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Rockville residents urge Planning Commission to reject RMD‑25 rezoning for Tower Oaks parcel
Summary
Dozens of Newmark Commons and neighboring residents told the Planning Commission the proposed rezoning of a 9.75‑acre Tower Oaks parcel from R‑90 to RMD‑25 would be incompatible with the historic neighborhood, worsen traffic and threaten wetlands; staff said the comprehensive plan recommends RMD‑25 but offered design and access adjustments.
Dozens of residents urged the Rockville Planning Commission on Jan. 14 to reject a proposed comprehensive‑map rezoning that would change a 9.75‑acre Tower Oaks parcel (Parcel ZOR ID 17, Planning Area 12) from R‑90 to RMD‑25.
At the public hearing, neighbors said the site functions as wooded green space and a visual and environmental buffer to Newmark Commons, a neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places. "We first learned in June 2025 that the adjacent 9.75 acre plot is recommended to be rezoned to RMD‑25," said Pat Reber, who asked the commission to keep the parcel at R‑90 or consider lower‑density alternatives.
Why it matters: RMD‑25 allows denser, multifamily development that residents say could introduce hundreds of additional vehicles, strain local streets such as Potomac Valley Road and reduce pedestrian safety for children and emergency responders. Speakers repeatedly cited the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan standard that new development be "compatible and connected" to…
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