSAs and TSAs
Numbers of market rate and affordable housing
units with pedestrian access to basic services, jobs,
! ! ! ! !
recreation, health care, cultural and educational
facilities
Investments in infrastructure and services to increase
! ! ! ! ! ! !
connectivity in existing neighborhoods
Number of NORCs ! ! ! ! !
Number of existing neighborhood schools in use ! ! ! !
Number of new schools built on small sites within
! ! ! !
walking distance of neighborhoods
DESIGN - Objective 2
Number of transit oriented communities ! ! ! ! ! !
Number of development applications approved with
! ! ! !
mixed tenure opportunities
Number of development applications approved with
! ! ! !
mixed unit types and sizes
Number of visitable and accessible units and
! ! ! ! !
communities built or rehabbed
Sales and rental statistics in CBDs and TSAs ! ! ! !

Transit ridership for CBDs and TSAs ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Parking utilization in CBDs and TSAs ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Average lot size of new lots ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Number of new units within walking distance of

! ! ! !
basic services
Number of public buildings that include affordable
! ! ! ! ! ! !
housing units
Variety of unit types and sizes built
! ! ! ! ! ! !
Sales and rental statistics in CBDs, MSAs, and TSAs
DIVERSITY - Objective 3
Variety of unit types and sizes ! ! ! !

Staff worked with County agencies, community groups, and the Housing
Opportunities Commission to develop this report’s recommendations.

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 Financial
Performance Coordination Matrix MC M-NCPPC HOC Developers
& insurers
State Federal Utilities

Number of mixed-use, mixed-market residential

! ! ! ! !
development applications approved
Number of multicultural amenities approved ! ! ! !
Number of day care and senior care centers ! ! ! ! ! !
Number of accessory apartments approved ! !
Number of affordable units in neighborhoods ! ! ! !
Number of complaints of cultural bias in housing ! ! !
Number of businesses created in new developments ! ! ! !
Number of shared retail and commercial parking
! ! ! !
facilities
Number of public health and social services located
! ! ! ! ! !
within neighborhoods
Number of senior property tax deferments granted !
ENVIRONMENT - Objective 4
Energy efficiency and carbon generation of
buildings—including the number of buildings ! ! ! ! ! ! !
retrofitted or including energy production measures
Number of units and jobs created near transit ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Number of buildings with enhanced stormwater
! ! ! ! ! ! !
control, including filtering and reuse
Reduction in average house size ! ! ! ! !
Reduction in homeowner insurance rates, utility
! ! ! !
costs, maintenance costs
Amount of reserves and special assessments for
! ! ! !
condominiums and homeowners associations
Reduction in hardscapes and increased use of
! ! ! ! ! !
pervious pavers
Increase in sustainable landscapes ! ! ! ! ! !
Number of older units remediated for lead paint ! ! ! ! !
Number of urban solutions to storm water
management applied by DPS to reduce land ! ! ! ! !
consumption
Efforts by County agencies to identify and alleviate
! ! !
barriers to current sustainability practices

The Excellence in Planning Speaker series featured nationally-known experts to

help us identify the problems and develop solutions.

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 appendix
Online at www.montgomeryplanning.org/community/housing/index.shtm

March 27, 2008

Review of County’s Housing Policies

April 11, 2008

Housing Inventory Slide Show

April 17, 2008

Review of Housing Master Plans, Staff Report
The Housing Goals of the General Plan

May 15, 2008

Legislative Issues, Staff Report
The Affordable Housing Task Force Recommendations
Pro Forma Analysis of MPDU Bonus Density
MPDU Site Design Guidelines
Affordable Housing Task Force Excerpt

May 29, 2008

Examination of Neighborhood Change, Staff Report
Examination of Neighborhood Change Using Indicators, PowerPoint presentation

June 2, 2008
Housing Supply & Demand, Staff Report
Demographic Analysis
Housing Supply Analysis
Housing Market Trends
Housing Supply & Demand Analysis
Housing Supply & Demand PowerPoint presentation

The website also includes links to the speakers and Powerpoint presentations that were part
of the 2007-2008 Excellence in Planning speakers series.

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 Housing Functional Master Plan
An Amendment to the General Master Plan
March 2009

THE MARYLAND-NATIONAL CAPITAL PARK AND PLANNING COMMISSION

8787 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
www.MontgomeryPlanning.org