ANALYSIS
AND
SCENARIO
PLANNING
Fairland and Briggs Chaney,
Montgomery County, Maryland
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
Written by:
Max Van Allen, Pierre M. Gaunaurd, Nicholas Johnson, Sophie Kotzker,
Alondra Morales Luna, Carter Reitman, Khayla Trowell, Tim von Stetten,
Marta Woldu
Under the Supervision of Dr. Clara E Iraz?bal Zurita
Teaching Assistant: Sophie McManus
URSP 708
University of Maryland - College Park
Fall 2021
PALS - Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability
An Initiative of the National Center for Smart Growth
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Table of Contents
Introduction 5
Part I: Analysis of Existing Conditions 5
Spatiality 7
History 9
Demographics 12
Past and Current Plans 15
Current Land Use 22
Community Assets 32
Community Engagement Strategies 35
Mobility and Accessibility 39
Housing 48
Development Approaches 59
Part I: Theme Precedents 66
Housing 68
Economic and Community Development 80
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation 89
Part II: Scenario Planning 102
Status Quo Scenario 104
Reform Scenario 120
Revolution Scenario 141
Conclusion 168
References 169
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PART I: ANALYSIS OF EXISTING
CONDITIONS
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Introduction
This report is the output of the Fall 2021 cover a wide range of planning topics,
Urban Studies and Planning studio at the including the history of the plan-area and
University of Maryland, College Park. special considerations related to our
Through the Partnership for Action thematic areas of emphasis. In Part II, we
Learning in Sustainability (PALS), our class present three scenarios of alternative
partnered with Montgomery County?s futures for the plan-area: status quo,
Planning Department to provide a reform, and revolution.
planning sector analysis and scenario
plans to aid in the development of the Part I of this report analyzes the existing
new Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master conditions of the Fairland and Briggs
Plan, which is organized and guided by Chaney plan-area and study area as
the draft general plan for the county, defined by the Montgomery County
Thrive Montgomery 2050. The scope of Department of Planning. We gathered the
work included analysis of existing data presented here in order to
conditions within the plan boundaries understand the conditions of the plan
and the provision of three scenario plans and study area. We guided our analysis
ranging from no change to high levels of using three thematic areas of emphasis:
change.? housing, community and economic
development, and climate change
We concentrated our attention within adaptation and mitigation. We chose
three thematic areas of emphasis: climate these thematic areas in response to the
change adaptation and mitigation, concerns and draft concepts presented by
economic and community development, our project interlocutors at the
and housing. Moreover, our central Maryland-National Capital Park and
guiding principle for this project was Planning Commission (M-NCPPC). In
justice; it informs everything we present addition to the service this project
here, and we hope that our work will provides to our interlocutors and their
contribute to its achievement. The report planning process, our mission as a class is
is organized into two major parts. In part to contribute to the achievement of
I, in analysis of existing conditions, we justice in the plan-area. To that end, Part I
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seeks to identify the extent to which just patterns of
development exist in the study area with respect to our thematic areas in order for us to
more fully explore the imaginative realization of justice through scenario planning, which
we describe in Part II of this report. This part of the report surveys quantitative data and
planning history for the plan-area, then concludes with an analysis of meaningful planning
precedents inspired by our themes that we consider relevant to the plan-area.
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Spatiality
Fairland, Maryland is located along the northeastern border of Montgomery County,
Maryland, just west of Prince George?s County and south of Howard County. It is bisected
east to west by Route 200 and north to south by Route 29, both of which are highways that
act as major arteries and commuter routes for residents.
For the purposes of this report, two boundary areas are of importance: the approved plan
boundary, and the approved study area, as seen in Figure 1 above. The approved plan
boundary refers to the boundary of the in-progress master plan, while the approved study
area refers to a larger surrounding area that encompasses the plan-area and contextual
neighborhoods. The additional study area regions are important to include in this research
because the residents that live there access the resources that are under review within the
plan boundary.
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Study Area and Plan-area Zoomed in, Approved Plan Boundary
Figure 1: Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area (left) and plan-area (right). Source: M-NCPPC.
As seen in the study area map above, the original 1997 Fairland Master Plan included a
much larger region that encompassed Calverton, Burtonsville, and parts of Colesville and
Silver Spring. This is the most recent master plan for the area, and this analysis is an effort
to inform the work being done by the Montgomery Planning Department  to update this
plan. Relatedly, the new approved plan-area, as seen in red, is much smaller and covers
only a portion of Fairland, MD.
In our analysis, the study area boundary was used primarily for demographic information
to ensure we consider all residents accessing resources within the plan-area. The plan-area
boundary refers to the boundary that Montgomery County has delineated for their
updated Master Plan, and therefore was used in our spatial analysis, which looked at more
specific spatial information such as land use, transportation resources, community
resources, and housing statistics, and in our scenario planning proposals. The primary
dataset for our analysis is based on the American Community Survey (ACS) 2019 5-year
Estimates by census tracts and census block groups. In some cases where ACS 2019 5-year
Estimates were not available at those specific geographies, Fairland as a census-designated
place was used as a geography.
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History
Historically, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area was a rural, agricultural region. Situated in
eastern Montgomery County, MD, the region?s main crop was tobacco. Tobacco farms in
Montgomery County were smaller than their counterparts along the eastern shore or south
due to their thin soil and rocky terrain. However, this geology was beneficial for extractive
sectors such as gravel and quarries. Several such locations existed in the Fairland region
directly adjacent to Prince George?s County (Kelly, 2011; M-NCPPC, 1964). Today, a cement
supply company exists along Cherry Hill Road, just southeast of the plan-area. Farther
north in Laurel, MD, an asphalt company and a recycling facility are located west of I-95.
Such industries have largely disappeared in the area, replaced by commercial and
residential development.
The area?s rural roots were not well-connected to the urban centers of Baltimore and
Washington, D.C. (Kelly, 2011). While the D.C.-adjacent portion of the county saw suburban
development beginning in the early 1940s, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney region remained
largely rural and vacant (M-NCPPC, 1997). This point is emphasized in Figure 2, which
shows the streetcar tracks that spread from D.C. in the late 1800s into the early 1900s. The
tracks extended well into Montgomery County to the west, toward Frederick, but did not
reach north to the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. This detached nature contributed to
the region?s rural character that continued through the middle half of the 20th century
(Kelly, 2011).
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Figure 2: Streetcar connections from Washington, D.C., 1920. Source: Kelly, 2011
Moving from the historic agricultural roots of Fairland and Briggs Chaney, the trajectory
toward a suburban environment began with the opening of US 29 in 1956. This replaced
Old Columbia Pike as the main north-south arterial road in the study area, connecting
Silver Spring to Columbia, MD. Interstate 95 construction was completed in the 1960s,
providing another express north-south connection to Baltimore and D.C. The
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission identified I-95 as a corridor along
which denser development could occur (M-NCPPC, 1964). The roadway construction at the
time was representative of the national emphasis on roadways, largely brought on by the
1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act, which matched local dollars for freeway construction
(Weingroff, 1996). Still, even with roadway expansion locally and regionally, Fairland and
Briggs Chaney held on to its rural roots ? in 1981 over 50% of the Fairland area was
farmland or vacant, and less than one-third included residential development (M-NCPPC,
1997).
Despite having a generally rural character, commercial development in the 1960s marked
the beginning of a shifting landscape in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. Specifically, the Verizon
Data Center located on US 29 constructed in 1965 and the Briggs Chaney Marketplace
shopping center and Auto Sales Park that opened in the 1980s define much of the study
area?s space and character today. Much of the additional office space that currently exists
in the study area was also constructed in the 1980s (Maryland Historical Trust; M-NCPPC,
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1997).
The 1980s represented the peak of the study area?s growth, permanently changing the
character from rural to suburban. From 1980-1990, the housing stock doubled and
employment tripled (M-NCPPC, 1997). The Fairland Census Designated Place (CDP) saw a
285% population increase during this period, far outpacing the growth of Montgomery
County and the overall United States (U.S. Census Bureau). While population growth leveled
off to single-digits in the 1990s and beyond, the area experienced steady growth that
continues today.
More recently, the Intercounty Connector was constructed in 2011. The ICC connects US 1
to I-270 in an east-west direction. It drives through the study area and interacts with US 29
via a cloverleaf interchange (Maryland Transportation Authority, year?). The Flash Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) line opened in October 2020, bringing frequent service to the US 29
corridor. Flash operates two lines, one between Burtonsville and Silver Spring, and another
between the Briggs Chaney Park and Ride Station and Silver Spring. Flash BRT emphasizes
US 29 as a key corridor and hopes to bring better connectivity to the region (Montgomery
County Department of Transportation, year; Lazo, 2020). These major developments
contributed to the current suburban character of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area
today. The existing suburban environment impacts the possible futures that can be
envisioned through scenario planning.
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Demographics
Since 2006, there has been substantial population growth due to suburban development.
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area population consisted of 37,284 people in 2019,
accounting for 3% of the total Montgomery County population (Social Explorer, 2019).
Although most are native-born, 37.2% of the study area population is foreign born, which is
higher than Montgomery County and national metrics. Most of the foreign-born population
migrated into the area between the years 2000 and 2009, with 41.6% of the population in
the study area coming from Africa compared to 38.0% of Montgomery County coming
from Latin American countries, meaning an increasingly diverse population resides in the
area (Social Explorer, 2019). Although 58.5% of the study area?s population is exclusively
English-speaking, other spoken languages are important to mention.  Approximately 10.6%
of the population speak other languages such as Amharic or other African languages,
followed by 9.4% Spanish, and 6.9% French (Social Explorer, 2019). This leads us to suggest
that community outreach should be performed in multiple languages so all residents can
feel part of the community. Figure 3 summarizes these demographic statistics
Figure 3: Population, Foreign-born, Languages spoken in the Study Area. Source: Social
Explorer, 2019.
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The gender breakdown for the study area indicates that females make up a majority of the
population at 54.4%, compared to males at 45.6%. Although 51.8% of the study area?s
population is Black or African American, other racial groups are important to mention:
Approximately 24.1% of the population is white, followed by 15.3% Asian, 5.3% other race,
3.4.% two or more races, and 0.2% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders (Social
Explorer, 2019). This demonstrates that the study area is a diverse community with
different cultural backgrounds. The age breakdown for the study area indicates that 39% of
the population  is between 35 and 64, which are prime working years, yet acknowledging
and addressing other age demographics is important because these populations have
different needs?23% of young children need education, 22% of young adults need training
for jobs, and 16% of the older population need a good place to retire and special health
services. An infographic is presented in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Gender, Race, and Age in the Study Area. Source: Social Explorer, 2019.
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area?s and the overall nation's highest educational
attainment level is some college education, meaning that there is a lot of college educated
population with whom to sustain a substantial job economy, while Montgomery County
accounts for post-graduate degrees (masters/Ph.D.) as their highest education level. Public
school students in the study area account for 86.1%, making it slightly higher than
Montgomery County and nationally, in part explained by to high private education costs
(Social Explorer, 2019).
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To analyze household income data, we used four income categories: under $50,000,
$50,000-100,000, $100,000-200,000, and over $200,000.  Although the largest household
income for the study area and county falls between $100,000-200,000, with approximately
33.8% of the population making this amount, 25% of the population in the study area earn
less than $50,000 and 75% earn over $50,000. Nationally, 40% of the population in the US
earn less than $50,000 and 60% earn over $50,000. Thus, the study area and Montgomery
County population make more income per household, yet there is higher cost of living in
the area compared to the nation. However, the study area median household income is
approximately $89,338, which is slightly lower than Montgomery County?s with $110,178
(Social Explorer, 2019).
Consistent with the rest of the county, the study area has one of the highest median
household incomes in the county. About 41% of the Black or African American population
in the study area contributes to the aggregate of the overall area household income,
despite the Black or African American population having the lowest incomes in the study
area. In contrast, the Asian population holds the highest average household income in the
study area with $121,225, demonstrating income inequalities among races within the study
area. Today, professional and related occupations in the study area account for 31% of the
population?s employment, a highly professional workforce with a mix of local businesses,
office jobs at the Verizon Communications complex and the Auto Mall, and the
biotechnology industry nearby. See Figure 5.
Figure 5: Education, Income, and Occupation infographics for the Study Area. Source: Social
Explorer, 2019.
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Past and
Current Plans
Over time, multiple plans have impacted both Montgomery County and its Fairland and
Briggs Chaney area. Given their impact on the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area, the past
plans we focus on are: On Wedges and Corridors (1964), the Fairland-Beltsville Plan (1968),
the Master Plan for Eastern Montgomery Planning Area (1981), and the Fairland Master Plan
(1997).
On Wedges and Corridors, 1964
The General Plan On Wedges and Corridors was adopted in 1964. It forwarded a vision of
development that avoided sprawl and the loss of open space and agricultural land. The
goals of this plan were to designate space for growth by population, employment, and
other needed services and amenities. It established contemporary zoning practices. Rather
than only considering conflicting land uses for zoning and rezoning, the authors of the plan
as a holistic approach to zoning and planning.
1970 1980 1990 2000
Figure 6: Washington Metropolitan Area Density Map Projections. Source: On Wedges and
Corridors, 1964.
The density maps in Figure 6 indicate that On Wedges and Corridors focused on projected
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growth and development along corridors while preserving open spaces and rural areas.
One can see the study area marked in context to the growth patterns. This growth pattern
development was guided by five essential functions: (1) Preventing the uneconomic
scattering of suburban housing in the wedges and permitting corollary savings and
conveniences by concentrating development within the urban corridors; (2) giving contrast
and interest to the Regional District through the creation of distinctive variations in the
character and density of development; (3) protecting the rural environment as a source of
natural resource business; (4) assuring adequate open space for outdoor recreation; and
(5) protecting public water supplies.
Fairland-Beltsville Plan, 1968
In the 1964 On Wedges and Corridors Plan, Fairland was depicted ?as the edge of a corridor
city to be located on the I-95 corridor in Prince George?s County? (Fairland Master Plan,
1997). The Fairland-Beltsville Plan further developed the concept of Fairland as a corridor
city and offered land use, zoning, and transportation recommendations. Higher density
development, such as apartment buildings and townhomes, were planned for around the
city?s core.
Master Plan for Eastern Montgomery Planning Area, 1981
The adopted On Wedges and Corridors and the Fairland-Beltsville Plan of 1968 established
the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area as a ?corridor city? and had land use and zoning
recommendations for the area. The 1981 Master Plan for Eastern Montgomery Planning Area
plan eliminated Fairland and Briggs Chaney as a ?corridor city? and planned for it to be a
suburban area, detaching it from I-95. This plan has four counterparts covering the areas of
Cloverly, Fairland, White Oak, and Four Oak, drafted concurrently.
Prior to 1981, less than one-third of the area was developed while the rest was the open
space or rural area that the General Plan intended to preserve. With the ?corridor city?
concept dropped in favor of a more suburban Fairland and Briggs Chaney, this plan
incorporated multiple county policies and encouraged different types of housing types and
densities, including Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs). The plan incorporated the
?need for affordable housing, preservation of agricultural land, and environmental
protection? (Fairland Master Plan, 1997). This plan also introduced and encouraged a
concept of transit serviceability, which emphasized density and employment centers near
transit hubs.
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Fairland Master Plan, 1997
After the 1981 Master Plan for Eastern Montgomery County Planning Area, there was a
dramatic increase in growth in the study area, but ?sometimes without the timely provision
of matching infrastructure? (Fairland Master Plan, 1997). The goal of the 1997 Plan was to
reshape land use and zoning to be consistent with the General Plan, providing safety for
pedestrians and bicyclists crossing US 29 to reach facilities or communities and
emphasizing single-family detached housing developments. There were seven goals of the
General Plan that the Fairland Master Plan supported:
? Land Use: achieve a variety of land uses and development densities consistent with the
Wedges and Corridors? pattern.
