Rockville Planning Commission to review site plan for new biotech development along I-270

There's a rare bit of good news on the high-wage employment front in Montgomery County, and not surprisingly, it's coming to us once again from the biotech sector of the economy. 2 Research Place, LLC (a shell company that appears to be an entity of Soltesz) has proposed a seven-story life sciences building for 2 Research Place in Rockville, along I-270. The development would include a six-story above-ground parking garage with 400 parking spaces, and a park. An existing office building and parking lot on the 2.82-acre property would be demolished.

Existing site as seen from I-270

The office building will be placed on the side of the property that fronts I-270, to take advantage of the visibility to the 250,000 cars that pass by the site on the interstate each day. This prominent vista will  "promote Rockville as the center for life science uses," the applicant's attorney, Pat Harris, writes in a letter to planning staff.  The building is being designed as a state-of-the-art research office building, with floorplates and ceiling heights scaled to the ideal measurements for laboratory uses as much as office use. 

I-270 is also figuring prominently in the office building's design. Its long facade facing the highway will be "sheathed in an iconic, high-performance glass and metal façade system with variable panel shapes and spacings that amplify the feeling of movement, making a strong connection to the high-speed passersby," Harris writes. Alas, there are no high-quality renderings of the proposed architectural design available as of this writing, only the totally-uninspiring placeholder diagrams shown here.

Proposed site plan

The applicant is going above-and-beyond on several fronts. 100 more parking spaces than the 300 required by the City will be provided in the garage. And the development would include 12,267 square feet of public use space, essentially double the amount required by the City for a project of this size and use.

Office building rear with lobby entrance at left,
and loading docks at right

Side view of office building

The other side view

A centrally-placed large, central lawn will provide a park-like setting with seating. It will be placed in front of the rear of the office building and the parking garage. Auto traffic will circulate around it between the office, garage and main driveway access. A separate patio space with landscaping is also proposed for an area between the office building and the garage. The applicant is proposing a 4' sidewalk to connect the office building with Research Place, but is seeking a waiver to allow the sidewalk to be a foot narrower than the 5' required by the City.

Parking garage

The applicant is seeking a second waiver regarding the rooftop of the office building. Due to the specialized equipment required for life science research uses, the applicant is seeking permission to have more of the roof area dedicated to such equipment, and for the setback from the roof edge to be less than required under current City code. A 19'-high screen is proposed to hide the equipment from view.

Planning staff are recommending approval of the Site Plan, with conditions. The Rockville Planning Commission will review the plan at its meeting tonight, June 28, 2023 at 7:00 PM.

Rockville marijuana dispensary seeks parking waiver from City

Peake ReLeaf, a medical marijuana dispensary in the Chapman Center at 2001 Chapman Avenue, is asking the City of Rockville for a waiver from its current parking requirements. Specifically, it would like permission to reduce its parking mandate by 17 spaces. But if it receives the waiver, the number of surface parking spaces will remain the same. Why seek the waiver, then? It's slightly complicated.

The dispensary business is located in a property that received a previous parking waiver in 1982. That waiver allowed the property to be occupied by several tenants, under the condition that a portion of the building would remain vacant. Peak ReLeaf would now like to occupy that unused space with new medical offices, that would complement its existing retail functions. In order to do that, it must now either create 17 new parking spaces, or receive this waiver from the City.

Peake ReLeaf's parking study indicates that even at peak times of the day, only 70% of its surface parking spaces are filled. The Rockville Planning Commission will review the waiver request at its February 15, 2023 meeting. Planning staff are recommending approval of the waiver, citing the property's proximity to bike lanes and the Twinbrook Metro station. The City has not received any feedback from residents on the proposed waiver so far, but the staff report notes that there is no legal requirement to notify the public of parking waiver requests.

Rockville Planning Commission retreat postponed

The Rockville Planning Commission retreat scheduled for this Saturday, January 28, 2023, has been postponed, the City announced today. A new date has not yet been scheduled. No reason for the cancelation of Saturday's retreat was given.

Rockville office building owner seeks height exemption for rooftop biotech equipment

Here is some good news from the King Farm area of Rockville. Instead of yet another request to convert office zoning to residential use, an office building landlord is seeking a waiver from the City of Rockville that could instead increase the number of high-wage jobs in King Farm. Banyan Street Capital has requested a height waiver for its existing office building at 805 King Farm Boulevard. It is seeking the waiver to allow additional rooftop equipment for a biotech tenant's needs, and a higher rooftop screen wall to block that equipment from view for aesthetic reasons.

