Planning staff previews “Montgomery Matters” draft, commission approves 2026 officer slate

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Planning staff presented Parts 1 and 2 of the draft comprehensive plan, “Montgomery Matters,” during a Dec. 10 work session of the Montgomery County Planning Commission, outlining public engagement to date, proposed growth-area boundaries, and next steps for reviewing the remainder of the document.

At the start of the session, staff described outreach beginning in June, including village meetings (first round completed Sept. 9) and a countywide open house on Nov. 17. Staff said the commission will review Parts 1–2 this month and the Board of Supervisors will consider those sections in January; Parts 3–4 will be reviewed with the commission in January and with the board in February. Part 5 — the land-use vision and small-area village plans — will be developed through the spring, with the county aiming to have village plans adopted by the end of 2026.

"We wanted this document to be accessible to a very wide audience," planning staff said, describing a shorter main document with supporting data moved to appendices. Staff said the plan ties together cross‑cutting principles they call the county's "core matters":…