? Housing: encourage and maintain a wide choice of housing types and neighborhoods
for people of all incomes, ages, lifestyles, and physical capabilities at appropriate
densities and locations.
? Economic Activity: promote a healthy economy, including a broad range of business,
service, and employment opportunities at appropriate locations.
? Transportation: enhance mobility by providing a safe and efficient transportation
system, offering a wide range of alternatives that serve the environmental, economic,
social, and land use needs of the County and provide a framework for development.
? Environment: conserve and protect natural resources to provide a healthy and beautiful
environment for present and future generations; and manage the impacts of human
activity on our natural resources in a balanced manner to sustain human, plant, and
animal life.
? Community Identity: provide for attractive land uses that encourage opportunity for
social interaction and promote community identity.
? Regionalism: promote regional cooperation and solutions of mutual concern to
Montgomery County, its neighbors, and internal municipalities.
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Figure 7: Existing Land Use Map. Source: Fairland Master Plan (1997).
The 1997 plan promoted the visions of the adopted On Wedges and Corridors plan. When
discussing land use, the Fairland Master Plan established medium densities in suburban
communities and low densities in residential wedges while directing future growth to the
I-270 Corridor. This plan also proposed a wide range of housing densities and
recommended designating undeveloped areas for detached single-family units. To promote
economic activity, the plan sought to enhance existing employment centers by
recommending additional uses in the area and improve connections from there to
residential areas. On transportation, the plan emphasized east-west travel. One of the
major ways this plan promotes community identity was by improving connections between
communities.
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Thrive Montgomery 2050
The 2021 draft plan Thrive Montgomery 2050 amends the 1964 General Plan On Wedges and
Corridors with a 30-year planning horizon. Both plans discuss compact growth, corridor
development, and preservation of open space, though the methods and reasons for
mentioning these approaches differ between the two plans. While On Wedges and Corridors
progressed ideas of compact, transit-oriented development, the plan failed to advocate for
mixed uses. In addition, the plan utilized buffers between land uses deemed incompatible
(Thrive Montgomery 2050,  2021). In contrast, Thrive Montgomery 2050 encourages mixed
uses.
Thrive Montgomery 2050 uses the major themes listed below to achieve a more equitable,
economically stable, culturally rich, and mobile Montgomery County.
? Compact Growth
? Complete Communities
? Design, Arts, and Culture
? Transportation and Communication Networks
? Affordable and Attainable Housing
? Parks and Recreation for an Increasingly Urban Community
Similar to On Wedges and Corridors, Thrive Montgomery 2050 is concerned with compact
growth. However, the plan approaches this problem with new methods, focusing instead
on growth in downtowns, centers of intensive development, town centers, and rural
villages. The purpose of controlling development to some degree helps create fewer
sprawling development projects. Infill development is identified as a preferred method to
efficiently use land. Encouraging compact growth will also help achieve ?complete
communities? in Montgomery County.
We emphasize complete communities as identified in Thrive Montgomery 2050 for their
relevance to the plan-area. Complete communities are defined as ?walkable places with a
variety of land uses, infrastructure, services and amenities that meet a wide range of needs
for the residents and workers? (Montgomery County Planning, ?Complete Communities,?
2021). These communities are also based on the idea of the ?15-minute city,? which strives
to have daily amenities within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Complete communities are
meant to strengthen pre-existing communities, as new greenfield development
opportunities are scarce within the county (Thrive Montgomery 2050, 2021). The Fairland
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and Briggs Chaney plan-area is similarly built out.
The Design, Arts, and Culture section of the plan discusses urban design principles for the
county and the importance of functional aesthetics. Relating back to mixed-use
development, the plan encourages infill, reuse, and retrofitting of commercial sites. The
plan highlights the creation of cultural and public art hubs in the areas identified for
complete communities and corridors (Thrive Montgomery 2050, 2021). This plan section also
supports a more equitable and inclusive dispersal of arts and culture throughout the
county, with a focus on places that have been traditionally underserved in this area. Woven
throughout the section is a clear desire for the arts to be an economic driver for the county
as well. Strengthening the arts and building off pre-existing cultural amenities in the
Fairland and Briggs Chaney area could be a means of economic and community
development. This would require places and spaces set aside for the arts, perhaps existing
public spaces, and parks, or redesigned commercial centers in the Plan-area.
Transportation and communication network improvements involve addressing concerns
about how residents get around the county and how they communicate virtually.
Transportation in Thrive Montgomery 2050 is multimodal, focusing on public transit and
encouraging walking, rolling, and biking. This requires an improved street network, which
the plan addresses through creating shorter blocks through street grid expansion, making
the pedestrian realm a priority, using ?complete streets? techniques, ending the
construction of new highways and major street widening, and the conversion of existing
roadways into pedestrian-friendly areas (Thrive Montgomery 2050, 2021).
For communication networks there is a focus on communications investments, fiber optics,
and supporting telework. For the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area, the existence of major
roadways US 29 and MD 200 can pose a threat to a multimodal, pedestrian-friendly reality.
However, the BRT services partially address transit needs and there is a clear interest in a
more pedestrian focused future. Communication networks may also pose a challenge for
the plan-area, and it is important to consider how many residents currently telework and
will telework in the future, and how to support the growth of this national and global trend
within the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area.
In terms of housing, affordable and attainable housing are major concerns for the county.
Montgomery County plans to address these issues through creating more housing and
increasing the variety of housing typologies available. Through these methods, racial and
socioeconomic inequality can also be addressed. This is essential for Fairland and Briggs
Chaney, due to the needs of large groups of lower-income residents of color. New housing
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should be located near amenities, jobs, and transit (Thrive Montgomery 2050, 2021).
Diversification of the housing stock will also increase the mix of incomes, further
supporting housing equity in neighborhoods. In addition, more housing types will allow for
the realization of  ?complete communities? (Thrive Montgomery 2050, 2021).
As Montgomery County's population grows, the pressures for retaining parks and open
spaces also grow. To create more parks, the county plans to acquire lands in urban centers.
This may prove to be a challenge, due to the lack of leftover greenfields. In addition,
capitalizing on the presence of privately owned public spaces to increase park access and
amount is a method recommended in the plan. Environmental concerns, including
sustainability and climate change, are also addressed in the plan. Due to Fairland and
Briggs Chaney?s need for more parks and open space, redevelopment of existing areas,
such as strip malls and parking lots may be a good option.
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Current Land Use
The plan-area?s current zoning is illustrated in Figure 8. The zoning can be divided into two
sections. The eastern half of the planning area mainly allows multi-family residential and
townhome residential development with some scattered commercial zoning, whereas the
western half of the plan-area is made up mostly of single family residential zoning.
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Figure 8: Current zoning of the plan-area. Source: M-NCPPC.
The plan-area also has two abutting overlay zones. Overlay zones provide additional
regulations on top of the existing zoning. Overlay zones are generally more flexible and
easily implemented than traditional zoning. Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s two overlay zones
are the Paint Branch Overlay Zone, which limits impervious surfaces and regulates
development, and the Burtonsville Employment Overlay Zone which allows a mix of land
uses and implements design guidelines. The Burtonsville Employment Overlay Zone also
sets restrictions for what type of businesses can be located inside this zone and which ones
cannot.
Figure 9: Overlay zones abutting the plan-area. Source: M-NCPPC.
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Typology of Other Uses
The overall typology and quality of other uses can be distinguished between the intensity of
development, scale and grain, land use, and movement network characteristics (Redbridge,
2013). The planning area includes core, big-box, and mixed-used outlier typologies. Core
typology is the focal point where residential communities meet, usually located along major
arterial streets or intersections. Big-box typology is large-scale non-residential, located
close to major infrastructure. Mixed-use outlier typology is medium to large-scale clusters
of community services located within walking distance near residential neighborhoods
alongside a defined landmark. Figure 10 displays the typology comparison.
Figure 10: Core, Big-Box, and Mixed-Use Outliner Typologies for the Planning Area. Source:
Redbridge, 2013
The quadrant northeast of MD 200 is zoned as a core typology, providing the heart and
focal point of a town center for the surrounding communities. The core is along the aerial
street Briggs Chaney Rd. carrying large numbers of traffic and vehicles from the MD 200
and US 29 intersection. The urban core includes the Auto Sales Park, Briggs Chaney
Marketplace shopping center, and office spaces. The core area brings employment and
revenue to the community. This area has relatively dense development with retail,
commercial, office, and industrial land uses. Core areas have finer grain plot sizes and
scale, building layouts that face each other along the streets, and streets that give access to
both pedestrians and vehicles. Figure 11 displays the core typology north of MD 200 in the
planning area.
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Figure 11: Core Typology in the Planning Area, North of MD 200. Source: Google Maps, 2021.
The area south of MD 200 is recognized as a big-box typology, providing a large scale of
non-residential development. The big-box area is located along highway US 29 carrying
substantial office developments known as the two Verizon Communication properties.
Although such development is along the edge of US 29, it is not accessible from either side.
The big-box area offers substantial employment in the Verizon Communication properties.
This area has high to medium-density office land use with surface car parking. The plot
sizes and scale of the big box area are large urban grain surrounded by large parking lots,
large floor plan building layouts, and are vehicle-dominated, not accessible for pedestrians
and cyclists from a single access road (Redbridge, 2013). Figure 12 displays the big-box
typology south of MD 200 in the planning area.
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Figure 12: Big-Box Typology in the Planning Area, South of MD 200. Source: Google Maps, 2021.
Moving south along US 29, the typology is recognized as a mixed-use outlier, providing a
cluster of facilities surrounding a defined landmark. The mixed-use outlier is located along
the primary street Old Columbia Pike, providing services within walking distance to the
south neighborhood of E Randolph Rd. The mixed-use outlier includes the General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Headquarters, Silver Spring Pediatrics, and Exxon
gas station, which provide many benefits to the surrounding neighborhood. The mixed-use
outlier area brings potential services to the church, clinic, and gas station. This area has a
relatively medium density with commercial and office land uses. The plot sizes and scale of
the mixed-use outlier area are medium to large grain, services face the street edge, and
there is medium pedestrian and vehicular access serving the community needs. Figure 13
displays the Mixed-Use Outliner typology along US 29 in the planning area.
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Figure 13: Mixed -Use Outliner Typology in the Planning Area, Along US 29. Source: Google Maps,
2021.
Major Landmarks
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney planning area consists of many landmarks along the Route
29 corridor. The area encompasses the Briggs Chaney Marketplace, Auto Sales Park,
Verizon Communications Properties, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church general
headquarters.
In the northeastern quadrant area along Briggs Chaney Road lies the Briggs Chaney
Marketplace. In 1982, the shopping center was built, providing a variety of retail options
such as a Global Food grocery store, Ross Dress for Less clothing store, and fast-food chain
restaurants Subway, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonald?s (Saul Centers Inc, 2021). Although
there are various stores in the Briggs Chaney Marketplace, Global Food is the only grocery
store within the planning area. More grocery store locations and adequate food
accessibility are required to provide all residents equitable access to healthy and affordable
food and adequate food choices for meeting culturally appropriate  nutrition.
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Across from the Marketplace shopping center is the Auto Sales Park. Since 1968, the Auto
Sales Park has increased to approximately 11 automobile dealerships such as Chevrolet,
Ford, Volvo, Porsche, BMW, and more. Today, the auto mall provides various open
showrooms and service centers for most car brands in one central location. In response to
changes in transportation and consumer behaviors, there is an opportunity to shift to
digital automotive retailing while reducing a large amount of surface parking to improve
the heat island effect.
Passing underneath MD 200, lies the Verizon Communications Properties on both sides of
US 29. Although not pedestrian-friendly, the Verizon Communications properties became a
large, recognized office hub. In 1965, the first east Verizon building was built, followed by
the west Verizon building built 31 years later. Verizon Communications Properties provides
many jobs for Montgomery residents and regionally is a crucial employment for the
planning area (M-NCPPC, 2021).
South along US 29, a glass building to the right is the Seventh-day Adventist Church?s
general headquarters. Since 1989, the church headquarters has evolved as a tourist
location for church members and church staff. The Adventist general headquarters has
increased to nearly 800 employees, featuring committee events/meetings for the
community and the public (General Conference Adventist, 2021). As church needs
continued to grow, more building additions have been built to accommodate church
members and their fast-growing population. Figure 14 (next page) provides a detailed map
of the major landmarks for the planning area.
28
Figure 14: Major Landmarks in the Planning Area, Along US 29. Source: MCAtlas, 2019.
Public Spaces
The planning area includes public spaces, yet most spaces are isolated from one another.
There are two parks within the planning area, Fairland Recreational Park and Edgewood
Neighborhood Park. These parks are northeast of the planning area, north of MD 200.
Despite the Greencastle Trail in Fairland Recreational Park's connectivity to its surrounding
residential neighborhoods, recreational facilities (sports fields, playground, courts) along
Greencastle Road require walking paths between recreational areas. Fairland Recreational
Park is isolated compared to the whole planning area, providing limited access to the
neighborhood area south of MD 200. New park locations (like Edgewood Neighborhood
Park) should be near existing or new office and commercial spaces to encourage proper
accommodation of the needs of different age groups of the local population.
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There are two dispersed public schools in the planning area, Greencastle Elementary
School and Paint Branch High School. Greencastle Elementary School is a great example of
a community integrated school, including attractive and well-maintained sports fields,
nearby bus stops, visible pedestrian crosswalks, and ADA-accessible sidewalks to the
neighborhood north of MD 200. Paint Branch High School has pedestrian route
connectivity to buildings and sports fields in one large area, nearby walking paths, and
visible crosswalks, but less pedestrian traffic due to the overpass along Briggs Chaney
Road. High school students living in the neighborhood east of US 29, would have to take a
vehicle or bus as a safer alternative to get to the school. Aside from the elementary and
middle schools, there is no middle school within the planning area. Benjamin Banneker
Middle School is the only middle school in the study area with inconvenient accessibility to
middle school students south of MD 200.
Two centers are within the planning area, East County Community Center and Fairland
Center. Both centers are located across US 29 but are only accessible by vehicle from one
neighborhood to the other. Although the centers have connectivity to the surrounding
neighborhoods and bus stops, more centers are necessary to accommodate the population
growth. Newer centers should have defined crosswalks and sidewalks with public plazas
where residents can gather.
There are five places of worship, Southern Asian Seventh-day Adventists, General
Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, United Telegu of Seventh-day Adventists, Guru
Nanak, and Allen Chapel AME Church. It is assumed that the majority of residents of the
planning area subscribe to the Protestant Christianity religion due to the prominence of
these places of worship. All places of worship are located south of MD 200 along US 29,
surrounding the General Conference Seventh-day Adventists headquarters. Guru Nanak &
Allen Chapel AME Church need well-connected sidewalks, visible crossings, and signage.
The Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department is the only fire station in the planning area. The
fire station has accessible ADA sidewalks, crossings, and bus stops for emergencies.
Although the fire station is along a major arterial road, it forces residents who live across
US 29 to walk along Briggs Chaney Road. More public services such as police stations,
hospitals, and clinics are needed in the planning area to serve all people and strengthen
the economy. Figure 15 shows a map of the main public and community spaces in the
planning area.
30
Figure 15: Public Spaces in the Planning Area. Source: MCAtlas, 2019.
31
Community
Assets
Looking beyond physical landmarks, community assets are institutions, structures, spaces,
experiences, or networks that help to enhance and support a community. They can be
physical and non-physical and may be leveraged to reinvigorate a place or distribute
resources (Community Engagement and Environmental Justice Health Lab, 2019;
Drakeford, 2021).
