The Gaithersburg Planning Commission on June 18 approved an amendment to the final site plan for Stevenson Metro Grove that clears final architecture for townhouses, 2-over-2 stacked condominiums and a community clubhouse, the city’s planning staff and applicants said.

The commission granted AFP-10072-2025, an amendment to the previously approved final site plan, by voice vote after staff recommended approval subject to a single condition: prior to plan certification the applicant must revise elevations to address minor plan comments to be reviewed and approved by planning staff.

The amendment covers design details across the development’s residential building types and the clubhouse. Sam Colvin, planning staff, read the recommendation into the record: “Staff recommends the planning commission, based on the exhibits submitted, the applicant’s testimony, the staff report findings and recommendation, grant AFP-10072-2025, amendment to final site plan approval, finding it in conformance with section 24-12.6(e) and 24-12.6(g) of the city’s zoning ordinance with 1 condition of approval.” The condition requires the applicant to correct minor labeling and elevation issues before plan certification.

Developer and builder presentations described the approved site plan layout and the final exterior materials. Chris Malm of Craftsmark Homes said the community will include a mix of townhomes and condominiums and that affordable for-sale units will be visually indistinguishable from market-rate units. “It won’t be possible to tell which is from the front because they’re gonna match the market rates,” Malm said during the presentation.

Applicants said the development will use durable, low-maintenance materials, masonry water tables and a range of color packages and roof forms to meet the city’s design guidelines. Pulte representatives — Bobby Varner, director of land planning, and Claire McCaffrey, architect — presented the stacked condominium product and said they designed six unique elevations and 10 color packages to avoid repeating the same elevation in a building string.

Key technical and design details discussed during the review:
- Unit mix and counts: the applicant stated the community includes 232 units in total; the transcript contains inconsistent numeric wording on how that total breaks down into market-rate and for-sale affordable units and the record does not specify a definitive breakdown beyond what the applicant stated at the hearing.
- Building widths and unit types: affordable for-sale townhomes are 20 feet wide; market-rate townhomes are offered at 20-, 22- and 24-foot widths. The applicant identified model names used in the presentation (Westmore, Blue Ridge, Seneca) with approximate finished areas of about 2,000, 2,300 and 2,500 square feet, respectively.
- Garages and mechanicals: Applicants said all homes will have rear-load garages except for a row of units along the northern edge that will have front-load garages and private backyards. Elevators will be possible only in the 24-foot units; the 20-foot floor plan cannot accommodate an elevator. HVAC condensers will be located between garages in small alcoves; gas meters will be located on the front facade while electric meters will be located on the rear.
- High-visibility lots and materials: the applicants identified a set of end units as “high visibility” and said those sides and rears will receive full-brick or masonry wrapping, precast headers and stone water tables; the presentation cited the design guideline requirement that no three consecutive units share the same elevation or color treatment.
- Clubhouse: the proposed clubhouse will have cementitious shiplap siding (applicants identified the product name used in their materials) with an internal pool support program, exterior pavilion and year-round covered gathering space.

Commissioners and attendees voiced broad support for the design presentation and the applicant’s responsiveness to the city’s design guidelines. Commissioner comments praised the variety of elevations, the color packages and the distribution of affordable units. The applicant thanked planning staff for collaboration during the review.

The formal motion to grant AFP-10072-2025, moved by Commissioner Jamie and seconded (second not named on the record), was approved by voice vote; the chair declared “that motion carries” after multiple commissioners said “aye.” The approval takes effect once the applicant submits the revised elevations and staff completes the required plan-certification review.

Next steps: the applicant must submit revised, black-and-white elevation drawings that address staff’s minor plan comments; planning staff will review those materials before certifying the plan and issuing subsequent permits.