In a letter to the Rockville Planning Commission, Banyan Street's attorney, Pat Harris, says that the waiver and new rooftop equipment are "vital to the Applicant’s intended research and development (“R&D”) uses within the building, and the expansion of life science uses in the greater King Farm community." She adds that the new 12' Envel-paneled rooftop screen wall will be designed to closely match the exterior skin of the office building.

Banyan Street Capital completed its acquisition of four office properties in the King Farm employment zone earlier this year. It is making upgrades and amenity enhancements at all of those properties, in what it has branded as The District at King Farm. In addition to the rooftop equipment, Banyan Street says it will be opening a new cafe in the 805 King Farm Boulevard building.

The Planning Commission will consider the waiver request at its October 26, 2022 meeting. It is likely to approve the request, as it voted to allow a similar exemption for sister building 800 King Farm Boulevard in November 2021. A potentially great opportunity for more King Farm residents to be able to walk to high-paying jobs, which was one of the original visions for the community.

New apartment building proposed by Twinbrook Metro station in Rockville

Development firm Hines, in partnership with WMATA, is proposing a new mixed-use development adjacent to the Twinbrook Metro station in Rockville, which would require approval of an amendment to the existing Twinbrook Commons project plan. The development would be built on an assembled lot of 1800 and 1818 Chapman Avenue and a portion of WMATA property at 1700 Chapman Avenue. A one-story auto repair business at the corner of Chapman and Thompson Avenues will remain in place, and is not part of the project sites being assembled.

The 120'-tall building proposed would include 437 apartments, 5,075 square feet of ground floor retail/restaurant space, a 7,800 SF courtyard and green roof, and a 437-space parking garage. 15% of the apartments would be moderately-priced dwelling units. Hines will work with the City to coordinate design of the public space on the property with a proposed future park and plaza to be constructed by the municipality. City staff noted that there is a lack of parkland in that area today. Unfortunately, the developer has not provided any renderings of the proposed architecture of the development.

New bus circulation routes proposed;
future building shown in gray

A new access point into the Metro station bus loop would be constructed off of Thompson Avenue as part of the project. Current city parking standards require 600 parking spaces for a project of this scope. The applicants are seeking a waiver that would allow them to provide only 437. City planning staff are recommending the waiver be granted, citing the location's proximity to Metro, multiple bus routes and Metro parking garage among the justifications.

One Twinbrook resident who lives on the other side of the Metro/CSX railroad tracks wrote to city staff in opposition to the parking waiver. He said overflow parking from the increasing number of multifamily developments with such waivers will spill over onto residential streets in Twinbrook. "I purchased my house in 1989 with my entire life savings as my down payment," he wrote. "I am convinced that my neighbors did the same thing. We should not be disrespected by the City by ignoring our concerns which directly negatively affect our daily lives." He also noted that there is already insufficient space for the existing bus routes that service the Metro station there, questioning how WMATA can afford to give any away.

There is currently insufficient
sewer capacity for the proposed
development, including this line
shown in orange far from the 
building site in Twinbrook

Another concern expressed by City officials, is sewer capacity.  On July 18, the city's Chief of Engineering, John Scabis, wrote that the Department of Public Works "has determined that portions of the City existing sewer system do not have adequate capacity to serve your proposed development." Scabis outlined several mitigation solutions that Hines will be required to fund and facilitate to receive approval for the project. The existing deficiencies extend to the sewer system in the Twinbrook neighborhood on the other side of the tracks, adding to resident concerns beyond the parking matter.

The sites proposed for assembly are currently home to two industrial buildings. You may recall that they were reviewed for historic designation last year, before the green light was given for their demolition. The project will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its meeting tonight, July 27, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Staff are recommending approval of the amendment to the Twinbrook Commons project plan.

Rockville Planning Commission meeting canceled

The previously scheduled meeting of the Rockville Planning Commission on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 has been canceled. Commissioners are next scheduled to meet on the evening of Wednesday, May 11, 2022. No reason was given for the cancellation of the April meeting.