Assets contribute to community cultural wealth (Yosso, 2005). Yosso argues that the
traditional cultural capital approach is deficit-based, as it assumes non-white communities
do not have white-centered forms of capital (such as strong English language proficiency).
Instead, Yosso points to the concept of community cultural wealth as an assets-based
approach, combining not just traditional cultural capital but many other forms of capital
that are abundant in a diverse array of communities. All forms of capital combine to create
cultural wealth which every community can accumulate. Figure 16 displays Yosso?s concept
in full.
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Figure 16: Tara Yosso?s concept of community cultural wealth. Source: Yasso, 2005.
The Center for Community Engagement and Environmental Justice Lab at the University of
Maryland uses the Environmental Benefits District Framework to explore community assets
and liabilities (often referred to as salutogens and pathogens). This method seeks to
increase the number of community benefits, while decreasing the number of community
pathogens in order to increase community cohesion and public health (Community
Engagement and Environmental Justice Health Lab, 2019). In our scenario planning efforts,
we use this model to increase salutogens while mitigating pathogens.
From our perspective as students and outsiders of the community, we have gathered a
non-exhaustive list of community assets that exist in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area.
These include attributes such as a community garden, local historic locations, and the
Community Center.?Additional non-tangible assets exist in the study area, including?the
local farmers and artisans market, the diversity that exists in the community, the Global
Food grocery store (which may provide increased availability of culturally-appropriate foods
compared to a Giant or Safeway, for example), and local art. Figure 17 shows the partial list
33
of assets identified.
Figure 17: A partial list of Fairland and Briggs Chaney community assets.
A more complete exercise in asset mapping would require the involvement of residents
identifying places and networks that they define as assets.?In seeking out community
assets, planners and community members can take part in several practices. A Community
Environmental Scan, for example, is a descriptive analysis of a neighborhood that can
identify needs in a community as well as existing resources and institutions, potential
partnerships, and gaps in services. One unique technique used in asset mapping exercises
is photovoice, in which community members take photos overlaid with text or audio
descriptions in their own words (Drakeford, 2021).
On the other end of the spectrum, it is important to note the pathogens that may exist in
the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. The University of Maryland?s Community Engagement
and Environmental Justice Health Lab defines pathogens as negative community
infrastructure and challenges that harm population health and detract from community
cohesion (2019).?From our perspective, possible pathogens include pollution and physical
division created by US 29 and MD 200, multi-modal transportation challenges, and food
insecurity in the area.
34
Community
Engagement
Strategies
Current Fairland and Briggs Chaney engagement strategies, according to the Fairland and
Briggs Chaney Master Plan?s (2021) Scope of Work, include listening, visioning, refining, and
sharing. Tools to implement these strategies are both in-person and web-based, to capture
as many residents as possible, while being mindful of current pandemic conditions. Due to
the large percentage of residents speaking languages other than English, community
engagement materials and events should be interpreted in other languages whenever
possible.
The Arts and Planning Toolkit discusses creative engagement, defining it as an ??approach
to community engagement that uses creative tools and artistic experiences to help diverse
stakeholders imagine new approaches to planning processes?? (Creative Engagement,
2021).  Creative engagement goes further than traditional engagement by using
imaginative elements in the planning process. These flexibility and creativity are an
advantage in problem-solving thinking and can help planners meet the community where
they are and how they learn.
The Toolkit provides several examples of successful projects. Takachizu (2017) in Little
Tokyo, Los Angeles may be of particular interest for its creative engagement of the public
and storytelling element. This project, translating to ?treasure map,? invited community
35
members to participate in an exhibition themed around personal and historical significance
(Creative Engagement, 2021).  Residents brought significant objects in their lives to be
documented and displayed, ranging from paper food boats to yaki onigiri. The project
timeline was one year, but it lives on through zines (or independently printed magazines)
and an online element. The lessons from Takachizu are having a community-centric focus
and inviting the residents to express what is significant to them. The project related to
planning by also documenting the changes happening in Little Tokyo over time through the
objects brought in. Though the focus was on the community and their stories, the
facilitators helped translate residents? visions during the description and documentation
process.
Figure 18: LA?s Little Tokyo community residents invited to share what they value using objects in
the Takachizu community engagement process. Source: Takachizu, 2017.
Also highlighted by the Arts and Planning Toolkit is Montgomery County Planning
Department?s own Bicycle Master Plan (2018) (Creative Engagement, 2021). More directly
planning related, the department?s idea to take over parking spaces gives a visual guide for
residents to see a potential future. The Toolkit notes that ?The Montgomery County bicycle
lane simulation supported people's ability to imagine and understand different mobility
options.? Community members were also reached through an online photo contest, which
highlights the importance of both in-person and online engagement.
36
Figure 19: Interactive community engagement event for the Bicycle Master Plan. Source:
Montgomery County Bicycle Master Plan, 2018.
Overall, the lessons to be learned from both projects are the importance of multiple forms
of engagement (online and in-person) and using professional skills to guide or interpret the
community?s ideas. Engagement is ultimately about the community, and planners have an
opportunity to better their vision and work through the incorporation of residents?
feedback.
Drawing from the examples above and the lessons they highlight, three interesting
potential engagement strategies emerge. Three potential ideas for Montgomery County to
implement could be ?engagement stations?, featured as coffee and lemonade stands, hand
drawings of what people want to see in their community, and teaching students about
planning through visiting schools. These ideas draw on meeting people where they are in
the community, by facilitating casual conversations over refreshments at community
centers or bus stops, utilizing pre-existing community events or centers as a space or using
school campuses. It is important to note that these methods are in-person, so virtual
versions, like Google Jamboard to hear from residents, submitted drawings, and online
courses to capture an online presence would also be helpful and complementary.
The coffee and lemonade stands would cater to adults, teens, and children, while also
giving residents a choice. In providing a refreshment, the planners can have a less
intimidating way of drawing people in to talk about planning projects currently affecting
their community. Often, the public may not know much about the specific technical plans
currently being studied or implemented, and they could feel intimidated. Providing some
kind of incentive, whether this be something tangible to take home, like a flyer or bag, or a
beverage, can attract residents and reward them for their interest.
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Drawing a community?s future could use an artist to translate ideas to paper or celebrate
the residents? own art directly by allowing them to draw by themselves. Both methods have
advantages, either through helping the community articulate their ideas, as in the case of
Takachizu, or by letting the community members directly communicate their wants. This
style of project was used for Thrive Montgomery 2050, showing that it is an effective method
of idea gathering.
By reaching school age residents, the wider community will be reached, as the students will
likely spread information to the adults in their lives. Also, children are current and future
stakeholders. With decades-long planning horizons, they will be a major group of adults to
plan for in the future, if they stay in the community. Getting people involved in their civic
processes and local community may increase the likelihood that they will stay and become
engaged in the area they have grown up in.
Stakeholder Analysis
The county has provided many opportunities for the students to interact with and gain
exposure to the community?s needs. This partial list represents our current, limited
understanding of the community.
The first and most obvious group of stakeholders is the project team. This team is made up
of us (the studio students, instructor, and teaching assistant), the PALS team, and the
Montgomery County staff members. The second and arguably more important group of
stakeholders is the people and institutions that are located in the study area. Some of the
distinct groups we identified are small business owners, workers, visitors, community
leaders, landlords, renters, and homeowners. These categories may overlap, for example, a
renter may also be a leader  in the community, but they represent the main groups of
individuals who will be distinctly affected by what happens in the planning area (and
potentially by our own planning proposals). These stakeholder groups also have distinct
agendas in the area (i.e., needs, challenges, expectations, demands). Some of the groups
that we identified were large businesses (e.g., Verizon), community organizations (e.g.,
Forcey Bible Church), and small businesses (e.g., Fairland Ethiopian Restaurant and
Market). These stakeholders and others similar to them have profound impacts on the
community and should be partnered with and included in the planning process.
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Mobility &
Accessibility
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area is home to a highly mobile and auto-dependent
population, requiring an effective transportation network. According to 2019 data from the
American Community Survey (ACS), 73% of residents within the study area drove alone to
work, representing the majority (Census Reporter, 2019).?
Other forms of transportation, including transit, walking, and biking made up smaller
percentages. When compared against Montgomery County, fewer residents take public
transit in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. In comparison to the United States as a whole, the
Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area has a slightly higher percentage of residents using
transit (Census Reporter, 2019).?Figure 20 presents a more detailed chart.
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Figure 20: Transportation to work: Fairland and Briggs Chaney, Montgomery County, United
States Source: Census Reporter, 2019.
This analysis is based on 2019 ACS data; therefore, it was collected before the COVID-19
pandemic and the opening of the Flash BRT line. These numbers may have changed due to
changing work environments, transportation habits, and accessible rapid transit options in
the interim.?Montgomery County?s Ride On bus service has operated fare-free since the
beginning of the pandemic, and will continue to do so until at least July 2022 (MCDOT).
Fare-free transit service may bolster the public transportation share of travel as it recovers
from pandemic-related declines.
ACS 2018 data for the eight census tracts in the study area shows that there were a total of
14,119 jobs in the area. However, only 750 jobs (5%) were held by residents of the study
area, whereas 95% of the jobs were held by workers who live outside the study area (U.S
Census Bureau, 2018). This indicates a possible jobs-housing imbalance in the study area in
which there are many residents who must travel far from their homes to get to work (and
vise-versa, i.e., many workers in the study area who have to travel long distances to get
home). A jobs-housing imbalance in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area could exist
because the type of jobs that exist in the study area do not align with the types of jobs
residents need, or because the area under analysis is relatively small. If we extended the
analysis to a larger geographic region, for example, jobs and housing would likely appear to
be better balanced.
40
Conversely, over 16,000 residents in the study area commute outside of the area for work
(U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). This data shows that residents and workers in the study area
are highly mobile and make use of the transportation network. Thus, it is important to
explore transportation options to determine what challenges and needs exist.
See Figure 21 for a visualization of this data. The yellow-outlined census tracts are those
that are in the study area. The arrow pointing toward the study area represents workers
who travel into the study area for work, while the arrow pointing away from the study area
represents the residents who leave the study area for their jobs. The circular arrow
represents the study area residents who also work in the study area.
Figure 21: Study area worker inflow/outflow, based on 2019 ACS data. Source: U.S. Census
Bureau, 2021.
The ACS data also show that most residents in the study area travel to the south/southwest
for work, with work centers in Silver Spring and Washington, D.C. Conversely, most workers
in the study area commute from the northeast, from locations including Laurel, Columbia,
and Burtonsville, MD (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018). This highlights the importance of an
effective north/south transportation network to accommodate these commuting flows.
While commuting to and from work is just one form of travel, it is an important one to
consider. Figures 22 and 23 show these flows in radar format (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018).
41
Figure 22: Most study area residents travel to the
south/southwest for work. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019.
Figure 23: Most workers in the study area commute from
the northeast. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2019
Public Transportation
Much of the existing bus service does support these north/south directional flows.?US 29
consists of a combination of Flash BRT, frequent seven-day routes, and less-frequent lines
running up to the Briggs Chaney Park and Ride and beyond to Burtonsville (Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Metrobus routes include the Z6, Z7, and Z8.
The Z6 and Z8 are local bus routes which operate seven days a week, roughly every 30
minutes each from 5 a.m. to just after midnight. The Z8 serves Old Columbia Pike to the
Briggs Chaney Park and Ride and the Greencastle Park and Ride, while the Z6 deviates east
of US 29, ending at the Burtonsville Crossing Park and Ride. In contrast, the Z7 is a
commuter service, only operating during peak weekday rush hours between South Laurel
and Silver Spring via Old Columbia Pike (WMATA).
Montgomery County?s Ride On operates three routes in the plan-area: the 10, 21, and 39.
Ride On routes do cover portions east and west of US 29, but their route schedules are
restricted: the 21 and 39, for example, only operate during rush hour on weekdays.
Accordingly, WMATA designates only the Z6 and Z8 as ?frequent service? routes in the
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Fairland and Briggs Chaney area, dismissing all three Ride On routes due to their low
frequency (WMATA). The Route 10 bus is the one bus line that operates every day and cuts
west of US 29 along Randolph Road. Service operates every 30 minutes  to 1 hour
depending on the time of day, and generally ends by 11 p.m. in the plan-area. Route 21 is a
commuter service only operating on weekdays in between Silver Spring and the Briggs
Chaney Park and Ride. It serves east and west directions along Fairland Road. Morning
service on the 21 begins at 5:30 a.m. and ends by 9 a.m., while evening service begins at
3:30 p.m. and ends by 8 p.m. Finally, Route 39 also provides east-west connections along
Briggs Chaney Road during peak commuting hours. Hours of operation are roughly 6-9 a.m.
and 2:30-8 p.m. (MCDOT).
Finally, the new Flash BRT system offers the Orange and Blue routes. The Orange operates
every 15 minutes everyday between Silver Spring and Briggs Chaney Park and Ride. The
Blue operates every 15 minutes during peak weekday rush hour: 5:30-8:30 a.m. and
3:30-7:30 p.m. The Blue runs between Silver Spring and the Burtonsville Crossing Park and
Ride (MCDOT).
This bus data shows that north-south routes are well-served between Montgomery County
and WMATA buses, at least between the Briggs Chaney Park and Ride and Silver Spring. As
the directional analysis above notes, many workers in the area commute from points
farther north, including Columbia and Laurel. Service could be improved by connecting
communities farther north than Burtonsville, MD. On the other hand, east-west
connections are lacking. The routes that do operate in an east-west direction are mostly
commuter routes, only serving riders during the peak weekday rush hour. Providing more
expanded service west toward Glenmont, MD, and east to connect with Prince George?s
County bus service could improve accessibility for residents who live nearby US 29 or Old
Columbia Pike.
Montgomery County?s Ride On service shifted to fare-free operations at the start of the
COVID-19 pandemic. It will remain fare-free until at least July 2022 (MCDOT). This provides
yet another layer of accessibility for residents who may have struggled to pay the regular
fare. This is particularly relevant to Ride On service in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area,
as 90% of riders of the 10, 21, and 39 routes are minority riders (Bryant & Hall, 2020).
Providing fare-free service is a key component of transit equity and would support the
movement away from private vehicles.
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Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility
Pedestrian access is a major challenge for the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area.?While
sidewalks do exist in some parts of the study area, they are often placed along busy roads
with no buffer between pedestrian walkways and road traffic. There is a semblance of a
north/south walking route from Tech Road in the south toward Briggs Chaney Road to the
north, but it is missing a large section near the Arden Courts Assisted Living facility that
makes completing a walking trip difficult.?The existing shared-use path that travels
underneath the ICC is paved and includes lighting and trees. Due to the isolated nature of
this path, however, it may not feel safe, particularly at night.
Evidence of these pedestrian challenges are displayed in Montgomery County?s Pedestrian
Level of Comfort Map, shown in Figure 24.?The blue colors represent pedestrian comfort,
which exists primarily on the eastern side of the study area, which contains more
multi-family developments with connecting paths, sidewalks, and a shared-use path.?The
red and orange show up more on the western side of the study area, characterized by
single-family housing and commercial development. Paint Branch High School is located
along an ?uncomfortable road? on the western side of the area, which highlights a
challenge for a segment of the population that may walk more often, as most high school
students do not receive driver's licenses until Junior or Senior year.?In addition, the major
routes that physically divide the area, US 29 and MD 200, are not color-coded at all on the
map due to their lack of any pedestrian accessibility. Not only that, but to walk or bike
across these arterials is challenging, severely reducing the connectivity between
neighborhoods.?
44
Figure 24: Pedestrian level of comfort in the
plan-area. Source: M-NCPPC.
