Committee clarifies 500‑foot setback for high‑volume fueling stations; forwards ZTA 25‑06 2–1

A Montgomery County Council committee voted to forward Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 25‑06 to the full council with a committee recommendation of 2–1 after clarifying how the existing 500‑foot setback for high‑volume filling stations is measured.

ZTA 25‑06 targets filling stations that dispense at least 3,600,000 gallons of fuel per year — a threshold used in prior federal and county guidance that captures large retail or highway fueling operations rather than neighborhood stations. The amendment does not change the 500‑foot distance itself; it clarifies the point from which the distance is measured and adjusts the measurement point for environmentally sensitive features.

Under the committee’s adopted language, the 500‑foot setback will be measured from the fuel dispenser (the hose when it is parked) for schools, parks, playgrounds, day‑care centers and outdoor cultural/recreation uses. In addition, the committee accepted the Planning Board’s recommended modification that requires environmentally sensitive areas — such as wetlands, streams and floodplains — to be measured from the underground storage tank footprint rather than the fuel dispenser. Planning staff said the change is intended to reflect the different physical…