Rockville Planning Commission to discuss new parkland requirements for developers

Anderson Park in Rockville

The Rockville Planning Commission will discuss a proposed update to parkland requirements for developments that include more than 25 multifamily, 20 townhouse or attached, or 15 single-family home units. Non-residential developments with 5000 square feet or more of floor space would also be under the new requirements. Options under discussion will include dedication of land, fees-in-lieu-of dedication and impact fees.

When the Mayor and Council discussed the issue, they came up with several recommendations for the new park requirement rules. They suggested the Parks impact fee apply to the affected non-residential projects. The impact fee should be only 75% of what was recommended by a fiscal consultant to the City, to reduce costs for developers. Impact fees should be indexed to the Engineering News Record's Capital Cost Index, as they are in several Maryland counties right now. And exemptions should apply to the moderately-priced dwelling units in a project, existing and pending projects already under review by the City, and developments that include three or fewer residential units.

Planning commissioners will hold the discussion at their March 23, 2022 meeting. The virtual meeting will begin at 7:00 PM.

Rockville Planning Commission to review Fortune Terrace development this week

A proposed residential development on Fortune Terrace in Rockville will go before the Planning Commission this Wednesday night, January 12, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Developer EYA has proposed building 99 townhomes, 96 multi-family units and 213 multi-family senior housing units at 11511 Fortune Terrace. An existing office building would be demolished to clear the way for the development if it is approved; 70,000 square foot Lifetime Fitness gym would remain on the site. Planning staff is recommending approval of the plan, with conditions.

Rockville Chase Bank branch project moving forward on Meixin Supermarket site

J.P. Morgan Chase is moving forward with its proposed Chase Bank branch on the site of the vacant Meixin Supermarket at 460 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. The Mayor and Council last month voted to deny historic status to the Jack Sullivan-designed retail structure, which will now be demolished. 

A Level 2 site plan for the branch will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at its virtual meeting this week on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at 7:00 PM. Planning staff are recommending approval of the plan, but with a whopping 28 conditions, ranging from lighting that does not cause glare for drivers to compliance with master plan requirements for a shared-use path and future extension of Dawson Avenue.

Photo by Robert Dyer; rendering via City of Rockville

Rockville Planning Commission to consider height waiver for rooftop equipment at building in King Farm

The owner of 800 King Farm Boulevard, an office building, is seeking a height waiver from the City of Rockville for equipment it needs to install on the roof for a future tenant. In a rare bit of good news about high-wage jobs coming to King Farm, rather than being replaced with housing, a future biotech tenant requires larger HVAC and exhaust systems than those approved under existing ordinances. 

Since the proposed equipment would exceed 25% of the roof area, it would be counted as additional height under the current rules. To avoid being out of compliance, Banyan Street Irvington Centre, LLC is seeking a waiver that would allow the proposed use of 39% of the roof area for the equipment and screening. The building is in a commercial area, but not far from homes in King Farm and Upper Rock.

The Rockville Planning Commission will consider the waiver request at its Wednesday, November 10, 2021 meeting at 7:00 PM. Planning staff is recommending approval of the waiver.

Should Meixin Supermarket building in Rockville be declared historic?

The Rockville Planning Commission will consider whether or not the vacant Meixin Supermarket building at 460 Hungerford Drive should be declared historic or not at its July 28, 2021 meeting. City staff advised against changing the property's zoning to MXCD-HD (Historic District) in May. The city's Historic District Commission ruled otherwise on May 20, finding that the property met the criteria for designation, and recommending application of the Historic District (HD) overlay zone through the filing of a Sectional Map Amendment.

Now the Planning Commission will make a recommendation to the Mayor and Council regarding the fate of the property. JPMorgan Chase wishes to demolish the supermarket to clear the way for a Chase Bank branch. Planning staff is not recommending historic designation. While the building was designed by prominent Rockville architect John "Jack" Sullivan (1925-2014), staff argues it is not an exceptional example of his work. 

Historic preservation organization Peerless Rockville, by contrast, has supported historic designation for the property. Peerless Rockville Executive Director Nancy Pickard noted in a May 2021 letter that the city's 1986 Historic Resources Management Plan is now outdated, placing 90 years of growth and architectural styles into a single period of consideration. Pickard suggested the city update its criteria to consider Midcentury Modern structures like the supermarket in the appropriate context, before making a final decision in this case.