Similarly, biking comfort is largely separated by neighborhood, with the major arterial
roads acting as barriers to comprehensive cycling access.?Figure 25 shows bicycle levels of
stress as documented by the Montgomery County Department of Planning, displaying low
and very low stress roads enclosed by high and moderate stress roads.
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Figure 25: Bicycle level of stress in the
plan-area. Source: M-NCPPC.
Even though cycling safety and infrastructure is not widespread in the community, Capital
Bikeshare has expanded its reach into the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area.?This provides a
unique level of access that is not available to other suburbs this far out of the D.C. region:
for example, communities such as Greenbelt and Aspen Hill do not have Bikeshare access.
Bikeshare is a great addition to the community and seems to be well-used when we
conducted a site visit to the area, during which we noted only 4 bikes remaining at a 25
dock station.?The system also offers reduced fare options for low-income individuals,
further increasing its accessibility and appeal among the population (Capital Bikeshare).
However, the Capital Bikeshare stations are clustered together in a way that does not allow
for a large amount of bike mobility, which has been highlighted as a major need. The
current Bikeshare locations are at the Briggs Chaney Park and Ride, Briggs Chaney and
Castle Dr., and Castle Blvd. and Castle Ln. In the present configuration, users can only bike
within a confined distance in order to dock the bike at another station. Because the
stations are restricted to a small geographic region, mobility is extremely limited. The
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program could be better implemented by providing stations farther south along US 29,
allowing residents to bike from residential development near Tech Road to points farther
north, such as the Briggs Chaney Marketplace or East County Community Center.
Fairland and Briggs Chaney residents  are highly mobile, and the existing bus and road
network seems to support north/south commuting flows. However, improvements are
needed to better connect neighborhoods across US 29 and the ICC, as they are largely
isolated from each other and impossible to traverse via foot or bike. This leaves those
without cars and those of differing abilities at an extreme disadvantage in this
auto-oriented environment.
These challenges provide many opportunities for scenario planning in relation to our three
themes. First, mobility can be improved through complete street designs that
accommodate all modes of travel, by focusing on sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stop
amenities, and bike lanes. This would allow for changes in mobility type, from driving alone
to multi-modal options. Along those lines, it is worth questioning whether there is a
possibility to create ?15-minute walksheds?,  environment in which residents can get to
their destinations within 15 minutes. Even further, denser development patterns could
possibly complement the recent addition of Flash BRT stations. We explore these
opportunities and more in the scenario planning proposals below.
47
Housing
Throughout this section, housing statistics and cost burden will be analyzed to provide an
analysis of affordability in the plan-area. In addition to the plan-area?s housing statistics
being compared to Montgomery County, there will be an additional analysis comparing and
contrasting the two primary residential neighborhoods within the plan-area itself due to
the two neighborhoods having very different needs.
As seen previously on the zoning map, residential areas are primarily concentrated in the
northeastern quadrant and southwestern quadrant of the plan-area. In the northeastern
quadrant, the residential zoning primarily is higher density, allowing for apartments,
condominiums, and denser single family home clusters. Meanwhile, the majority of the
residential zoning in the southwestern quadrant is lower density. Because of these
differences, the housing typologies and financial makeups of these two neighborhoods
have distinctive differences. Below are images of the plan-area boundary compared with
the land use zoning map previously shown.
48
Zoomed in, Approved Plan Boundary. Fairland and Briggs Chaney Approved Plan
Boundary Area Zoning.
Figure 26: Plan-area boundary (left) and current zoning of plan-area (right). Source: M-NCPPC.
Within the plan-area there are 5,910 households, with a total population of 15,716. Since
2010, the population of this area has grown 10.2% and the number of households has
grown 4.7%, and we can reasonably expect a similar level of growth to continue.
Additionally, of the total households, 68% are renter occupied which is a significantly higher
rate of renters compared to Montgomery County as a whole, where only 35% of the
county?s housing units are renter occupied (ACS, 2019). However, the two residential areas
within the plan-area have some significant differences in housing characteristics.
Both the plan-area and Montgomery County have relatively similar vacancy rates, 6.7% and
4.7% respectively (ACS, 2019). Though the plan-area has a slightly higher vacancy rate, the
makeup of the vacancies are significantly different. 90% of all the vacancies in the plan-area
were available units for rent, whereas in the county, only 31.4% are for rent and 15% are
for sale. Only 10% of the plan-area?s vacancies are labeled as ?other? whereas 54% of the
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county?s vacancies are labeled as ?other? (ACS, 2019). This is significant for two reasons: one,
the plan-area has a low amount of blighted or uninhabitable vacancies; and two, there is
not as much unused developed space for typical urban infill redevelopment.
Figure 27: Housing Tenure in Plan-area (left) and Housing Tenure in Montgomery County (right).
Source: ACS 2015 - 2019 (5-Year estimates).
Figure 28: Vacancy by Type in Plan-area  (left) and Vacancy by Type in Montgomery County
(right). Source: ACS 2015 - 2019 (5-Year estimates).
Figure 29 depicts the number of housing structures built in each decade since the early
1930s. In the plan-area, over 40.9% of all the housing was built between 1980 and 1989,
preceded by 25.7% of housing built in the 1970s (ACS, 2019). This pattern correlates with
the drastic population growth in the plan-area that occurred during the 1980s, and follows
a similar trend to the county?s overall population growth. New constructions have been
declining since the sharp growth in the 1980s, indicating that the majority of the existing
housing stock is aging and will continue to do so over the next few decades.
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Figure 29: Year Housing Structures were Built within Plan-area, Compared with Montgomery
County. Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates).
The table of Figure 30 details the median home value, median household income, and
median gross rent of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area compared to Montgomery
County. Overall, the plan-area is markedly lower cost than the county as a whole. Both the
median household income and the median home value in the plan-area are substantially
lower than the county?s. However, the median gross rent is just about the same between
the two, only a $77 difference. This may be due to the majority of rental housing being
available in lower cost areas throughout the county. Moreover, $1,691 is about 30% of the
median household income, however, since this is the median, half of residents are earning
less than $75,947.
Fairland and Briggs Chaney Montgomery County
Plan-area
Median Household Income $75,947 $108,820
Median Home Value $281,821 $484,900
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Median Gross Rent $1,691 $1,768
F igure 30: Plan-area and County housing statistics. Source: American Community Survey (ACS)
2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates).
Compared to Montgomery County, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area is lower
income, with lower home values and higher percentage of renters. However, as mentioned
before, the two residential areas within the plan-area have some significant differences
between the two that must be considered in scenario planning.
Comparison of Residential Areas within Plan-area
Overall, the northeastern quadrant can be characterized as having a higher proportion of
renters, being lower cost, and having a lower income population, compared to the
southwestern quadrant. Figure 31 depicts the percentage of renter occupied units broken
down by census block group. The majority of the census block groups in the northeastern
quadrant have between 60% and 100% renter occupied units (ACS, 2019). As seen on the
zoning map above, this area is zoned for multifamily housing and mixed use development.
Meanwhile the southwestern quadrant is about 58% renter occupied, and is primarily
zoned for single family housing. As a whole, the northeastern quadrant is 69.7% renter
occupied, compared to the southwestern quadrant being 57.9% renter occupied (ACS,
2019).
Figure 31: Percentage of Renter Occupied Figure 32: Comparison of Tenure
Housing Units in Plan-area, By Census Block Between Northeastern and
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Group. Source: Southwestern Quadrants. Source:
A merican Community Survey (ACS)  American Community Survey (ACS)
2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates). Visualization 2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates).
via Social Explorer.
Additionally, Figure 33 depicts the differences in the types of housing structures that exist
currently in both quadrants. In the northeastern quadrant, which is primarily renter
occupied, 51.9% of housing units are in structures that have 10-19 units, 27.8% of housing
units are attached single family homes, and just 3.6% of housing units are detached single
family homes. Comparably, the southwestern quadrant has 40% of housing units in 10-19
unit structures, 23.9% as attached single family homes, and 22.9% are detached single
family homes (ACS, 2019). This further demonstrates that the northeastern quadrant is
much denser, and provides insight to the higher percentage of renters compared to the
southwest quadrant.
Figure 33:  Comparison in Housing Units in Structure Between the Northeastern and
Southwestern Quadrants. Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 (5-Year
Estimates).
Lastly, Figure 34 indicates the differences in home value, household income, and gross rent
between the two quadrants. In addition to having a higher percentage of renters and
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denser housing development, the northwestern quadrant is lower income and has lower
home values than the southwest. Surprisingly, however, the median gross rent in the
southwest is actually much cheaper than the northeast despite having a higher household
income and a smaller amount of rental options. This difference in rent prices is important
to note, to ensure that the populations residing there are properly considered and given
customized and equitable solutions to housing needs.
Northeastern Quadrant Southwestern Quadrant
Median Household Income $73,796 $85,575
Median Home Value $270,846 $396,800
Median Gross Rent $1,705 $1,562
Figure 34: Housing Statistics.  American Community Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates)
Affordability
Following from the previous analysis, we now turn to cost-burdened households. Cost
burden is commonly used as an indicator of housing affordability in specific regions, and as
defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), refers to
households spending over 30% of their monthly income on monthly housing costs.
For this report, it was important that we analyzed if the existing housing stock in Fairland
and Briggs Chaney was affordable to current residents. To do this, we used 2014-2018
Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data available through HUD. This was
the most recent dataset available, and data was pulled for Fairland and Briggs Chaney as a
census designated place because it was not available at the more specific geographies of
census tract or census block group.
Figure 35 depicts the overall cost burden information for both Fairland CDP and
Montgomery County. Looking at the table, 35% of all households in Fairland CDP are cost
burdened, just 3% higher than Montgomery County. Similarly, 53% of renters and 16% of
owners in Fairland CDP are labeled as cost-burdened. These numbers are relatively similar
to the county?s cost-burdened renters and owners, which indicates that existing residents
of Fairland CDP are experiencing the same housing affordability issues as the rest of the
county despite considerably lower household incomes and home values.
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Figure 35: 2014-2018 Fairland CDP and County Housing Data. Source: U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development, 2021.
Furthermore, Figure 36 depicts  a more detailed analysis of Fairland CDP?s cost-burdened
households. This provides an in-depth look at the cost-burdened households by breaking
them down by renter and owner, by household income, and by severity of cost burden. The
data reveal notable differences between owners and renters in terms of affordability.
Figure 36: 2014-2018 Fairland CDP and County Housing Data. Source: U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development 2021.
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Specifically, of renters earning over 50% of the HUD?s Area Median Family Income (HAMFI),
only 23% are cost-burdened, but of homeowners of the same income levels, 58% are
cost-burdened (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [U.S. HUD], 2021). In
contrast, 76% of cost-burdened renters and 42% of cost-burdened homeowners earn
under 50% of the HAMFI (U.S. HUD, 2021). This points to the fact that renters and owners in
Fairland and Briggs Chaney are experiencing very different affordability issues, thus
requiring a need for a customized approach to housing affordability solutions.
Homeowners earning over 50% of the HAMFI are still in great need of support, whereas
renters earning less than 50% of the HAMFI are most in need of housing support.
Missing Middle Housing
The concept of ?missing middle housing? is important to mention in this analysis for two
reasons. One, the lack of middle housing is a primary issue in Montgomery County; and
two, middle housing is often used as a tool to increase affordable housing options. As
defined by Daniel Parolek, ?middle housing? has two meanings. First, it represents the scale
of the buildings between single family homes and large apartment complexes. Second, it
refers to the affordability level of this size of housing, which provides homes for ?middle?
incomes that sit between 60% and 100% of the average median income for a  region
(Parolek, 2020). As seen above on cost burden by income tables for Fairland, a large
percentage of cost burdened households fit into the ?middle income? category. 23% of
owners and 39% of renters earning between 50% and 100% of the HAMFI are at least 30%
cost burdened. Middle housing could potentially provide affordable options for this group
of residents.
The definition of middle housing can be further specified to refer to housing structures that
would be compatible to the scale of a single family home and neighborhood. Examples of
this would include townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, multiplexes, bungalow
courts, and live/work buildings, which could contain between two and 12 units, though
most are under 10 units (Parolek, 2020). For the purposes of finding middle housing types
in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area, we primarily looked at townhomes and
housing structures between two and nine units.
Figure 37 depicts the percentage of each type of housing structure available in the
plan-area compared to those available countywide. As mentioned before, the plan-area has
a significantly lower number of detached single family homes, and a much higher number
of larger apartment complexes containing over 10 housing units. In the plan-area, 27.3% of
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housing units are townhomes, but just 8.6% of housing falls between two and nine unit
structures. Both of these are a bit higher proportionally to the county, but the numbers are
comparable given the considerable differences in single family homes and large apartment
complexes. This points to the fact that the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area is
experiencing the same lack of middle housing issues that the county is experiencing as a
whole, despite the plan-area being coined as affordable.
 Figure 37: Housing Units in Plan-area vs. Montgomery County. Source: American Community
Survey (ACS) 2015-2019 (5-Year Estimates).
Lastly, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area does have subsidized housing available. In
the plan-area, there are 724 total federally subsidized units available, 537 of which are
housing choice vouchers, and 187 of which are project-based subsidized housing units
(Picture of Subsidized Households, 2020). The availability of these subsidies do aid in the
effort to provide affordable housing options, but they primarily serve households that are
very low or extremely low income, with average household incomes around $19,740 per
year. Therefore, some of the renter households in Fairland and Briggs Chaney are assisted
by these programs, however, there is still a clear need for more options for the unassisted
renter and owner households. Additionally, provided subsidies may still leave renter
households  cost-burdened despite the assistance.
The main takeaways from the existing housing conditions are that the Fairland and Briggs
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Chaney plan-area has a wide variety of housing options for rentals and homeownership,
the two residential areas within the plan-area have significant differences, and that despite
being lower cost, housing in the plan-area is not any more affordable than anywhere else in
the county to existing residents. The differences in housing and income between the two
residential areas must be considered in scenario planning, and providing affordable and
attainable housing through tailored solutions must remain a top priority.
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Development
Approaches
Infill Development, Retrofitting, and Upzoning
Infill development is identified in Thrive Montgomery 2050 as a method of limiting growth,
while continuing future development. However, since vacancy rates in the Fairland and
Briggs Chaney plan-area are mainly due to available rentals, traditional infill development
may not be feasible for this area. As noted in Thrive Montgomery 2050, accessory dwelling
units achieve infill and increase housing diversity (2021). This allows infill development
without the need for extensive greenfield or redevelopment  sites.
Retrofitting (also acknowledged in Thrive Montgomery 2050) may be a better solution for the
Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. The advantages of retrofitting instead of infill
development include enhanced environmental performance and resilience, opportunities
for historic and character-building preservation, and the creation of more mixed-use
development. Retrofitting may be a more expensive and labor-intensive process, but it may
be a better fit for the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area, since it makes use of preexisting
buildings and not vacant lots
Upzoning is also a method for changing development patterns. Associated with density
increases, upzoning incrementally changes building makeup over time. For the Fairland and
Briggs Chaney area, this solution may help supplement other approaches to development.
In particular, upzoning could facilitate mixed-use development and greater diversity in
housing stock. However, it has been noted that upzoning can spur gentrification. Therefore,
any upzoning in the plan-area must be paired with anti-displacement policies.
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Land Use
One possible approach to shape the future of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area is a
relatively new type of zoning called form-based zoning. According to the organization
Strong Towns, form-based code ?puts the emphasis on making sure the buildings in a
neighborhood are compatible with their surroundings, while letting the mix of actual
activities in them be more eclectic.? Form-based code has been proven to come with a
number of advantages including encouraging revitalization, promoting housing
affordability, promoting walkability, and creating a sense of place (Herriges, 2020).
