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The Draft Vision provides a big-picture overview of the types of changes the Glenmont community would like to see in the future, in order to guide updates to the 1997 Sector Plan. Because it addresses land use changes generally, the Draft Vision cannot specifically address a range of planning, design and policy decisions that will require both further analysis and a greater level of detail. This will be accomplished as part of the Sector Plan process. During the three Community Visioning Workshops, participants made numerous suggestions that, while not addressed in the Draft Vision, will be explored further in the Sector Plan.
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things to consider during the sector planning process
The Sector Plan will need to address the following elements in more detail: additional land use and zoning considerations While the Draft Vision provides an initial framework for what Glenmont might look like once development occurs in the future, Planning Department staff will need to further analyze the amount and scale of development that is appropriate, based on factors such as market conditions, urban design requirements, transportation impacts, infrastructure needs, and other considerations. While the Draft Vision
road and transit needs During the remainder of the Sector Plan process, the Planning Department will assess the transportation impacts and benefits that are likely to result from the land uses proposed in the Draft Vision, as well as the appropriate designation of existing and proposed roadways. Recommendations regarding transit facilities and services will need to be explored further as part of ongoing coordination with WMATA and other agencies. Given the amount of land owned by WMATA, and the impact of transit facilities such as the bus loop, Metro parking garages and WMATA-owned property on implementation of the communitys vision, the future use and design of these facilities should be explored further during the planning process. Similarly, the potential for a circulator bus service providing connections to the Metro, an idea raised during the visioning workshops, should be explored. school, park and community facility needs As part of the Sector Plan process, Planning Department staff will further analyze the public facility needs that will result from implementation of the vision, including schools, parks and recreation, and other community facilities (emergency services, libraries, community centers, child care facilities, post offices, etc.). While the Draft Vision does not address these issues in detail, workshop participants noted a variety of school, park, and community facility
addresses general categories of land uses, it does not include the more specialized land uses suggested by members of the Glenmont community during the visioning process, such as child care facilities, a hotel, affordable housing, senior care facilities, and community meeting and gathering spaces. These and other potential land uses will be analyzed further as part of the Sector Plan recommendations regarding land uses and community facility needs. In addition, the Sector Plan and design guidelines will need to address design considerationssuch as building placement and orientation, height and massing, visual and architectural character and streetscape designthat were noted, but were not addressed comprehensively, during the visioning process.
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needs during the workshops. In particular, numerous participants highlighted the need for affordable child care within easy access of the Glenmont Metro station. Participants also noted the need for additional community meeting/gathering spaces. public safety Many comments during the visioning process noted both the reality and the perception of crime in the Glenmont area. Participants emphasized the need for greater police presence, better street lighting, and other measures to improve public safety. The Sector Plan will need to evaluate the public safety recommendations included in the 1997 Sector Plan, and assess these and other approaches to addressing public safety within the context of the Sector Plan. sustainable / green design Throughout the visioning process, members of the Glenmont community advocated creating a greener Glenmont through the application of a variety of sustainable or green design approaches. These approacheswhich could include better stormwater management practices, tree planting, and other techniquesshould be explored further during the Sector Plan process. In addition, the Sector Plan will require a more detailed analysis of sensitive environmental areas as well as water and air quality issues.
staging The 1997 Sector Plan recommended a staged development infrastructure approach, linked and to anticipated transit improvements future
facilities, identifying future development likely to occur in the short term, based on infrastructure availability. The updated Sector Plan will analyze the need for a similar mechanism to ensure that future development can be supported by infrastructure improvements, such as the Randolph RoadGeorgia Avenue interchange, new road connections, improvements to existing roadways, and future expansion of transit service.