Rockville zoning change would allow self-storage use at office buildings in mixed-use employment zones

U-Haul, Inc. has filed a request with the City of Rockville for a zoning change that would permit a self-storage use on existing properties citywide that are currently zoned as MXE (mixed-use employment) zones. The applicant is seeking the change because it would like to install self-storage units in an office building it owns at 1355 Piccard Drive. Self-storage warehouses in MXE zones were eliminated as a permitted use in 2019 by the Mayor and Council, and became a conditional use, and only if the site adjoins property that allows heavy industrial uses.

A zoning text amendment (ZTA) proposed by U-Haul would allow the self-storage use under the following conditions

• Self-storage would be operated in conjunction with an existing permitted use in the MXE zone
• Access to the self-storage units is internal-only, from inside the building
• Self-storage use is located inside an existing office building

The Rockville Planning Commission will receive a briefing on the proposed ZTA at its July 14, 2021 virtual meeting. 

Planning staff have advised against adopting the ZTA. At U-Haul's Piccard Drive building in particular, staff suggests the area proposed for conversion to self-storage is large enough to make that the principal use, rather than a use "in conjunction with" an existing principal use. The change would also reduce the job-creating potential in existing office buildings, staff argues. Any existing, "underperforming" office building could add self-storage as its principal use under the ZTA as proposed, which staff indicates goes against the reasoning behind banning self-storage facilities in MXE zones in the first place.

The ZTA will come back before the Planning Commission on July 28. At that time, commissioners will have the opportunity to discuss and make a formal recommendation to the Mayor and Council on the ZTA.

Rockville Planning Commission meeting canceled

The March 24, 2021 Rockville Planning Commission meeting has been canceled. No reason was given in the announcement. The next Planning Commission meeting is currently scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 2021. Earlier this week, commissioners presented the draft Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Master Plan to the Mayor and Council, and recommended its approval. 

Rockville planning commission postpones decision on Fallsgrove office-to-residential conversion

The Rockville Planning Commission last night postponed a decision on a developer's request to allow a parcel at Fallsgrove designated for future office space to be developed as housing instead. Originally on the agenda for last night's meeting, the decision has now been postponed "until further notice." 

The proposed plan amendment had the support of city planning staff. But such conversions remain controversial, when master plans for places like Fallsgrove, King Farm and Clarksburg were sold to the public as mixed-use communities that would offer housing, retail and job centers.

More Rockville office space to become residential

The moribund Montgomery County economy, and the failure of County officials to attract even a single major corporate headquarters to the county in over 25 years, continues to severely impact the real estate market. With little demand for office space, the county has watched revenue plummet as higher taxes must replace the lost commercial revenue, and those taxes impel the wealthy to flee to lower-tax jurisdictions. Now more planned office space in Fallsgrove is expected to become residential, when the Rockville planning commission approves an amendment allowing that on March 10, 2021.

This is far from the first time land in Rockville that was meant to provide jobs and eliminate commutes for a number of residents has been lost to residential housing. The latest flip will allow 210981 square feet of potential office space to instead be used for up to 350 units of multifamily housing. This will not only eliminate planned office space, but also exceed the caps on building height and total multifamily units allowed in the Fallsgrove master plan.

The proposed residential building would be 76' tall. Parking would be above-ground underneath the residential floors, and on surface lots around the building. A 19000 SF pocket park, a small playground, and a shared-use path along Research Boulevard would be constructed as part of the new development.

Developer Lerner Enterprises' "statement of justification" for the request states that "unsuccessful efforts to market the Property for office use for more than a decade due to the lack of market interest, coupled with the challenges the Applicant has had in leasing their two office buildings in Fallsgrove proper, are the driving forces behind the subject Project Plan Amendment.” It also notes that existing office buildings at 14955 and 14995 Shady Grove Road currently have a high number of vacant units.

Rockville planning staff has made including 2000 SF or less of retail space a condition of approval for the amendment. Lerner says there is no market for retail at that location, and that including it will compromise the successful design of the planned residential building. The company also notes that the retail market in Rockville is weak, citing Rockville Town Square as an example. 

Staff is recommending approval of the project plan amendment, with 13 conditions. If passed, the approval will be transmitted to the Mayor and Council for their approval.

Lerner's statement calls the possibility of Montgomery County's office market rebounding "a remote event." The developer hired Avison Young to study MoCo's office market in general. "The Avison Young reports confirmed that the office market overall in Montgomery County is not strong," Lerner wrote.