The prospect of revitalization relates to the concept of retrofitting described earlier. In an
area such as Fairland and Briggs Chaney that is almost completely built out, it is important
that we encourage revitalization of what is already there instead of relying exclusively on
complete redevelopment. The complete redevelopment of large portions of Fairland and
Briggs Chaney would likely lead to displacement of current residents. Also, it appears that
most of the current housing is relatively new and not in need of complete redevelopment.
Form-based code encourages revitalization by providing flexibility for developers to
revitalize existing structures in creative ways.
The second, and arguably most important, advantage of form-based code is promoting
housing affordability. One of the main goals we have identified for the Fairland and Briggs
Chaney plan-area is protecting the existing affordable housing that has become rare in
Montgomery County. A form-based code may protect this affordable housing by making it
easier for any new development to fill the missing middle housing gap. The fifteen-minute
city that we are striving to create may also be aided by the implementation of form-based
code. By allowing a mix of commercial and residential uses in neighborhoods, form-based
code may help encourage people to walk to the stores or work instead of driving. Finally,
form-based code can help create a sense of place in a community by creating more vibrant
and diverse neighborhoods while maintaining a harmonious urban form.
Form-based code is not entirely new to the Washington, D.C. region. In 2003, Arlington
County, Virginia implemented form-based code along Columbia Pike. The ordinance
creates a Colombia Pike special revitalization district, which allows properties with a certain
underlying zone to re-develop based on the form-based code requirements. Arlington?s
form-based code lays out three goals that are similar to the goals we have established for
the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan. They are to
...foster a vital main street for its adjacent neighborhoods through a lively mix of
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uses?with shopfronts, sidewalk cafes, and other commercial uses at street level,
overlooked by canopy shade trees, upper story residences and offices. Create
transit-, pedestrian-, and bicycle-oriented development, which is dependent on
density, diversity of uses, and design. Place greatest emphasis on design, or physical
form, because of its importance in defining neighborhood character (Arlington
County, 2016).
Implementation of a form-based zoning district in Fairland and Briggs Chaney similar to the
one implemented in Arlington could help realize community goals. One prime location for
future redevelopment is the Fairland and Briggs Chaney auto mall shown in Figure 38,
south of route 200 and east of route 29.
Figure 38: Silver Springs Auto Park: Source: Open Street Map.
Currently, this auto mall is home to a number of car dealerships that serve much of the
region. It is not necessarily practical to suggest or expect this area to be redeveloped in the
near future due to its popularity and importance in the area?s economy. It is also one of the
few properties in Fairland and Briggs Chaney where redevelopment is even possible. As we
consider scenario planning, it is important that we plan for a future with the possibility of
the auto mall going out of business. According to the NewYork Times, ?Millennials were
nearly twice as likely as baby-boomers to shop for and buy a vehicle ? new or used ?
entirely online? (Furchgott, 2021). This quote demonstrates the uncertain future that the
automotive industry faces. With this future in mind, we envision this area as a mixed-use
neighborhood scale area that is walkable, connected to public transportation, and
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accessible to the surrounding neighborhoods.
Transit Oriented Development
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is another important approach we believe could be
implemented in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. The American Planning Association defines
TOD as ?more than just dense development around a major transit station. Being
transit-oriented also implies pedestrian friendly design, the right mix of land-use types,
compact development consistent with neighborhood character, and well-designed parking
opportunities? (Thomas, 2009). TOD comes with a number of benefits such as increased
accessibility, economic development, and increased transit ridership. Montgomery County?s
BRT stations in the Fairland and Briggs plan-area  provide an opportunity to create a TOD in
the plan-area. There are currently three BRT stops in Fairland and Briggs Chaney running
north and south along route 29 connecting Fairland and Briggs Chaney to the region. The
southern station is located directly along route 29 and is surrounded by more commercial
uses. This station has the opportunity to be reimagined as a small-scale TOD.
Many TODs such as White Flint or Tysons Corner are located along heavy rail lines in highly
populated areas and have the demand to create dense and large-scale TODs. TOD is less
common along BRT routes and would have to be implemented on a smaller scale that
matches ridership levels and demand in the area. Ottawa, Canada, is one example of a
community that has successfully created TODs along BRT routes. Ottawa has accomplished
this by implementing strict land use regulations in designated TOD zones near BRT stations
and heavily investing in its BRT (Currie, 2006). Ottawa also invests heavily in its BRT system
to make it an inviting system for passengers and to defeat the stigma associated with bus
transit use.
If a TOD is to be successful in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area, it should follow the
best practice guidelines from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). MDOT
lays out a list of measures as well as characteristics for successful TOD. MDOT states that a
successful TOD should have a residential density of 20 to 40 dwelling units per acre and
one job per dwelling unit. This concentration of residents and jobs encourages residents to
use the BRT to access destinations instead of driving alone. In order to provide outside
accessibility to the station, the TOD should be accessible by at least one regional
connection and provide bicycle parking and access. A TOD in Fairland and Briggs Chaney
could implement these criteria on a small scale to increase BRT ridership and create a
mixed-use center.
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However, the current automobile focus of US 29 limits the ability to implement any real
pedestrian scale improvements along the corridor. The Maryland State Highway
Administration?s Context Driven Guide gives best design guidelines for creating a more
pedestrian and bicycle friendly environment in a variety of settings. To make US 29 more
compatible with TOD, a variety of pedestrian improvements should be implemented, such
as mid-block signaled crossings and newly painted continental crosswalks. Bicycle access
should be improved by providing buffered bike lanes to make cycling accessible and
comfortable for cyclists of all skill levels. The current speed limit could be lowered to
approximately 35mph and right hand turns could be eliminated to make the area even
more pedestrian focused and make a successful TOD possible.
Financial Opportunities
To realize these opportunities, financial assistance from both the state and federal
government would be helpful. The state of Maryland?s Sustainable Communities program
designates certain approved areas for increased funding through state grants. Luckily,
parts of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney study area and planning area are designated
?sustainable communities?. The map below shows the study area?s ?sustainable community?
areas in orange.
Figure 39: Map overlay of designated funding ?sustainable community? areas in the study area.
Source: Maryland Neighborhood Revitalization Mapper.
The map shows that the areas designated for increased state funding are mainly located
east of route 29 and in the far southern portion of the study area. Figure 40 shows the
various state grants that could be utilized to fund projects in the area.
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Community Legacy Program ?Provides local governments and community development
organizations with funding for essential projects aimed at
strengthening communities through activities such as business
retention and attraction, encouraging homeownership and
commercial revitalization.? (DHCD)
Neighborhood Business Works ?Provides exible nancing to new or expanding small
Program businesses and nonprot organizations.?(DHCD)
National Capital Strategic ?Provides competitive funds in support of commercial and
Economic Development Fund residential activities in areas targeted for revitalization.?
(DHCD)
Bikeways Program ?Provides grant support for a wide range of bicycle network
development activities.? (MDOT)
Sidewalk Retrot Program ?Upgrade existing pedestrian facilities along state highways to
meet Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.?
(MDOT)
Maryland Economic ?Enables local governments with a Maryland Department of
Development Transportation (MDOT) designated TOD more exibility and
Corporation/Dept. of Planning - opportunity to use TIF and special taxing district bonds to
Enhanced Local Tax Increment nance TOD infrastructure.? (MDP)
Financing Authority
Figure 40. State grants that could be utilized to fund projects in the area.
These grants could be utilized in Fairland and Briggs Chaney to aid in accomplishing goals
such as preserving affordable housing, providing economic opportunity, and improving
accessibility. Federal funding is also available in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area
through the Community Development Block Grant, the Emergency Solutions Grant, and
HOME Investment Partnerships Program. These federal grants are already utilized by
Montgomery County and should continue to be utilized in the future. In order to achieve
the goals for Fairland and Briggs Chaney, county leaders may consider utilizing available
state funds to make these goals a reality.
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PART I: THEME PRECEDENTS
65
Introduction
This section of the report presents thematic precedents for planning practices that would
be useful to consider in relation to the plan-area. Again, our thematic areas of emphasis
are housing, economic and community development, and climate change adaptation and
mitigation. Beyond those thematic concentrations, our guiding principle is justice. For this
reason, the precedents we identify may contribute to the realization of justice in the
plan-area. Not every precedent we present could be fully implemented in the plan-area or
even Montgomery County as a whole, but they provide a basis for imagining alternative
futures. This description of precedents contributed to the scenario planning we conducted
in Part II of this report?particularly our reformist and revolutionary scenarios.
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Housing
There is a growing need for affordable increased by 22.5% since the pandemic
housing across America while the nation began, the fastest increase on record.
has seen dwindling supply. Nearly a Don Layton of Harvard?s Joint Center for
quarter of homeowners and nearly half of Housing Studies predicts that this
renters spend more than 30% of their increase will deepen economic inequality
gross incomes on housing costs (JCHS, and lower the homeownership rate.
2020). The national minimum wage is Montgomery County?s condition largely
$7.25, but the National Low-Income reflects that of the nation: the number of
Housing Coalition reports that Americans households spending more than 30% of
would need, on average, a full-time wage their incomes on housing costs have
of $24.90 per hour to afford a modest continued to grow in the county as
two-bedroom apartment (NLIHC, 2021). In housing prices have outpaced growth in
Maryland, that full-time wage amount is incomes, and this trend most dramatically
$28.60, the 8th highest in the nation. For impacts people of color (Thrive
those earning less than 30% of their Montgomery 2050, 2021). Several of the
area?s median income, there is a supply census tracts in the Fairland and Briggs
gap of 7 million affordable units available Chaney plan-area have been designated
to rent (Aurand et al., 2020). Equity Focus Areas by the Montgomery
County Planning Department due to their
The COVID-19 pandemic has only high concentration of low-income
exacerbated this trend. The Federal households, cost-burdened households,
Housing Finance Agency reported in and people of color. All these factors, in
September 2021 that house prices have conjunction with this report?s emphasis
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on justice, require us to prioritize housing (Mason, 2019).
affordability as we look to housing
solutions in the Fairland and Briggs New York has the longest history of rent
Chaney plan-area?this is especially control laws among U.S. cities, but we
important as the county forwards projects focus on those of D.C. due to its proximity
like the BRT, a fifteen-minute walkshed, to Montgomery County. D.C. first
and complete communities. These implemented rent control in 1973, but its
improved amenities aim to make the most important active law dates from
community a better place to live, but 1985. D.C.?s rent control program, like
achievement of that goal would likely others across the nation, ensures
result in increased real estate values and, affordability through a complex set of
potentially, displacement. This section regulations, but the most significant
presents planning precedents for housing aspects are that it governs housing units
that are relevant to the Plan-area because developed prior to 1975, and it allows one
they preserve housing affordability and rent increase per year of 2% plus inflation
therefore could contribute to the (pegged to the Consumer Price Index) (DC
realization of justice in the Fairland and DHCD). Through classification, over
Briggs Chaney plan-area. These 80,000 units of housing in D.C. are subject
precedents provide a basis for the to rent control. The program works
scenario planning in Part II of this report. intuitively: by capping the amount that
landlords can increase rent, tenants are
Rent Control ? Washington, D.C. less likely to be evicted and more likely to
Rent control operates in many ways, but it remain in the neighborhoods they have
essentially works by limiting when, how, lived in for years even when those
and by how much landlords can increase neighborhoods gentrify. Activists in D.C.
their tenants? rent. Researchers have have identified a number of concerns
found that such programs can increase with the program, however. The group
neighborhood stability by giving tenant Reclaim Rent Control, for instance,
beneficiaries more control over their supports a more robust program that
moves, and people of color benefit most eliminates loopholes for particular
from that effect (Diamond et al., 2019). A landlords. Currently, buildings owned by a
growing body of research has also natural person who possesses less than
concluded that rent control meaningfully four total units are exempt from the
benefits tenants without substantially regulation. Additionally, because the law
inhibiting the construction of new units, only covers buildings from 1974 and
although positions differ on this subject earlier, the total number of
among housing scholars and planners rent-controlled buildings diminishes over
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time as buildings are demolished for implemented BRT stations will make the
redevelopment. Reclaim Rent Control area more desirable, which could induce
argues that the cut-off date should be gentrification and displacement.
dynamic?they suggest 15 years so that
the number of rent-controlled buildings Planning researchers, however, have
increases with time. identified a long term negative
relationship between rent control and
Rent control also has political precedent affordability. For landlords, rent control
in Montgomery County. Mark Elrlich, the effectively functions as a tax on
County Executive, suggested that there development and maintenance of rental
should be some kind of countywide rent properties. The Brookings Institution
stabilization in 2019 (Write & Dalca). In suggests that rent control has significant
late 2020, Councilmember Will Jawando short-term benefits to affordability and
introduced a bill that would establish rent anti-displacement, but it can negatively
control in the county (Reed, 2020). Like affect affordability in the long term by
D.C., the Montgomery County rent control disincentivizing construction of new
bill would have required that rent housing (Diamond, 2018). New housing
increases be pegged to inflation?the construction is generally unaffordable to
county already tracks and suggests rent low-income people, but most of the
increases based on the Consumer Price nation?s ?naturally occurring? affordable
Index, but there is no requirement that housing stock results from ?filtering
landlords abide by that suggestion (2021). down,? the process by which housing
Unlike the D.C. guideline, which covers units age and depreciate in value, which
the entire district, Jawando?s bill would makes them available to lower-income
have established a geographic zone in the segments of the market (HUD, 2020).
county so that properties near the Red There has also been evidence that some
and Purple Lines and those near BRT landlords, when confronted with rent
stations do not rapidly rise in value. This control, convert their rental units to
geographic specificity recognizes, condominiums as a loophole to escape
anticipates, and interrupts the value capture. In markets like D.C.,
relationship between public investment in however, it is still much more profitable
amenities and real estate values. It is to rent out developments than to sell
especially suited to the Fairland and condominiums, and so this potential does
Briggs Chaney plan-area where housing not have much of an impact (Sinha, 2018).
has historically been more affordable Overall, rent control can be a powerful
than the rest of the county, but planners mechanism for protecting housing
and residents fear that recently affordability and anti-displacement in hot
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housing markets, but potential negative single-family zoning combined with
externalities should be monitored discriminatory lending practices in the
carefully. Councilmember Jawando?s bill market systematically segregated
has not yet become law (and likely will not races?a phenomenon that persists into
in its current form), but the pandemic has the present?and contributed significantly
exacerbated the problems his bill sought to the racial wealth gap (Rothstein, 2017).
to address. It is thus likely that rent Both the National Association of Realtors
control will remain a part of the discourse (NAR) and the National Association of
on affordable housing in the county into Home Builders (NAHB) have endorsed
the future. upzoning because, they argue, easier
access to amenities will create desirable
Zoning Reform ? Minneapolis, MN communities appropriate for America?s
Zoning regulations have been used changing demographics?these lobbying
aggressively by local governments since groups obviously see potential profit in
World War II to effectively outlaw upzoning. As the average household size
constructions other than single-family, across the country has continued to drop,
detached houses in most of the country?s it seems reasonable that smaller units
residential neighborhoods. Recently, would better suit the needs of many
many planners, scholars, and activists people across the country and
have begun attempting to revise those Montgomery County residents.
regulations to allow a greater diversity of
housing types that enable more density, a For the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
change referred to as upzoning plan-area, however, the most significant
(Wegmann, 2020). Because of broad aspect of upzoning is its potential impact
support from various sectors, upzoning on housing affordability. Daniel Parolek
has been politically successful in has, over the past decade, forwarded the
Minneapolis, the state of Oregon, and, benefits of what he calls ?Missing Middle
most recently, the state of California. Housing.? He argues that there is an
Different groups favor upzoning for abundance of single-family units and
differing political ends. Environmentalists large multifamily apartment buildings in
forward upzoning because its greater the U.S., but middle-size
densities can reduce car dependence by buildings?duplexes, triplexes,
enabling walking, biking, and transit use, quadplexes, and other small apartment
as well as reduce consumption of buildings with less than ten units?are
greenfields for new construction. legally difficult to build and increasingly
difficult to find. As a result of the zoning
Historians have identified that regulations identified above and a
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housing market that has pursued a household to live on the same property,
homogenous suburban single-family unit and they can be either attached to or
typology, middle-size typologies are detached from the original structure.
largely  ?missing? from the market. ADUs can enable a city to increase its
?Middle'' in this sense has a double housing supply and density, and the
meaning: because constructions with household adding the ADU can add
multiple units divide the construction and income through a rental unit or enable
land value costs among all the units, they diverse living arrangements with family
create more affordable units. Further, members or other residents. The city also
because of its wood-frame construction, eliminated parking minimums for new
middle-size housing requires less initial developments in 2021 (Jackson, 2021),
investment than larger multifamily which dramatically reduces the costs of
buildings that use concrete and steel construction as developers no longer
(Parolek, 2020). For these reasons, need to accommodate cars in their plans.
missing middle housing is an essential Altogether, these strategies aim to
part of Montgomery County Planning improve housing affordability while giving
Department?s Attainable Housing residents access to a greater diversity of
Strategy, its strategic plan to implement housing choices.
upzoning in specific areas of the county.