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implementation strategies
There are a number of tools, incentives and approaches that local governments have successfully employed to implement plans in areas with issues of multiple ownership of key developable sites. The County and/ or landowners should consider using the strategies described below to create meaningful change in the Glenmont area. Some of these strategies have already been employed elsewhere in the County. Some of the incentives noted below are included as part of the Countys Commercial/Residential (CR) Zone, which the Planning Department could utilize in the Glenmont area. land assembly The proactive assembly of parcels, particularly related to redevelopment of the existing shopping center, will provide an incentive for attracting private development interest. The County could accomplish land assembly, and further incentivize development, through several possible approaches, including: Facilitation of voluntary land assembly: Montgomery County can play a pro-active role in facilitating land assembly by working directly with property owners as part of a master planning process to encourage them to coordinate and consolidate their parcels as part of a development package. The County can then assist the property owners by developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for developers and can provide help in selecting a developer to work with the property owners. This approach is minimally intrusive yet does not formally provide sticks and carrots (regulations or incentives) to encourage private property owners to participate. For example, Commerce City, CA, noted for its businessfriendly approach to development, assists with site assembly through such approaches as an expedited plan review process, temporary fee reductions or forgiveness (on a case-by-case basis), and designation of a permit facilitation team that meets with prospective developers and property owners. Creation of a Land Assembly District (LAD): A LAD encourages property owners within a specified district to assemble their land and buildings for redevelopment. Approval for assembly and sale of land can only occur through a majority vote of property owners. In return for becoming part of this district, local government can provide additional regulatory, fiscal or other incentives, such as a density bonus (included in the Countys CR Zone), tax abatement, or other incentives. A relatively new concept, LADs are still theoretical in nature and have been advocated by leading scholars at Harvard University and other academic institutions as legal solutions to redevelopment constraints. Equity Ownership in Development: An
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approach to land assembly that promotes private participation is the establishment of a development corporation or LLC where individual property owners become equity shareholders based on the pro-rata value of their properties. This development corporation could then
of their asset, and NCRC leased the ground to the developer. The overall development was organized as an LLC, which reduced risk to the equity partners. Once land has been assembled, there is a greater opportunity for redevelopment by public or private developers or through a partnership between the two. The various incentives mentioned above further increase the likelihood that private development interests would be attracted to participate in redevelopment. development and business recruitment incentives Assuming that a developer can be recruited to assist with redevelopment of the shopping center site, the developer will bring its own team of marketing staff to attract and recruit a broader mix of businesses to the redeveloped site. In addition, the County might consider the following incentives and approaches: Tax Abatement: An incentive directed to specific redevelopment districts that reduces the overall tax burden for certain types of development desired by the community and the County. For example, Arlington, TX utilizes tax abatements as an incentive for recruiting and retaining businesses within target sectors (i.e., certain manufacturing, health care, tourism and hospitality, logistics and trade and other
partner with a public or private development entity for redevelopment of their site, or a single property owner can become lead developer. This concept can work concurrently with a LAD, as part of a voluntary assembly process (where Montgomery County encourages the property owners to form an LLC), or condemnation and eminent domain policies are invoked to secure partial public ownership. The advantage is that property owners can be shown a financial benefit from participation in terms of a return on their equity (property) and can also retain ownership and business interest in their site. For example, for the Skyland Shopping Center redevelopment at the Anacostia Metro station, a development process led by National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC) assembled nearly 20 different parcels held by 15 land owners, formed a financial partnership with Morgan Stanley (with additional financing through TIF), and identified willing private property owners as equity partners. The property owners contributed land as equity in the redevelopment project, based on the value
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industries). The incentives are applied across the county and are not limited to certain districts. By contrast, San Antonio, TX targets business tax abatement incentives to specific revitalization districts. The abatements are offered of up to 100% of real or personal property taxes for a period of up to 10 years, so long as the business qualifies as a targeted industry and meets requirements in terms of employee residency, fair wage laws, and location within an abatement district. Business Incentives: Incentives targeted for certain types of businesses within this special district can also assist with recruitment. For example, some cities offer direct financial incentives such as forgivable loans during the first 12 months of operation for qualified businesses. Some private developers (particularly those building traditional neighborhood developments, or TNDs) often provide similar subsidies for the initial years of operation for businesses (i.e., caf, gourmet grocery, restaurant, or wine shop) that form an essential part of the marketing package they use to sell homes in the TND. Local government can also work with the developer to pro-actively assist in recruiting destination businesses or anchor tenants through a package of public and private incentives. Community Services: In some cases, there may
be opportunities for bringing desired community facilities and servicessuch as child care, senior services, and other community facilities called for during the community visioning processto the Glenmont community as part of the Countys CR Zone amenity provision. Thus, the County could target the location of services under its control (either directly or through licensing and contracting) to the Glenmont area. A mechanism for doing so already exists as part of the Countys CR Zone.
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