Planning commission approves Shady Grove Neighborhood Center phase 2 site plan

The Rockville City Planning Commission on Nov. 12 approved a level 2 site plan (STP2024-00492) for phase 2 of the Shady Grove Neighborhood Center, part of the Shady Grove Innovation District.

Staff said the site plan implements an approved project plan and meets the city’s findings for approval. The proposed phase includes a 360‑unit multifamily building with 12.5% MPDUs, about 12,000 square feet of resident amenity space, and parking; an accompanying 145,000‑square‑foot lab and office building; and a standalone parking garage. Principal planner Kimia Zolfagarian summarized the approved project plan history and told commissioners a site plan that implements an approved project plan is deemed to meet the findings for approval as long as it complies with conditions.

Applicant CJ Veil of BXP described design elements: a new Discovery Street connection through the site, a plaza designed to complement a future BRT station, a 10‑foot shared‑use path to tie into existing King Farm paths, internal 10‑foot sidewalks and stepped building heights to reduce bulk near townhomes. Commissioners asked about stormwater and omitted future development parcels; the applicant said the excluded parcels were left out for technical stormwater calculation reasons and will return as an amendment. A motion to approve STP2024-00492 subject to the staff report passed unanimously.

The approval advances phase 2 work and requires the applicant to comply with the permit and condition list in the staff report as the project advances to detailed site plan review and building permits.