That strategy was largely inspired by the In the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
example put forward by Minneapolis, MN, plan-area, zoning reform could have
which eliminated zoning in 2018. Instead, significant beneficial impacts. The
its new zoning regulations allow duplexes plan-area includes several categories of
and triplexes in the previous  single-family single-family zones that, under the
zones, which represent over half of the county?s Attainable Housing Strategy,
city?s total zoned land. It also plans to would become available for development
concentrate this housing around transit. of duplexes and triplexes, which could be
This move was just one part of a suite of created through conversion of existing
planning changes that aimed to improve single-family homes. As part of that
housing affordability and address the strategy, the county?s Planning Board has
city?s extreme disparity in life chances and also recommended the creation of a
outcomes between Black and White ?Priority Housing District,? which would
populations. Minneapolis revised the law allow development of quadplexes and
to allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) utilization of an ?Attainable Housing
in 2015: ADUs are portions of existing Optional Method'' for even denser
properties that allow an additional developments (Figure 41).
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Figure 41:Montgomery County Proposed
Priority Housing District. Source: Montgomery County Planning Department, 2021
This district emphasizes currently built-out urban areas such as Bethesda, Silver Spring,
and Wheaton. As Figure 41 shows, however, the district includes neighborhoods bordering
BRT transit lines such as those recently developed in Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
Conversion could be an attractive option for households in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
plan-area?as our analysis shows, low-income and very low-income homeowners in the
area have relatively high housing cost burdens, and conversion of their single-family units
could provide a vital income stream to lessen that burden. The lower costs of missing
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middle housing, in particular, could also give more community members access to
homeownership and, through it, wealth building. This is especially urgent for the area given
its high concentration of people of color: homeownership for these residents represents a
first step in redressing the racist policies and practices that limited the housing choices for
people of color for decades. These affordability and equity benefits would be
complemented by upzoning?s mutually reinforcing relation to other planning priorities for
the county and the plan-area such as complete communities, 15-minute walksheds, and
transit-oriented development.
There are, however, many vital goals that we know zoning reform cannot accomplish. First
and foremost, zoning is not housing?implementation of zoning reform does not
guarantee the construction of more housing. Minneapolis, for instance, added only 137
ADUs as of 2019, five years after the city legalized their construction (Lee & Kaul, 2019).
That reluctance is reflective of a broader industry trend despite endorsement of such
zoning reforms by the NAR and NAHB. Developers and investors (that is, real estate capital)
have more familiarity with single-family housing development; they know it to be profitable
and relatively low-risk while missing middle housing is as-yet understated in the market
(Maharaj, 2020). Local political opposition to zoning reform can make it difficult to
accomplish in the first place, and there is legitimate concern that units in duplexes,
triplexes, and quadplexes are not what most Americans think of when they think of
homeownership. The majority of US households are owned units (with or without a
mortgage), and most of that housing stock fits the single-family model. It remains to be
seen whether the US population can broadly shift to a more expansive idea of housing (let
alone the socio-economic ramifications of that shift).
Finally, although there may be broader regional benefits to housing affordability that result
from zoning reform, it may be that what the housing zoning reform would enable is not
what the residents of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area need most. The data
indicate that, broadly, restrictions on housing supply increase housing prices and that
alleviation of those restrictions would make housing more affordable (Been et al., 2019;
Glaeser et al., 2008). There may be locationally specific factors that result in different needs
and different impacts from affordable housing policy. Daniel Parolek notes that missing
middle housing are market-rate units for those earning between 60% and 110% of AMI
(2020). Those making less than that amount, he explains, do not have incomes high enough
to pay the true cost of housing without subsidies. For this reason, missing middle housing
represents one part of what he calls the ?affordable housing barbell? (Figure 42); higher end
market-rate housing and subsidized housing represent the other parts of a full housing
strategy.
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Figure 42: The Barbell of Affordable Housing. Source: Parolek, 2020.
The Urban Land Institute, in a report on ?attainable housing,? gives a more conservative
estimate for appropriate AMI brackets: 80% to 120% (2019). The needs that missing middle
housing may or may not satisfy therefore differ from location to location. For instance,
consider Figure 43, which shows the results of an affordable housing gap analysis
conducted as part of Montgomery County?s 2020 Housing Needs Assessment.
Figure 43: Montgomery County Housing Supply Gap. Source: Montgomery County Housing
Needs Assessment, 2018.
74
The figure shows the relative surplus or forwarded by Tara Raghuveer at People?s
gap of housing units in specific Action, demands an additional 12 million
subregions of Montgomery County units of social housing as the best way to
defined by census Public Use Microdata end homelessness and ensure quality,
Areas (PUMAs). Looking to the PUMA that dignified housing for all. Like public
contains the Fairland and Briggs Chaney housing, social housing refers to
plan-area, we see that there is not developments built and owned by the
currently a great need for the units that state with the purpose of providing
such zoning reforms would create. All this housing for people outside the private
said, it may be that the constructions of market.
such units would have broad affordability
benefits for the region, or it may be that Considering the condition of public
the construction of such units would housing in the US, however, it is
intervene in a future affordability crunch challenging to imagine social housing
caused by a volatile housing market (such being implemented in the US. The US
as the current one). The plan-area should introduced public housing in the first half
be monitored closely to ensure that any of the 20th century to ensure that working
zoning reforms benefit those most in Americans who could not afford
need. market-rate units had access to dignified,
healthy housing options. Over the next
Social Housing ? Vienna, Austria several decades, the American public
?Social Housing? is a foreign term to increasingly stigmatized public housing,
Americans, but it is analogous to our first but the federal government continued
subsidized housing program: public building housing units as the US
housing. It is both the most ambitious of population grew, peaking at about 1.4
the precedents we analyze, and the only million in the 1990s (Bloom, 2015). Since
one that would comprehensively solve then, the total stock has dwindled to less
the most serious housing problems in the than a million units as the federal
plan-area, the county, and the nation. The government began prioritizing other
People?s Policy Project released a white programs and converting public housing
paper arguing that social housing was the units into other subsidized housing
single best way to address America?s programs. Public housing now represents
affordability crisis in 2018, and it has a relatively small portion of the nation?s
remained part of affordable housing subsidized housing stock. Low-Income
discourse since then (Gowan & Cooper, Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developments
2018). The Homes Guarantee (2019), a now make up the greatest number of our
comprehensive housing strategy subsidized units, and the Housing Choice
75
Voucher (HCV) system, which follows three-fifths of the city?s population live in
tenants instead of buildings, subsidizes social housing (Gowan & Cooper, 2018).
an even greater number of households. The country has a robust social welfare
Montgomery County?s public housing system centered on its housing program,
program reflects that of the nation which provides high-quality housing with
overall: as of 2021, the Housing great access to all the amenities people
Opportunities Commission of need to live and flourish. As of 2019,
Montgomery County (its Public Housing Vienna had been identified as the city
Authority) reported that it manages just with the highest quality of life in the world
106 public housing units and over 7,000 for ten consecutive years by the Mercer
vouchers. There are no public housing Quality of Living Ranking (the study was
units in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney suspended for 2020 because of the
area. Within that context, social housing pandemic).
differs from public housing in some
crucial ways. Vienna?s innovative and successful
approach to housing started a hundred
Social Housing has come to broadly years ago. When Vienna held its first
represent European approaches to public democratic elections after World War I, it
housing. England, Sweden, Austria, extended the franchise to both men and
Finland, and France are different women?the socialists, who advocated
countries with different political and for an egalitarian distribution of labor
economic systems, but they are all market between the sexes, captured the
economies in which a much greater electorate and held power in the city until
portion of their total housing units is they were forcibly deposed by the Nazis
public housing (over 10% for all of them). in the 1930s. This period has come to be
For this reason, social housing has come known as ?Red Vienna.? Vienna during this
to generally refer to housing systems in time had already become a massive city
which publicly-owned housing units with extensive housing problems, and so
represent a more significant component the city government began a robust and
of the national housing strategy. Nowhere urgent emergency housing program,
is this more true than Austria, where 80% sometimes expropriating vacant
of all households qualify for housing buildings, and directly purchased
assistance (Arman & Mundt, 2005). In properties so that, by 1924, the Viennese
Vienna, Austria?s capital and largest city, government became the city?s largest
the threshold for housing assistance is property holder (Duma & Lichtenberger,
double the average annual income 2017). The socialists organized this
(Denise, 2015). As a result, over housing program not just to offer a vital
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service to the city?s most needy but to resilience?as one Vienna resident
ensure that every city resident had what answered when interviewed on the
they needed to thrive. Despite seismic subject in 2019, ?We have an old idea
political shifts over the last century, the here that not only rich people should live
fundamental beliefs that grounded this in good conditions? an important idea
system have contributed to its and we should hold onto? (Forrest, 2019).
Vienna?s approach to housing is simple in its aspirations but complex in its implementation.
See Figure 44 for a full diagram of Viennese housing arrangements, compiled by Margaret
Funk.
Figure 44: Diagram explaining Vienna Housing Arrangement. Source: Statistik Austria, Mikrozenns
2015
Apartments represent the majority of the city?s housing, and 78% of that housing is rented,
not owned. Of that subset, the majority is social housing, which is sometimes used to refer
to the city?s publicly owned housing and sometimes used to refer to its overall housing
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strategy. Private landlords own the remainder, but strong tenant laws govern the
management of most of that housing federal and local housing regulations in
stock, such that only an infinitesimal the US, but it is much more successful.
portion of the city?s total stock is entirely
unregulated. Although the past couple of The Montgomery County Planning
decades have seen increasing Department cannot in-and-of itself realize
commodification pressure on Vienna?s social housing in the plan-area or
housing market as it becomes a more Montgomery County overall. It cannot be
desirable place to live, the city?s people achieved solely through technocratic
have, for the most part, effectively reforms within the current American
resisted those pressures (Kadi et al., political and economic paradigm. Like in
2021). The competing pressures of its Vienna itself, the people of Montgomery
commitment to both full housing and County would have to mobilize to bring it
market economy have resulted over time about. Recognizing this, Maryland State
in an extremely complex system (Housing Representative and Montgomery County
for All, 2020). resident, Vaughn Stewart, recently
introduced legislation to realize in
What makes social housing in Vienna so Maryland a program openly inspired by
powerful is not the brilliance of any Viennese social housing that affirms
particular housing strategy or policy but housing as a human right (Schweitzer,
rather the sustained political will to 2020). The bill does not currently have
realize its project over the last century: enough support to pass, but it represents
quality, dignified housing for all. It works a growing consensus among politicians
within a market system in which real and residents that we need more
estate interests constantly attempt to dramatic action to solve our affordability
undermine it. Vienna remains relatively crisis.
successful because the mass of people
within Vienna, and the politicians who
serve them, recognize the material costs
of capitulation to those real estate
interests, and so they continuously
struggle through bureaucracy, creating an
increasingly complex housing system to
counter the profit-seeking practices of
real estate capital through regulation. It is
not, therefore, altogether dissimilar from
the complex and reticulated system of
78
Economic and
Community
Development
In keeping with our overarching theme of justice, it is paramount that community and
economic development strategies work to empower local communities and generate
opportunities and support for Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s vulnerable populations. It is
critical that interventions intentionally prevent the displacement of vulnerable populations
that often comes with major redevelopment initiatives or market-driven shifts. Figure 45
articulates a spectrum of community development theory critically analyzing and
categorizing the fluctuating trends and definitions of progressivism (Shi, 2020). While both
liberal progressivism and radical progressivism emphasized different actors and strategies,
the common thread between both includes redistributive components of power, resources,
and public space, which is the basis for our approach.
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Figure 45: Countercyclical waves of urban liberal and radical progressivism. Source: Shi, 2020.
Enabling community-owned assets and increasing public resources for meaningful
infrastructure and safety net programs are ways in which communities and cities can build
resilience in the face of a gentrifying Fairland and Briggs Chaney. We illustrate this with two
examples of such applications below. The East Portland Community Investment Trust and
the Land Value Capture tools utilized in Latin America.
Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s suburban form is largely defined by US 29 and the ICC. This
transportation network and other components of the suburban form pose many
restrictions to mobility, market connection, and social cohesion. Deliberate and strategic
intervention in the study area?s spatiality and transportation landscape can not only
improve mobility, but stimulate local market connections, respond to and mitigate climate
change threats, and foster stronger community cohesion and participation. Two
precedents discussed below include a Freeway Removal in Rochester, NY and a
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place-making strategy in Downtown Silver Spring, MD.
Buy Back the Block: East Portland Community Investment Trust
East Portland Community Investment Trust in Oregon launched in 2017 by Mercy Corps, a
humanitarian nonprofit, that aspired to connect vulnerable communities to wealth building
opportunities. The group saw an opportunity in Plaza 122, a  commercial strip mall facing
foreclosure in an economically underdeveloped corner of town and attached a real estate
trust to the property. They designed the financial scheme as a Community Investment
Trust (CIT) and invited the surrounding community to invest as partial owners by
contributing low, monthly investments and recoup profits from the tenants? rent through
appreciating shares and dividends.
Key to the success of East Portland?s CIT is the intentional design for the resident
population immediately around the strip mall. East Portland is similar to Fairland and
Briggs Chaney in that it holds a high percentage of immigrant communities, many of whom
are renters and have been displaced from gentrifying sections of Portland, OR.
The Mercy Corps team underwent stakeholder interviews of their target populations to
best understand their interests and barriers to investing. They understood that monthly
payments could be out of reach for many asset-poor populations, that some saw risks in
having their money tied up in a property, and that some had questions or needed to learn
more about investing. With this understanding, Mercy Corps developed a unique financial
product and community development model to ?inspire and enable people to improve
their own financial well-being as well as their community health and prosperity? and thus
incorporated the following design elements (Mercy Corp, 2019):
? Zip Code-restricted eligibility: Investors must be 18 years and older and a resident of
the surrounding 4 zip codes.
? Low barrier to entry: Monthly payments can range between $10-100/month, the
lowest minimum purchase price from Community Equity Investment Trusts across
the country.
? A secure exit: Guaranteed protection for loss for an investor through a direct Letter
of Credit backing from a bank. This also allows the investor to withdraw their funds
at any time such as in the event of a personal emergency.
