Twinbrook Sector Plan: July 12-14 Workshop Series Summary

Twinbrook Sector Plan
July 12-14 Workshop Series Summary
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

www.mc-mncppc.org/twinbrook
Introduction
The July 14 meeting held at Twinbrook Elementary School concluded a series of
workshops held on July 12 and 13 at the Twinbrook Recreation Center. Their topics
included Workshop 1: Establishing Adequate Services, Workshop 2: Building an
Advanced Technology/Biotechnology Center, and Workshop 3: Opportunities in the
Light Industrial Areas.
These meetings were part of an outreach strategy developed to integrate public insight,
opinions and concerns into the Sector Plan process. Several business and community
members attended the workshops and the final session. Representatives from various
agencies included the Department of Public Works and Transportation, the City of
Rockville, and Montgomery County Public Schools. The Conflict Resolution Center of
Montgomery County and Search for Common Ground helped facilitate the discussions
with the community, which were led by members of the Community-Based Planning
Division staff.
The workshops included presentations on relevant information about existing policy
frameworks, new data and other important guidelines or considerations. Following the
presentations, attendees were invited to identify issues that should be addressed in the
Sector Plan, ask questions and voice concerns. These comments were recorded and are
included in this document.
After the three workshops, staff held a larger evening meeting on July 14 to summarize
the topics discussed and thoughts contributed, and gather any additional input in these
categories from businesses and community members unable to attend the daytime
workshops. It began with an overview of information covered in the workshops and
attendees were invited to record any additional comments, suggestions and questions
about the topic. The meeting closed with a discussion of the process ahead, and the next
opportunity for involvement in the scenario building exercise planned for September. A
summary of each meeting follows.
Workshop 1: Establishing Adequate Services

July 12, 1:00 p.m.
Twinbrook Community Recreation Center
Purpose
This meeting was intended to inform and engage the Twinbrook community in dialogue
with County agencies on the topics of housing, schools and transportation. The
presentation included some indicating statistics along with policies and plans that will
guide the Twinbrook Sector Plan.
Summary
Planning staff from the Research and Technology Center presented information about the
changing housing market in Montgomery County. A projected increase in the jobshousing ratio by 2030 will increase the number of jobs in the County, and demonstrates
the need for additional housing.
County housing policies include:
providing a variety of housing choices
ensuring assistance for those with diverse housing needs
creating neighborhoods that are high quality and safe.
Montgomery Countys housing priorities include increasing opportunities for people who
grew up in the County and want to remain, those who currently live in the County but
would like to find different housing in the County, and those who want to live and work
in the County.
To decrease traffic congestion, it is important to have adequate housing opportunities
where jobs are located. Clustering jobs and housing around transit links such as Metro,
and planning for an interconnected local street system that includes ample sidewalks,
crosswalks, lighting and trees can encourage walking, biking, and transit use, and help
decrease auto dependency. Housing opportunities in the planning area include the
proposed Twinbrook Commons project located east of Twinbrook Parkway and the two
Health and Human Services parking lots located west of Twinbrook Parkway.
New housing units in the planning area will bring children who will need to be
accommodated in the Richard Montgomery and Walter Johnson school clusters.
Transportation staff presented transportation objectives, guiding policies, and analytic
techniques that will be used or considered during the Twinbrook Sector Plan process.
Key transportation elements outlined by the 1992 North Bethesda/Garrett Park Master
Plan include the Metro station, MARC train access, Montrose Parkway, the local street
grid, parking, neighborhood traffic as well as bike and pedestrian routes. Staff
summarized the basic transportation objectives that include following the
recommendations of the Transportation Policy Report, maintaining consistency with
other plans, and creating adequate capacity. Guiding County policies include the
Montgomery County Road Code, Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO), Annual
Growth Policy (AGP), and Transportation Demand Management efforts. Staff outlined
several tools that the transportation planners will use to develop a strategy, including the
EMME/2 Travel Demand Model and the Local Area Model (LAM). Several key issues
already identified as problematic include Rockville Pike, Veirs Mill Road, and the
intersections at Twinbrook Parkway and MD 355, Twinbrook Parkway and Veirs Mill
Road, and Parklawn Drive and Montrose Parkway.
After the presentation, the floor was opened for questions and comments. Community
members and agency representatives mentioned several things about these topics and
their input follows.
Housing
Increased demand for larger units (two and three bedroom)
Need for affordable housing
More moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs)
Need for three-bedroom units in MPDUs
Schools
Concern that there will be overcrowding in schools from new housing in the study
area (especially the elementary schools)
Developers should provide funding for schools
Road Congestion
Twinbrook Parkway (Veirs Mill Road to Rockville Pike), 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Along Rockville Pike (from White Flint to Route 28)
Edmonston Road/Route 28/Twinbrook Parkway/First Street
Need another east/west connection
Parking
Parking at Metro is impossible after 8:30 a.m.
No parking at Rockville Metro
Parking problems in Twinbrook started when the Grosvenor parking lot was closed
for construction
Metro
Lack of capacity, no seats on Metro cars at Twinbrook
Need for lighting in community around the Metro station
Lack of Ride-On service, need to extend service
Ride-On can be considered disruptive by neighbors (noise, speed, frequency)
Cut-Through Traffic
Neighborhood street traffic
Coordination with the State Highway Administration
Bicycle Routes
Two lanes of parked cars (Crawford, Lewes, Ardennes) leaves no room for bikeways
Bus Stops
Need to assess placement of bus stops
Workshop 2: Building an Advanced Technology/Biotechnology Center at