Rockville Planning Commission to hold public hearing on annexation of King Buick GMC dealership into city

Should the City of Rockville annex the King Buick GMC dealership at 16200 Frederick Road into the city limits? You can weigh in on the proposed plan at a virtual public hearing being held by the Rockville Planning Commission on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 7:00 PM. To participate, follow the instructions on the meeting agenda. If approved, the new land added to the city is expected to be redeveloped by EYA as a residential housing development.

Rockville Planning Commission to discuss Open Meetings Act violations

Rockville's Planning Commission will discuss Open Meetings Act violations at its next (open) meeting on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 7:00 PM. Commissioners will specifically address requesting an independent, outside review of OMA violations. No details are provided in the meeting agenda.

Rockville Planning Commission to consider annexing King Buick dealership to be redeveloped by EYA

The landowner of the King Buick GMC auto dealership property at 16200 Frederick Road is asking to have the land annexed into the City of Rockville, along with a portion of vacant land. If the proposal receives the necessary approvals, developer EYA intends to formally acquire and redevelop the site with 366 housing units in the form of townhomes and low-rise condo buildings. EYA is also proposing to provide an amenity related to the nearby King Farm farmstead site, such as parking.

Montgomery County's current zoning for the dealership property allows building heights of 45 feet, while Rockville's permits heights of 75 feet. An additional complication is that a Minor Master Plan Amendment process was previously initiated for the area by the Montgomery County Planning Board, which includes the dealership property. 

As drafted, the Montgomery County zoning change would permit heights of 80 feet, but could take up to 18 months to be approved. It's unclear what advantage there is to joining the City of Rockville other than that the project could begin sooner, as city staff estimate the land could be annexed by September 16 of this year. 

But if this is to occur before the County zoning change, the annexation would have to be signed off upon by the Montgomery County Council. That would mean the Council would cede the tax revenue from the future development to Rockville. City staff reports that Montgomery County planners were receptive to the idea of handing the plot over to Rockville.

The Rockville Planning Commission will consider the annexation plan and whether to schedule a public hearing to consider the petition at its January 13, 2021 virtual meeting at 7:00 PM. Planning staff is recommending approval of the public hearing.

Rockville planning staff recommends removing "substantial retail" requirement for Rockshire Village Center in master plan

Rockville Planning Commission
Chair Charles Littlefield

Residents in the Rockshire community of Rockville have long asked the Rockville Planning Commission to preserve the retail-only use of the Rockshire Village Center property in the update of the city's Comprehensive Plan. Developers seeking to redevelop the property are asking for retail use to be minimized or deleted altogether, asserting that there is no market demand for retail at that location. The Planning Commission will consider the competing arguments at its 7:00 PM, October 28, 2020 virtual meeting. City planning staff has now weighed in with recommendations.

Planning staff "does not believe that retaining the restriction on the site that it may only be retail

is in the best interests of the community or the property owner," a staff report included in the meeting agenda states, in response to testimony by resident Randy Alton. Responding to testimony opposing retail use by Bob Youngentob of development firm EYA, staff goes further, recommending commissioners delete the word "substantial" from "substantial retail" as a condition for any residential redevelopment. 

Staff also notes that commissioners could remove the word "retail" altogether. "In that case," the report suggests, "the language could be shortened to simply say:  'Any housing development must provide a significant amenity that would be an asset to the broader community.' An amenity could include retail or community space, but neither would be identified explicitly."

Rockville planning commission to review Wegmans, Twinbrook Quarter Phase 1 site plan

The Rockville Planning Commission will review the Phase 1 site plan for B.F. Saul's Twinbrook Quarter mixed-use development at 1500-1616 Rockville Pike, which includes a Wegmans grocery store, at its August 5, 2020 virtual meeting. If approved, Phase 1 will include up to 460 apartment units, 270,000 square feet of office space, a 92,000 square foot Wegmans, 12,000 square feet of restaurant use, and 17,000 square feet of retail use.

One new element in the plan is a potential daycare facility within the structure, with a capacity for up to 135 children. Phase 1 will also include construction of Festival Street and another extension of Chapman Avenue, including its intersection with Festival Street.

Planning staff is recommending approval of the site plan. The project is adjacent to the Twinbrook Metro station at Halpine Road.