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Council introduces three zoning text amendments to expand housing and project eligibility
Summary
Montgomery County Council introduced three zoning text amendments Jan. 27 to allow expanded residential development in regional shopping center overlays, widen bio-health priority campus eligibility, and increase mixed-income housing committee eligibility and project expectations.
The Montgomery County Council introduced three zoning text amendments Jan. 27 aimed at expanding eligibility for expedited approval processes and increasing housing capacity.
Staff described ZTA 26-02 as a regional shopping center overlay that would allow residential development to exceed the standard 30% cap on household living uses if a regional shopping center of at least 600,000 square feet is retained within the overlay. The amendment includes technical changes and was introduced for future public hearing (scheduled March 3, 2026).
ZTA 26-03 would lower the eligibility threshold for designation as a bio-health priority campus to allow more projects to pursue an expedited approval pathway, according to staff remarks. ZTA 26-04, sponsored by Council members Fridzen and Sales, would expand eligibility for an expedited mixed-income housing process and increase the housing each project must deliver under the program. Council member Sales urged colleagues to use the tool to boost housing production amid rising rents.
All three amendments were introduced for future public hearings; no final action was taken on Jan. 27.