Twinbrook
July 13, 1:30 p.m.
Purpose
This workshop was intended to engage the Twinbrook community in exploring how to
create an appropriately scaled, world-class advanced technology/biotechnology center
near a Metro station.
Summary
Staff discussed the elements of transit-oriented design and outlined five principles for
great place-making. Transit-oriented design elements include walkable blocks, quality
streetscapes, community focal points, and a pattern of connected streets to make walking
direct, convenient and safe.
The five principles for great place-making are as follows:
Great Streets that include pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and crossings, and consistent
streetscapes and street furniture.
Mixed Use Development that integrates residential, commercial and office spaces; in
Twinbrook, biotech offices and labs.
Public Open Space in opportunity areas creating plazas, fountains, seating and green
space for people to enjoy.
Interconnectivity ensuring a variety of connections between Metro and important roads,
and destination spots in the planning area.
Focal Elements create visually stimulating, unique environments that contribute to an
areas identity. These can include fountains, public art, interesting architecture or a
service center.
The workshop concluded with a facilitated discussion of these topics. Comments and
questions from the audience follow.
Connections
Make connections between Twinbrook Commons and the Health and Human
Services building along Fishers Lane; these buildings will be focal points for
Twinbrook
Metro station is a primary focal point
Proposed Uses
Street level retail/residential/office-serving uses
Uses that serve the employees
Green Space and Public Realm

The planning area needs good streets, pleasant walks, and greenery
Walkability around Metro, need better sidewalks to Metro and MD 355
Parklawn Cemetery could provide open space
Streets/open space need to be usable places to sit and stay
Opportunities to develop the urban edge
Workshop 3: Opportunities in the Light Industrial Areas

July 13, 3:30 p.m.
Purpose
This workshop allowed the community and the small business and property owners in the
light industrial areas to discuss ways to strengthen existing businesses and accommodate
new uses in the area, what they view as valuable, and what needs to be rethought in the
area. It was also intended as an opportunity to collect information about the type of
businesses that have chosen to locate in Twinbrook, including rental versus ownership of
the buildings, the percentage of employees who commute via transit, zoning concerns,
etc.
Summary
This final workshop identified aspects of Twinbrook that are attractive to businesses as
well as enhancements that could improve the area for businesses. Participants were asked
to answer a questionnaire to help identify strengths and weaknesses of locating a business
in the Twinbrook planning area. A facilitated discussion followed and participants
comments are summarized below.
Advantages of Operating a Business in Twinbrook
Central location; proximity to I-270 and I-95 L
Labor pool within walking distanceTight-knit business community
Stable businesses (auto shops, rental company, construction company, electrician)
Disadvantages
No organization in the business area
Uncertainty about the areas future Lack of parking
Poor condition of side streets
Final Meeting
July 14, 7:30 p.m.
Twinbrook Elementary School
Purpose
The July 14 meeting reviewed the information covered during the workshops held and
presented workshop information for those who did not attend. It was also another
opportunity for comments and questions.
Summary
The audience included community members, interested individuals, representatives from
the JBG Company, City of Rockville, Department of Public Works and Transportation,
small business owners, and planning staff. Facilitators from the Conflict Resolution
Center of Montgomery County and Search for Common Ground were also present to
gather community input.
Staff presented the 1992 North Bethesda/Garrett Park Master Plan, the 2000 Charrette,
and the outreach and planning process. Staff also presented and summarized workshop
information. After the housing and transportation presentations, audience members added
comments regarding information that was missing or any questions that had not been
answered. These comments and questions were recorded as follows.
Housing
What is affordable housing?
What about the working poor
MPDU vs. affordable, and How do you distinguish levels of affordability
Experience verifies need for larger, affordable units
Development planned 12.5 percent MPDUs; should include two-bedroom, onebedroom, efficiency units (Twinbrook Commons)
North Bethesda area has surplus of units MPDUs are available
Want two- and three-bedroom units in new developments for families and community
building
One bedroom units encourage singles, transients, and two-car households
Increase of investor/owners; positive cash flow
More county oversight of MPDUs
Restricted/managed buyout of MPDU program
Transportation
Morning congestion in general and specifically on Twinbrook Parkway
WMATA maintenance needs to be increased at Metro station and bus stops
Increased parking at Metro needed
Veirs Mill Road has evening congestion
Additional connections across rail tracks (pedestrian, bike, vehicular)
Ride-On bus needs additional hours (#44)
Traffic lights or pedestrian crossings needed at bus stops and Metro
Pedestrian access to Metro is not used in part because the length of Twinbrook
Parkway is unfriendly to pedestrians
Better road and pedestrian connections to Metro in general
Financial incentives to use public transportation
More walkable amenities to connect workplace, home, shopping, restaurants, et
More shuttles that hit the places where people work and live
Impact on congestion of planned residential and retail developments

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Twinbrook Sector Plan

July 12-14 Workshop Series Summary

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

Workshop 1: Establishing Adequate Services

Workshop 2: Building an Advanced Technology/Biotechnology Center at

Green Space and Public Realm

Workshop 3: Opportunities in the Light Industrial Areas

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