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Gaithersburg leaves record open after hours of testimony on Rio Washingtonian lakefront plan
Summary
A joint public hearing on a schematic plan to add hundreds of apartments and retail at Rio Washingtonian prompted dozens of public speakers and detailed staff scrutiny; the planning commission and council voted to keep the record open to gather more information on traffic, tree variances and stormwater before a recommendation or decision.
The Gaithersburg Planning Commission and City Council on Jan. 5 heard more than three hours of testimony and questions about a schematic development plan (SDP) for the Rio Washingtonian Center, and both bodies voted unanimously to leave the public record open for more exhibits and comment.
Samuel Copeland, a city planning staffer, introduced SDP-10104-2025 for two Rio Washingtonian parcels and told the commission the plan would move the project into the schematic stage. Doug Smith, a project engineer in Public Works, described outstanding traffic-analysis items: staff approved a preliminary traffic impact study but said the final TIS must address interchange deficiencies at the Sammic Highway/Washingtonian Boulevard area and propose feasible mitigation that may require county approval.
Representatives of the property owner and developer, Jeff Perana and Heather Madison of the Peterson Companies, presented conceptual plans they said would add residential…
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