The Gaithersburg mayor and council on July 7 approved a zoning map amendment to rezone 481 N. Frederick Ave., 101 Lake Forest Blvd. and 702 Russell Ave. to Corridor Development (CD) and granted a schematic development plan that would allow an eight-story multifamily rental building with ground-floor commercial space, subject to three staff conditions.

The action matters because the development will add housing density near Maryland Route 355 and MD-124, raising traffic and connectivity concerns that staff and council members discussed during the policy session. The city required a final-site-plan traffic impact study (TIS) update that includes the MD-355/MD-124 intersection and said applicants should incorporate a market study to confirm the final unit mix, including 3-bedroom units.

Planning staff, led by Laura Mayfield, presented the project as the first CD rezoning under Gaithersburg’s new zoning code. The application proposes replacing two existing office buildings with an 8-story multifamily building with ground-floor commercial uses and retaining a third office building with minor improvements. “The final mix will be determined at final site plan, and the applicant reiterated that they intend to include 3-bedroom units in the final unit mix,” Mayfield said; staff included a proposed condition requiring three-bedroom units at final site plan.

Doug Smith of the city’s public works staff described the Gateway Lake Forest Traffic Impact Study, which staff said was prepared conservatively and met the city’s TIS regulations. Smith said the TIS estimates site trips will account for about 2% of total projected volumes at the MD-355/MD-124 intersection and represent roughly 8% of pending development traffic. Smith told council that the applicant’s TIS used conservative assumptions and did not take credit for multimodal trip reductions, pass-by retail, or the elimination of trips from replacing existing office uses; after those credits, the city said the development could produce a net reduction in some peak movements. Smith also described outreach to the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) about a separate MD-124 pedestrian safety action plan that would reduce vehicular capacity in places and said the city sent recommendations to SHA on June 13 and has not yet received a response.

Council members pressed on traffic and retail visibility. Councilmember Jim McNulty thanked staff for analyzing whether the project would be the “straw that broke the camel’s back” at the 355/124 intersection and praised work showing options, including an overpass fit study. Councilmember Jamila Hernandez asked whether the applicant was committing to any three-bedroom units; Mayfield said the applicant stated an intent to include three-bedroom units and the city added a condition requiring them at final site plan. Councilmember Lisa Henderson noted the proposed condition and expressed support. Public works staff told council the city will require a TIS update at final site plan that will include MD-355/MD-124 and updated trip assumptions.

The council voted to approve the rezoning and SDP with the three staff conditions; the motion carried unanimously, 5-0. The city’s decision requires the applicant to provide a final-site-plan TIS update and to include three-bedroom units as a condition of final approval.