? Investor Education course: A mandatory ?Moving from Owing to Owning?  course that
was offered in 5 languages.
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Figure 46: Diagram of Community Investment Trust Operations. Source: Mercy Corps.
Figure 47: Chart of ethnic/racial demographics of East Portland Community.Investment Trust
investors. Source: Siebel, 2019.
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How Plaza 122 CIT Improves Community Health
Plaza 122?s CIT is a small-scale economic development program that has provided
meaningful and high-impact return on investments. In addition to added financial security
for these low-income investors, there are other benefits toward overall community health.
The investors reflect the diversity and socio-economic realities of the target population with
over 20 countries of origin represented in the CIT (Siebel, 2019). 69% of participants were
first-time investors, many of whom received incomes below the poverty line. Plaza 122
tenants fill critical market gaps for the surrounding community. Businesses and services
such as African Family Holistic Health Center, the Somali-owned cab company, the Somali
Advocacy organization, and a Latina-owned Hair shop provide services to the diverse
cultural community needs in East Plaza.
Portland. Having the local community
invested in the Plaza reinforces support Opportunity in Fairland and Briggs
for these local businesses, Chaney
micro-economy of the plaza and the Community or Neighborhood Investment
surrounding area. Trusts are replicable and are a highlight
opportunity to converge and leverage
Other transformative benefits from the community assets in the Fairland and
CIT are the stronger sense of community Briggs Chaney plan and study areas for
ownership, self-determination, and civic promoting resilient and equitable
participation. Tenants and owners also community economic development.
discuss increased political organizing and Mercy Corps?s White Paper on the
community building activities around the Community Investment Trust (CIT)
Plaza, including advocacy for a new discusses their design process and
grocery store and improved transit important strategic planning and financial
service, among other improvements in factors taken to launch a CIT in different
their community (Mercy Corp, 2019). geographic and socio-economic
environments (MC White Paper - A Vision
Above all, the program delivered the For Replication). CITs require strong
outcome of increased financial partnerships with the capacity to organize
independence. With 26 tenants, the CIT and manage the CIT and finance upfront
investment model proved viable. Though purchasing of real estate. In Fairland and
investors have access to liquid Briggs Chaney, partners for impact
investments at any time they need it, over investments, loans, or grants can be
95% have left their investments in the sought from banks, foundations,
community or faith-based institutions,
83
non-profits, and/or the County The State of Maryland and Montgomery
government. County Enterprise Zone Administrators
can educate community stakeholders
To scale up CIT solutions and effects, about CITs and incentivize their formation
state and municipal governments should through the EZ tax credit program. This
make an effort to incentivize and promote can be applied to other sites within the
CITs through public policy and zoning study and the plan-area, such as the auto
(Hopkins, 2021). The Briggs Chaney mall, if redeveloped, or the vacant office
marketplace, for example, is currently park near Tech Road.
designated as an Enterprise Zone (EZ).
Figure 48: Chart of design elements of community equity investment projects. Source: Theodos &
Edmonds, 2020.
Land Value Capture Tools: Trade offs critical public infrastructure and services,
from CEPAC in S?o Paulo, Brazil such as affordable housing, transit, and
Land Value Capture is an economic parks, or other major strategic climate or
development strategy in which social justice goals in need of stronger
governments employ a variety of financial public financing.
tools to  grow their public resources from
future development. When applied and A wide variety of such tools, such as tax
managed well, it can be a significant increment financing, property taxes, and
means of  enabling municipalities with impact fees are deployed to capture the
tight and competitive budgets to fund financial benefits of anticipated
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development. Brazil developed a unique
financial tool called CEPAC, a Certificate of Unlike property taxes or Tax Increment
Additional Construction Potential. Its Finance (TIF), which are more common
application in S?o Paulo, Brazil yielded the public financing mechanisms in the US
single-most revenue per developable land and Montgomery County,  CEPAC does
amongst Land Value Capture tools in the not place the burden on taxpayers for
world. The CEPAC is authorized and recouping costs for public investments. It
backed through clauses in the Brazilian is also designed primarily for steering
1988 Constitution that states the goal of high-density TOD redevelopments, which
urban development is to ?guarantee the may be the conditions of a future Fairland
well-being of citizens? and ensure the ?full and Briggs Chaney US 29 redevelopment.
development of the social function of a However, further capacity building is
property? (Brazilian Constitution Art 128 needed on the part of the federal, state,
of 1988). and local governments in order to adapt
and adopt a program like CEPAC (Kim,
The CEPAC program allows an Urban 2018).
Operation (UO) or redevelopment zone to
set development potential and charge a
developer for the ?Onerous grant of the Land value capture tools, like CEPACs, are
right to build? (Amigo, 2021). CEPAC useful financing mechanisms, they are
certificates are sold and traded to tools for generating public revenue. While
developers via an electronic auction, linking equity and sustainability agendas
enabling this demand-driven market to with financing mechanisms is an
dictate the price. In return, investors important policy step, equally important
enjoy the added flexibility of diversifying is the oversight and accountability
their portfolios as well as the luxury of mechanisms through decision-making
building or selling their certificate at their and implementation processes to ensure
leisure. The local government collects intended outcomes are achieved and
funds from the auction upfront to build negative consequences are avoided. For
out desired public benefits rather than example, in Sao Paulo?s example, zoning
deficit spending or relying on a developer was allocated for affordable housing
to build it. Between 2015-2018, the CEPAC through the redevelopment, which
program S?o Paolo resulted in major prevented some residents from being
returns. The  two Urban Operations, Faria displaced; yet, insufficient land was
Lima and Agua Espraiada, make up only preserved and the dramatic rising cost
0.1% of the city?s developable land but that followed the private investment
generated $2.76 billion (Kim, 2018). displaced many low-income residents.
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Still many policy makers, especially across available for other transit modes and new
the developing world are excited about mixed-use development.
the potential of land value capture tools
and getting the institutional mechanisms Freeway removal projects like the one in
and cooperation right to enable Rochester are gaining traction across the
communities and governments to country, as many cities and counties look
adequately and strategically set and to repair the harmful, racist legacy of
finance important public-serving agendas. highway expansion. As part of the
Infrastructure Bill debates, the Reconnect
Freeway Removal: Rochester, NY?s Communities Act was introduced to US
Inner Loop East Congress in April 2021 calling to ?establish
A potential intervention that can be a program to improve  community
applied to the study area is the removal connectivity by identifying and removing
of US 29 and the InterCounty Connector or mitigating infrastructural barriers that
which currently divides the Fairland and create obstacles to mobility or economic
Briggs Chaney residential communities development or expose the community to
across four quadrants that experience pollution and other health and safety
minimal interactions and heavy risks, and for other purposes? (S.1202 -
transportation-related burdens. 117th Congress, 2021-2022). The Act has
support from Maryland legislators, such
Rochester, New York?s Inner loop was as Senator Ben Cardin and Representative
built in the 1950s to move suburban Anthony Brown from the neighboring
commuters and its construction and 8 Calverton district and others.
lanes of dedicated car traffic divided
downtown areas and Black communities This example highlights the opportunities
for decades (Popovich et al., 2021). With and possibilities if the focus of
the aid of a $25 million US Department of transportation and revitalization projects
Transportation Tiger Grant, the city of shift to moving people and not simply
Rochester matched funds to reconstruct car-traffic, which is especially critical for
the eastern part of the loop. In 2017, the populations that do not or cannot drive,
sunken section of the multi-level highway such as cost-burdened individuals, new
was filled in and converted to an at-grade immigrants, youth, and old or disabled
complete street with bicycle and walking individuals.
paths. Eight driving lanes were brought
down to three. In addition to the In auto-dominant places like Fairland and
reduction of single-occupancy vehicles on Briggs Chaney, similar agendas could be
the road, the reclaimed lanes were made taken to build on existing sustainable
86
transportation assets, such as the trail Placemaking: Silver Spring, MD Civic
network and the BRT to increase service, Center + Veterans Plaza
connectivity, and access points to the The second spatial example responds to
natural, historic, cultural, and built assets the limited public spaces and sense of
across the plan-area. Such a program place in Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
would also enable an Indoor and outdoor gathering places are
appropriately-scaled response to the significant amenities in communities that
enormous mode-shift needs demanded mark a location?s identity and invite
by the climate change crisis.
communities to meet, socialize, and foster civic participation. Downtown Silver Spring?s
Veterans Plaza & Civic Center is a beloved example. This award-winning plaza and civic
building is a centrally-located public facility with a variety of meeting room sizes and
welcoming accommodations. Montgomery County also sponsors a Community Access
Program funding that enables non-profits and other community groups to reserve space
and host events at an affordable rate. It is located in the central business district, which
fosters further activity and connectivity to shops, transit, and other desirable destinations.
The plaza is consistently populated with residents of all ages and backgrounds and jostling
and vibrant activity of a desired place.
The community centers in Fairland and Briggs Chaney are important resources for the
residents  as they host events as well as adult and youth training services. As the study area
possibly grows and transforms, support and enhancement of such places will be important.
Locating such facilities in a centrally accessible location near commercial and recreational
sites can bring residents across the area quadrants together. Embedding valued
community elements or history in these places are other meaningful ways to honor and
highlight the identity of the place.
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Climate Change
Adaptation &
Mitigation
Planning for Climate Change
Climate change adaptation requires that the built environment is developed in such a way
that it is able to absorb the impact of changes to local and global climates. Climate
mitigation means that a community takes action to address the root causes of climate
change, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Accomplishing both is vital to a
sustainable future for any community; however, these objectives are not enough. It is
critical we weave climate justice throughout a broader vision of any area?s future, ensuring
that planning strategies lead to equitable and just distribution of community benefits and
costs. Providence, Rhode Island?s Climate Justice Plan succinctly captures this last objective
with the phrase "everyone gets what they need to thrive" (Faulkner, 2019). The existential
and present threat of climate change requires immediate action through a systems-based
approach to transform our communities and change our behaviors.
Locally, examples of this type of initiative include Montgomery County?s Climate Action Plan
(CAP) from June 2021 and its Solid Waste Management Plan. The CAP is an ambitious
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framework detailing how the county can reach its goal of net zero greenhouse gas
emissions by 2035, relative to 2005 emissions levels (CAP, 2021). Strategies for
accomplishing this include decarbonization of the electricity grid, promotion and facilitation
of public transit use versus personal vehicles, and adaptation of construction methods to
reduce the carbon embedded within buildings (CAP, 2021). The CAP outlines specific
actions to reduce emissions and build climate resilience and commits to an annual
inventory of tasks that will implement those actions. Ultimately, these climate-specific
documents are functional plans that build on the guidance of Thrive Montgomery 2050?s
comprehensive plan. The latter makes references to climate change, but acknowledges that
as a planning document, it is only meant to set a general vision and other more specific
plans will be developed to turn ideas into reality. The CAP, which was developed
concurrently, is an example of such a functional plan, as is the county?s Solid Waste
Management Plan.
In 2018, an effort was started to formalize a zero waste strategy for the county, building on
the county?s already impressive waste diversion rate (60% in 2016) compared to the region
(Zero Waste 2018). Posters for the Aiming for Zero Waste initiative mention that certain
regulations and policies could help the county foster a circular economy. This economic
model intentionally reincorporates waste from a product?s life cycle back into the
production cycle and minimized any residual waste, if it is not eliminated completely.
Although highly compatible with climate adaptation and mitigation goals, the phrase
?circular economy? does not appear in the CAP or Thrive Montgomery 2050 plans. However,
use of certain indicators for climate and waste-related strategies mirrors what one would
need to follow for circular economy programs (ex., recycling rates, creation of green jobs,
renewable energy adoption, etc.).
Climate change is also being addressed at elevated scales that ultimately impact the
Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. Maryland recently enacted the "The 2030 Greenhouse
Gas Emissions Reduction Plan" Act in February 2021, setting a practical vision for reducing
the state?s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to 2006 levels, if not more (MD
GHG, 2021). Both at the state and federal levels, programs exist and continue to evolve that
can help Montgomery County achieve its climate goals and facilitate emissions reductions.
Federally, these include planning efforts like the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects
(BRACE) Framework, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to
guide public health departments establish climate resilient adaptation plans (Marinucci,
2014). Agencies and departments across the federal government, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency, Health and Human Services, Energy, NASA, and NOAA,
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are also conducting important remote sensing, planning, facilitation, funding and other
practical work to implement projects that will combat climate change.
The need to take this immediate system-wide approach to tackling global climate change is
emphasized at the international level by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). The Panel?s Working Group I published an updated report on the scientific basis for
climate change in August 2021, a part of the IPCC?s Sixth Assessment Report. The Summary
for Policymakers version of this contribution (SPM) states,
With every additional increment of global warming, changes in extremes
continue to become larger. For example, every additional 0.5?C of global
warming causes clearly discernible increases in the intensity and frequency
of hot extremes, including heatwaves (very likely), and heavy precipitation
(high confidence), as well as agricultural and ecological droughts in some
regions (high confidence). (IPCC 2021, SPM-19).
The report goes on to describe how urban areas around the world will bear and generate
climate change-related consequences:
Cities intensify human-induced warming locally, and further
urbanization together with more frequent hot extremes will increase
the severity of heatwaves (very high confidence). Urbanization also
increases mean and heavy precipitation over and/or downwind of
cities (medium confidence) and resulting runoff intensity (high
confidence). In coastal cities, the combination of more frequent
extreme sea level events (due to sea level rise and storm surge) and
extreme rainfall/riverflow events will make flooding more probable
(high confidence). (IPCC 2021, SPM-33)
This collection of global actions at every institutional scale demonstrates how far
governments have come recognizing both the planetary threat climate change poses and
the role small communities can play to fight back. The work currently being done is not
enough alone to turn back the clock on the damage already inflicted, but it is a foundation
from which to continue innovating solutions and course correcting. The master area plan
update that Montgomery County is working on for Fairland and Briggs Chaney is an
opportunity for the county to implement many of its climate goals and actions. Laying this
foundation for a better future in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area can serve as a model
90
for other area plans to come
Climate Change?s Potential Impacts on Fairland and Briggs Chaney
Figure 49: This map shows the northern end of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master
Plan-area (outlined and shaded). It draws attention to the Little Paint Branch and Paint
Breach streams which cut across the master plan and study areas. The sensitive headwaters
of both streams are in the general Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. Source: Potomac
Conservancy, 2021.
One way climate change can have a significant impact in the plan and study area is through
disturbance of cold water currents, which exist in the headwaters of various Fairland and
Briggs Chaney streams (see map above), including the Little Paint Branch, Paint Branch,
and tributaries of the Patuxent River (Potomac Conservancy, 2021). The wildlife in these
coldwater streams are sensitive to minor changes in average water temperature, including
the native brown trout, so the more water temperatures rise, the more threatened these
already stressed urban wildlife will be (Potomac Conservancy, 2021). Flash flooding from
more extreme weather will also increase the polluted runoff entering these streams and
directly impact residents in low-lying areas. However, regular flooding is not a widespread
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or significant issue in Fairland and Briggs Chaney currently and climate forecasts do not
project this to be a major impact of climate change in the area (compared to other issues
like extreme heat or relative to other neighborhoods in the county) (CAP, 2021).
Climate change is fed by greenhouse gas emissions and internal combustion engine (ICE)
vehicles are a common source. These atmospheric emissions are mitigated by a variety of
natural means, including tree absorption. The following map shows the location of the tree
canopy marked in green in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area.
