Rockville City Council Meeting – January 6, 2025: Proclamations, Lincoln Park Guidelines, and Town Center Master Plan
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Rockville City Council Meeting – January 6, 2025
The Rockville City Council met virtually on January 6, 2025, beginning at 6:30 p.m. to conduct a regular meeting that included proclamations honoring President Jimmy Carter, Lunar New Year, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a consent agenda item, and two major work sessions: proposed amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and the Rockville Town Center Master Plan. The meeting lasted approximately four hours.
Consent Calendar
- Montgomery County Housing Initiative Fund Loan: The council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Montgomery County to issue a $1.5 million loan to RHE Scarborough Square, LLC, owner of the Scarborough Square townhomes and apartments. The loan is from the county, not the city.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Senator Cheryl Kagan (District 17): Provided a legislative update, noting a $2.7 billion state budget shortfall, 9‑1‑1 modernization bills, and capital bond projects for the Elwood Smith Center, Talbot Park, and Montgomery History. She also promoted her podcast featuring Mayor Ashton.
- Peter Lovell: Expressed concern about eliminating parking requirements in the Town Center Master Plan, arguing that a market‑based approach would not respond quickly enough and that handicapped parking would be lost. He suggested using bonus height as an incentive for developers to include parking.
- Jake Jacobeck: Supported allowing more housing in the town center and improving pedestrian and cycling safety, stating that a vibrant downtown depends on enough residents to support local businesses.
- Anita Powell (President, Lincoln Park Historical Foundation): Urged the council to focus on the current character of Lincoln Park while considering design changes, noting that the community is already undergoing transformation. She asked that future decisions respect the historic footprint and that monitoring of new construction be robust.
- Dwayne Rollins (former council member): Warned against eliminating parking requirements, citing difficulties in Washington, D.C., and urged the council to keep heights along the West End at 60 feet or less.
Discussion Items
Work Session: Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan Amendments
- Staff Presentation (Christopher Davis, Planning Director): Reviewed 10 proposed design guidelines (modifications to existing standards and new standards). Key modifications addressed building footprint (increase from 1,500 to 1,800 sq. ft., with 2,100 for one‑story homes), building height (from 29 ft. to 30 ft.), and additions. New standards included requirements for porches, building orientation, massing (max. 4 outside corners), garages, and trees (3 per lot). Staff recommended all guidelines; the Planning Commission had previously approved them.
- Council Deliberation: Members expressed a strong preference for amending only the existing conservation district standards that were causing the most community concern – namely building footprint and height. Councilmembers Valeri, Fulton, Van Grack, and others noted that only 13 survey responses were received, and additional restrictions (on materials, window sizes, building articulation, porches, trees) were not clearly requested by the majority of residents. Several members raised equity concerns about imposing a tree requirement unique to Lincoln Park. The council directed staff to bring back a targeted zoning text amendment to modify only the building footprint and height standards, effectively eliminating the need for a full set of design guidelines at this time. The amendment will be prepared for the January 26 meeting.
Work Session: Rockville Town Center Master Plan – Maryland 355 Corridor & Parking
- Maryland 355 Corridor Character Area (Andrew Rettelbach): Staff presented three scenarios for defining the corridor – Scenario 1 (quarter‑mile from Metro), Scenario 2 (half‑mile from Metro or quarter‑mile from BRT), and Scenario 3 (all parcels along 355 within the planning area). Staff recommended Scenario 2, which provides a transition zone. Council consensus favored Scenario 2.
- Parking Minimums Elimination (Katie Gerbis): Staff presented data showing existing parking surpluses in both public (Garages A, B, C) and private garages (Boulevard Ansel and Boulevard 44). Three options were discussed: (1) eliminate minimums throughout the entire planning area; (2) eliminate minimums within 1/2‑mile of Metro and 1/4‑mile of BRT (matching Montgomery County’s approach); (3) eliminate minimums in the corridor and core character areas, reduce by 25% in the edge. Staff recommended Option 3, but after debate, the council settled on Option 2 with an add‑on requiring developers to submit a parking plan justifying their proposed number of spaces. Council also agreed to explicitly note that state‑required accessible (ADA) parking spaces are not affected by this decision. The planning team will revise the plan to incorporate these choices and will present a clean version at the January 13 meeting, with adoption possible on that date.
