Transit-Oriented Development in Maryland

Latest Happenings


Smart Growth Platform 2010 for Prince George’s County

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With 15 Metro stations in close proximity to one of the nation's leading employment centers, Prince George’s County has the best economic development opportunity in the Washington, D.C. region. View the platform here >>
Green Power Platform

Green Power Platform

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Building Healthy and Vibrant Communities in Prince George’s County is a comprehensive blueprint to improve the environment and economy in Prince George’s County and to secure environmental justice for all of our residents. Policy recommendations are provided for energy conservation, renewable energy, waste management, land use, transportation, green business, sustainable agriculture and water/natural resources.

Montgomery County: White Flint Sector Plan

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We would like to express our support for the White Flint Sector Plan and urge the Council and County Executive to support it too. We strongly support the County focusing growth here at a Metro station rather than new areas that require major new public infrastructure investments like the Gaithersburg West Plan, which we oppose in its current form. We need to make the distinction – we should focus growth around our Metro stations and revitalize major commercial corridors like Rockville Pike. Conversely, the great amount of development proposed in the Gaithersburg West Plan fosters sprawl, long distance commuting, increased traffic, air and water pollution. Overzoning Gaithersburg West undermines the redevelopment of Rockville Pike and Metro station areas – the very areas where we should be encouraging sustainable, transit-oriented development and great urban boulevards and streets.

Montgomery County: Gaithersburg West

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We urge you to oppose the Gaithersburg West Plan. We believe that the major expansion in planned employment proposed in the Plan is detrimental to county residents and poses a serious threat to smart growth in the region. We urge the county to refocus efforts to ensure a quality growth plan for the White Flint Metro station area, and fostering employment growth at existing underutilized Metro stations and along transit corridors in down and east county locations. The Life Sciences Center (LSC) portions of the Gaithersburg West Plan proposes excessive density for the location–far from a Metro station, which will exacerbate the housing-jobs imbalance, and induce sprawl and unnecessary car traffic.

Maryland: Testimony regarding the Takoma/Langley Crossroads Preliminary Sector Plan

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We support the vision of this plan -- “achieve a transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly community that celebrates and builds on cultural diversity of the existing and future residents.” We are excited about the coming bus transit center and future Purple Line stations. We share the county’s aspiration for this plan to spark redevelopment and boost economic development on outdated automobile-oriented strip malls; building higher density, vibrant, mixed use places that are inviting for pedestrians. We agree with the plan’s emphasis on the need to improve connectivity and create a compact, walkable environment. We believe redevelopment of key commercial parcels around the planned transit stations offers great opportunity to foster an attractive walking environment, with new jobs, businesses and housing.