Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure refers to a network of waterways, wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitats and other natural areas that supports native species and contributes to clean air, clean water and a healthy, sustainable quality of life. As an interconnected system, green infrastructure provides greater environmental viability, value, and function than disconnected individual resources.
In the Montgomery County Planning Department’s Green Infrastructure project, planners are identifying and evaluating sensitive and important environmental features throughout the county and ways to connect them into a comprehensive system.
At a Planning Board briefing on March 13, staff updated the Board on the progress and purpose of the Green Infrastructure Plan. At a community meeting June 7, planners presented draft mapping scenarios of a green infrastructure plan that identifies environmental features throughout the county and ways to connect them into a comprehensive network.
The green infrastructure plan will feature maps of interconnected natural areas as well as strategies and recommendations to create the environmental network. The plan will establish environmental priorities to assist policy-makers and guide planners reviewing development applications, writing community master plans, and acquiring parkland.
Background
Just as county-wide connectivity is important in planning for and upgrading man-made infrastructure such as roads, storm drains, sewers and utilities, that large perspective also plays an important role in understanding, protecting, and improving functional natural areas, or green infrastructure.
The Green Infrastructure Functional Master Plan will:
- Provide a policy guide for development and zoning decisions
- Enable planners to consider important natural resources when reviewing development applications, transportation plans, and park acquisition
- Help guide smart growth
Green Infrastructure Plan Goals
- Identify the existing and desired contiguous network of natural areas of countywide significance
- Identify and recommend effective mechanisms to preserve, protect, enhance, and restore the network
- Support the desired development pattern identified in the county’s General Plan and facilitate smart growth;
- Complement, guide and enhance existing plans, programs, and environmental guidelines for development
- Realize forest protection goals
- Provide a planning tool to help improve water quality
- Increase the potential for state funding of open space preservation
- Streamline environmental protection recommendations for community master plans
- Facilitate a more streamlined and environmentally effective review and mitigation process for all public and private development projects
Purpose & Outreach Strategy Report
On March 9, 2006, the Planning Board approved publication of the Purpose and Outreach Strategy Report, which initiated public participation in the process of creating a countywide vision for ecosystems and natural area connections. The report outlines the relationship of the Green Infrastructure Plan to other state and county plans and programs, the objectives of the plan, major themes and issues, a proposed public outreach strategy, and a schedule.
Project schedule
Green Infrastructure Community Meeting
2-5 p.m., Saturday, June 7
Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road in Derwood
January 2008
- Begin preliminary Green Infrastructure mapping analysis
- Prepare for interactive GIS mapping sessions
February 2008 - March 2008
- Continue preliminary Green Infrastructure mapping analysis
- Select Green Infrastructure mapping approach for scenario development
- Begin Public Outreach focus towards youth
March 2008 - April 2008
- Develop Natural resources base map including sensitive areas covered by existing environmental guidelines and regulations
- Formulate draft alternative mapping scenarios
- Preparation for Green Infrastructure plan public meeting
June 2008
- June 7: Green Infrastructure public meeting to present scenarios and gather input
2-5 p.m., Saturday, June 7
Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road in Derwood
Read the meeting invitation | Let us know you’re coming! Send us your RSVP
June 2008 - November 2008
- Brief Planning Board on results of public information meeting
- Develop draft Green Infrastructure plan
December 2008
- Second public meeting to present draft plan
June 2009
- Present to Planning Board / Authorization to print and distribute for comment
July 2009 - December 2009
- Planning Board public hearing and worksessions
- Final draft
January 2010 - July 2010
- County Executive review
- County Council review
- Public hearing
- Worksessions
- Approval and adoption
Focus group meeting summaries
As part of the public outreach effort, stakeholder focus groups were formed to discuss issues related to the development of the plan.
- Interagency and public land managers (pdf)
- Building industry and chambers of commerce(pdf)
- Agriculture and forestry(pdf)
- Environmental (pdf)
- Municipalities and large civic associations (pdf)
- Natural area recreational users (pdf)
- Download the PowerPoint presentation for the Focus Groups (pdf)
M-NCPPC Staff Contact
Michael Zamore, Project
Manager, 301-495-2106
Michael.Zamore@mncppc-mc.org
Mary Dolan, Supervisor
Mary.Dolan@mncppc-mc.org
Mark Symborski, Project advisor
Mark.Symborski@mncppc-mc.org
If you wish to be added to an e-mail list to receive periodic updates about meetings, plan materials and opportunities for comment please contact us or visit this web site to see schedules and materials.
Date of last update: May 16, 2008