Key Outcomes
- Lincoln Park Conservation District: The council directed staff to prepare a zoning text amendment to modify only the building footprint and height standards, removing the need for a full set of design guidelines. The amendment will be brought back for introduction on January 26. Council deferred action on all other proposed guidelines pending further community input.
- Town Center Master Plan – 355 Corridor: Council selected Scenario 2 as the character area definition for the Maryland 355 corridor.
- Town Center Master Plan – Parking: Council selected Option 2 (eliminate minimums within 1/2‑mile of Metro and 1/4‑mile of BRT) and added a requirement for a parking plan. The plan will also state that accessible parking requirements remain in effect. Staff will revise the plan and post changes to Engage Rockville by noon on Wednesday, January 8, if possible. Council will consider adoption of the Master Plan on January 13, 2025, unless additional time is needed.
- Other: The council requested that implementation of wayfinding and beautification enhancements in town center be planned and tracked, and that an annual report on the Master Plan’s progress (including affordable housing units created) be provided.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, Rockville. Today is January 6th. Happy New Year, and we're going to begin our meeting. I want to note that we are all virtual and we appreciate everyone's patience with us today. We are slightly in a different format, but we'll make this great for everyone. We're going to be beginning meeting number 01-25. And let's start with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance. And to the Republic. One nation. Under Caracas with liberty, and justice for our little bit harder when we're remote. All right. So happy new year again, everyone. At the end of the year, I wanted to at least take a moment to recognize and honor President Carter. So we'll move into recognitions. My screen just froze. Apologies for that. So I'm going to move into a recognition for President Carter. He passed away on December 29th, 2024. And we have a special proclamation to honor the longest living president. He uh lived to 100 years. And he also served as the 39th president. In addition to all the work he has done globally and domestically, he had many achievements. He is well known as a humanitarian and a peacemaker. He's the author of 32 books. And he also designed a comprehensive energy program with the then new Department of Energy. So he's done so much for our country, and we are a better world because he was in it. I also wanted to note that he uh received the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded him the Nobel Peace Prize for 2022 for decades of untiring efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development. The can't the Carta family also was very involved in supporting our annual peace day and to work with Maddie Stepanic, who is a Rockville, was a Rockville resident and really helping to jumpstart the Maddie Stapadic Foundation along with Jenny, Dr. Jenny Stepanic. I also um wanted to note that he was very instrumental in supporting affordable housing uh through the Carta um Foundation that he created that he started. He supported the then the Habitat for Humanity, building affordable homes, and he created what was an annual Carter Work Project and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity annually. Through the years, they have organized thousands of volunteers, supported hands on construction, and served as tireless advocates. And with that, I will read the proclamation. Whereas President James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th President of the United States passed away on December 29th, 2024. And whereas President Joseph R. Biden declared January 9th, 2025 as a national day of mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr. And whereas President Carter's career in public service began as a cadet in the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland in 1943, later serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets and becoming a decorated lieutenant being selected to join the elite nuclear submarine program. And whereas President Carter, upon the death of his father, moved from active duty to the to the Navy Reserve to return to Plains, Georgia, to help run his family's peanut farm. And whereas President Carter's deep faith and penchant for public service moved him to become a community leader and eventually being selected as state senator and becoming the 76th governor of the state of Georgia and then becoming the president of the United States. And whereas President Carter became friends with Rockville's own Maddie JT Stepanic, and they wrote a book together on the importance of peace. President Carter called Maddie the most extraordinary person I have ever met. Whereas President Carter distinguished himself by dedicating his life after his presidency, building homes around the world with Habitat for Humanity, focusing on peace. Now, therefore, on behalf of the entire mayor and council and the residents of the city of Rockville, we express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for President James Earl Carter's life for public service, an inspiring commitment to peace, work, and to end homelessness to support human rights and his unwavering support for freedom and democracy for all people. We also thank his family. Will someone please move the proclamation? Does someone uh make a motion to move the proclamation? I make a motion to move the proclamation. Thank you.
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