Figure 50: Intersection of US 29 and MD 200, Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area, MD. GIS
Layer. Source: Montgomery County Tree Canopy Explorer, 2017
The lightly shaded areas at or near the nexus of US 29 and MD 200 reflect impervious
surface or uncovered turf. The canopy is noticeably patchier within the plan-area compared
to the tree canopy in the surrounding neighborhoods because of the greater dominance of
pavement and buildings. One recent major reduction to the area?s tree canopy occurred as
a result of the redevelopment of Paint Branch High School (Bunnag, 2009). Due to the need
for land to build the school?s modern campus, adjacent forest land was cut down. Using
Montgomery County?s online Tree Canopy Explorer tool to measure changes in tree
coverage, the school?s current land area experienced an approximate 24.3% loss of canopy
(from 29.1 to 4.8%). The decrease in canopy experienced around the community has a
negative impact on the value of its ecosystems? services. This results in raising the level of
danger to residents due to extreme heat, as well as reducing the environment?s capability
to sequester carbon and effectively manage stormwater.
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As it stands, major urban heat islands already exist in the plan-area, according to data from
Summer 2018 and Summer 2019 collected by The Trust for Public Land and visible in Figure
51 (The Trust for Public Land, 2019). These are located around the auto park, Briggs Chaney
Marketplace, and Paint Branch High School, sites which have little tree canopy as discussed
earlier. Heat islands depicted in Figure 51 range in severity, but this is an area where the
average temperature is higher than the surrounding area/county?s average as a whole.
Figure 51: Within the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area outlined in black are several clusters
of intense heat appearing in darker orange and red (most severe heat). Heat Island GIS Layer
Source and Information: The Trust for Public Land, Descartes Labs, USGS, 2019
Case studies from around the world offer precedents for potential solutions to address
climate change impacts. The following precedents focus on four different themes that echo
priorities declared by Montgomery County in its Thrive Montgomery 2050 comprehensive
plan or associated functional plans. These include improving socio-ecological watershed
resilience, fostering economic circularity, ensuring environmental justice, and reducing
emissions through grid decarbonization.
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Socio-Ecological Corridors Uniting Communities (Worldwide)
One climate change adaptation and mitigation solution that offers the co-benefit of
reconnecting communities is the creation of socio-ecological (SE) corridors. These corridors
are an extension or creation of natural areas that connect to other patches of the
surrounding environment that serve as wildlife habitat, ecosystem tools, and recreation
space for people (Borrero, et al. 2014). Globally, SE corridor development is a means of
both restoring the ecology of an urbanized area and addressing society?s needs for
expanding the benefits of ecosystem services, such as stormwater runoff mitigation,
carbon sequestration, and mental health benefits. In an urban area, expanding these ?wild?
spaces may also counteract the consequence of transportation projects that had the effect
of dividing neighborhoods or eliminating competing uses from the landscape, such as
highways and rail lines.
Figure 51: Utrecht, NL Wildlife Corridor (left) and Brooklyn Queens, NY Expressway (right). Sources:
Jongman, 2021;  White, 2021.
As demonstrated by the wildlife corridor and active transportation path in Utrecht,
Netherlands (pictured above on the left) and the conceptual park proposed for over the
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in New York City (pictured above on the right), engineering
spaces for trees, turf, and green paths can serve as new community focal points, as well as
tools to facilitate wildlife adaptability through habitat connectivity. In areas where a
transportation right-of-way (ROW) cannot be removed or redeveloped, building over the
ROW may be a feasible option that takes advantage of the full potential (tridimensionality)
of the space. This strategy also keeps the new part of the corridor highly visible to potential
users, while preserving existing transportation uses for local and regional commuters.
Strengths of establishing or extending socio-ecological corridors include providing natural
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space to serve as a carbon sink and not just sequester carbon dioxide, but also absorb
stormwater runoff. Furthermore, the joining or infill of wildlife habitat patches makes life
more resilient for native species that may use these corridors currently or need them to
migrate in the future to adapt to new climate conditions. Corridors also offer social
co-benefits, such as traffic calming, public health, and aesthetic improvements.
Weaknesses of these projects include that they may be expensive to implement or
otherwise not pass a conventional and short-sighted cost-benefit analysis, especially
depending on the scale of the project.
In addition, financing may be difficult to access, as has been the case for the
aforementioned Brooklyn project (White, 2021). A corridor extension may also require
relocation of existing community assets or residences, which may generate public
resistance and lead to equity and justice concerns, as well as higher indirect development
costs.
Fostering Resilience Through A Circular Economy (Peterborough, UK)
Figure 53: Proposed ?Peterborough Circular Economy Indicators? Source: Morley, Looi, and Zhao,
2018.
The phrase ?circular economy? means an economic structure where waste is limited and
materials that would historically find their way to a landfill (e.g., scrap inputs, product
returns, obsolete items, etc.) are re-incorporated into the production cycle (Morley et al.,
2018). In the context of climate change adaptation and mitigation, the phrase takes on a
broader meaning and significance. At the community scale, adopting circular economic
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principles in planning means designing a society where societal wastes get recycled,
reused, repurposed, and repaired, as well as eliminated by removing single-use and finite
resource dependent items from the supply chain. This would apply at different scales as
well. For instance, household garbage gets minimized and what is left is almost entirely
recycled or composted. More generally, finite fossil fuels are exchanged for renewable
energy. Both have the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and putting less stress
on the planet?s natural resources. Around the world, cities have begun to adopt the label
?circular city? and wish to be at the forefront of innovation toward a cleaner and more
resilient future (Circular Cities).
Peterborough, UK did this by spurring community and economic development through
activities that reduce waste, create jobs, lower carbon emissions, and improve residents'
health (Morley et al., 2018). The city tracks its success by applying data to a variety of
indicator categories that measures its circularity and reflects how much the city has done
to reduce its carbon footprint and improve its climate adaptability. Many of these
indicators are already used or recognized by Montgomery County in its Vision for Zero Waste
and Thrive Montgomery 2050 plans, but have not necessarily been comprehensively
approached by any single plan. Labels and campaigns like ?circular cities? help bake holistic,
climate-friendly policies into a community?s identity and may contribute to resident buy-in
of necessary culture changes (e.g., choosing to recycle or repair versus throwing items in
the trash).
During the ongoing area planning process, an objective can be set for Fairland and Briggs
Chaney to be Montgomery County?s first ?Circular Community? and become a model for
other county neighborhoods and communities worldwide. Ways in which Peterborough, UK
and other cities around the globe have undergone this transformation include:
? A business to business (B2B) sharing platform that helps residents with small and
nascent businesses access the resources it needs to develop products and offer
services (Morley, Looi, and Zhao 2018);
? Encourage and develop platforms (like MyFoody (Milan, IT)) that help area food
retailers connect with soon expiring food/surplus with customers looking for
discounts (European Commission 2018);
? Partner with mobility-sharing programs that do not require massive capital
investment or long contracts and offer pilot programs that can scale up with proof
of concept (compare the experiences of electric vehicles (EV) car sharing programs
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(BlueIndy in Indianapolis, IN with BlueLA in Los Angeles, CA) (Sheridan, 2021; see
also Ferguson and Holland, 2019).
Addressing Climate Change?s Impact on Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s Food Security:
Learning from urban farming in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Figure 54: Census tracts are shaded in red to represent areas with higher food insecurity rates
(darker reds) versus lower (lighter shades). The Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan-area
(map center) is outlined in black. GIS Layer Source: Capital Area Food Bank GIS captiData,
2020-2021.
According to the Capital Area Food Bank, the food insecure rate in the census areas that
make up the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area range from 6.3-14.6% (Capital Area Food
Bank, 2021). This will only increase with the current pandemic and climate change
impacting global food prices and supply chains. A related solution is a hyper-localized
urban farming model existing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Teh & Ives, 2020). A start-up
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opened a vertical farming company in a shipping container at the beginning of the
pandemic and has found a supportive customer base with local residents (Teh & Ives,
2020).
This model can be highly responsive to a community's food needs and wants. The facilities
are climate controlled and allow a year-round growing environment. Furthermore, its
mobile nature allows for flexible siting and a small footprint. Finally, it could benefit from
efficient drip irrigation incorporating rain harvesting. However, it may only grow a limited
amount of food types and amounts. There may also be zoning challenges or neighborhood
pushback. Finally, these mobile vertical farms are also more capital intensive to develop
than a traditional community garden. Nevertheless, they may fill a market need for
accessible, healthy, and high quality produce, while producing grounds for local job training
and job opportunities.
Investing in Grid Decarbonization and Partnering for Energy Storage  (Worldwide)
The graph below, originally from Montgomery County's Climate Action Plan, demonstrates
what greenhouse gas emissions sources in the county need to be addressed most to
reduce county emissions by 100% of 2005 levels.
Figure 55: Montgomery County Climate Action Plan Emissions Reductions Projections. Source:
CAP, 2021.
The 2018 baseline is depicted to demonstrate where emissions are as of the planning of
the CAP and reflect how much has changed since 2005 (CAP, 2021). Interestingly, grid
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decarbonization and moving away from internal combustion engine vehicles are expected
to have the largest impact toward being net-zero. With renewable energy generation and
electric vehicles becoming more prominent in the coming decades, there is an opportunity
to leverage that growth in support of Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s climate change
mitigation and justice efforts. For example, Los Angeles, CA, focused deployment of its EV
car sharing program, BlueLA, in underserved neighborhoods, recognizing that these
communities have historically suffered higher levels of emissions pollution (Ferguson &
Holland, 2019).
As auto manufacturers shift production lines to exclusively produce EVs within the next two
decades, Montgomery County can take advantage of the expanding inventory of electric
vehicle batteries. These batteries can have a first- or second-life as a means of non-vehicle
energy storage and electrical grid management, as the map below shows has occurred
around the world in a variety of ways.
Figure 56: Global EV Battery Reuse Sites. Source: Lovell, 2019.
If connected to solar panels or other renewable generation, these batteries can collect
power throughout the day and redistribute it into the grid during peak demand periods
(Maloney, 2018). The energy storage system can also be used for site-specific purposes like
EV charging or powering mobile vertical farms, most importantly, at any time of day. After
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capital investment is accounted for, maintenance costs may be low enough to provide the
community with a low cost energy source. The potential for small-scale implementation
creates opportunities for mini-grid load management, such as in shopping centers,
homeowner associations, East County government properties, etc. Auto dealerships and
maintenance businesses are also natural partners to help launch this initiative. For
example, instead of auto companies keeping unused batteries on shelves in a stock room,
the county could collaborate with them and have the batteries deployed as active units for
the business? own energy needs or in a community generation/storage system. Some
weaknesses to this approach include that batteries do lose storage ability over time. These
facilities may also take up too much space, even for small scale uses. The county also needs
to plan for battery retirement and disposal. Nevertheless, facilities around the world have
shown that both the private and public sector are excited to innovate in this real
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Conclusion
After experiencing rapid suburbanization in the middle to later part of the twentieth
century, investment in Fairland and Briggs Chaney declined, leaving the community waiting
for more opportunity. As a result of this underinvestment, in addition to policy challenges,
the culturally rich and diverse community living within the plan-area has dealt with
burdensome housing costs, food insecurity, a lack of transportation options, and increasing
vulnerability to climate change's impacts. Steps have been taken over the years to address
these issues, but they still exist today and will continue to burden residents until definitive
action is taken to make it a sustainable and just community.
The precedents described earlier all present potential solutions to make Fairland and
Briggs Chaney a complete community, holistically designed to ensure its residents live their
best lives. Through policy changes, spatial interventions, and tactical strategies, the
housing, community and economic development, and climate change challenges facing the
plan-area can be overcome. In the following section on scenario planning, three potential
scenarios for the community are explored. Within these scenarios, uplifting precedents like
those discussed earlier and others are applied in unison, presenting a whole vision of what
a static, reformed, or transformed Fairland and Briggs Chaney will look like. Although big
changes are coming to the surrounding study area, a direct and purposeful commitment to
and investment in Fairland and Briggs Chaney's residents must happen to help them thrive.
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PART II: SCENARIO PLANNING
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As planners, we start from the recognition that the future is uncertain even though
communities want very much to secure a particular future. All planning starts from that,
but the exploratory scenarios we present here differ in that they identify several potential
alternative futures. This is essentially a learning process in which we collaboratively identify
multiple visions of the future and then use those as guides to make decisions. For each of
these alternative futures (or scenarios) we first formulated a vision and objectives that state
overarching themes for what we want to accomplish in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. We
then came up with multiple strategies, which are guided by our study of precedents, to
help achieve these identified objectives. Finally, we created personal vignettes for each
scenario to provide a glimpse into what life for a resident in Fairland and Briggs Chaney
may look like if the vision presented is fully accomplished. These vignettes add a human
element to our scenario planning and show how our proposed strategies will affect
people's lives.
Our three scenarios are status quo, reform, and revolution. Our status quo scenario
assumes that business as usual will continue and no great intervention will take place and
asks, based on that, what the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan area in 2031 would look like
(a 10-year horizon span). This scenario uses data from our analysis of current conditions
(Part I) and forecasts using projection methods to envision that future. This scenario will
show that the current trends taking place in Fairland and Briggs Chaney are unacceptable
and will not lead to a desired future. Our reform scenario asks, if every goal forwarded by
the Thrive 2050 Plan were accomplished, what would 2031 look like? We identify objectives
for the plan-area based on the goals laid out in Thrive 2050 and other planning best
practices, then present actionable strategies that would be necessary to realize those
objectives. This scenario will show that while great strides would have been made to
realizing the stated goals, more still would need to be done to accomplish sustainability
and equity in the plan area. Our revolution scenario instead asks, if we imagine a truly just
and sustainable future for the plan area, what sort of objectives and strategies would be
necessary in order to realize this? The objectives and strategies of the revolutionary
scenario aim to realize a future that is truly just and sustainable, achieving and exceeding
and sustainable the goals of Thrive Montgomery 2050
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STATUS
QUO
Vignette
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JOSH
2031 Fairland and Briggs Chaney resident,
Josh, is a single father who teaches at
Bethesda Elementary School. It takes him
about half an hour to drive there on US 29.
On his commute, Josh cranks his AC to
deal with the stifling heat. In the last
couple of summers, Josh has kept his AC
on full blast in his apartment, too, and
now prefers to drive to the local farmers
market rather than bike with his daughter.
Josh moved to Fairland and Briggs Chaney
because he could find a 2- bedroom
apartment for less than $2,000, but he still
spends over 30% of his gross income on
rent. Because of how much he pays for
rent, a car loan, gas, utilities, groceries,
and childcare, he has little to no money
left over for savings or leisure, preventing
him from saving to buy a house. Josh lives
paycheck to paycheck, so he worries about
what would happen if he lost his job.
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The status quo scenario is based upon existing conditions forecasted 10 years into the
future, to 2031. This scenario, along with the other two, follows three themes: climate
change, community and economic development, and housing. For the status quo scenario,
within each of these three themes, existing conditions are provided based on the most
recent available data, and then trends for 2031 are presented based upon those existing
conditions, as if nothing has changed in terms of current interventions or the lack thereof.
The trends provided throughout this scenario have a strong level of unpredictability due to
various unforeseen factors that may occur. For example, refugee or immigration influxes,
local climate change-induced events, national economic crises, and as seen this past two
years, pandemics.
_____________
Vision for 2031
The cost of living and housing has increased substantially while local employment growth has
remained low, and little has been done governmentally to aid vulnerable residents. Without
meaningful alternative transportation options, residents remain dependent on personal
automobiles and inaction has exacerbated the effects of climate change resulting in greater
pollution and extreme heat. Despite these conditions, many people continue to live or choose to
move to Fairland and Briggs Chaney because of the town?s location and affordability.
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Climate
Change
107
The Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area outlying areas. Structures such as
is socially vulnerable, making the area buildings, roads, and other infrastructure
more susceptible to climate disasters and absorb and re-emit the sun?s heat more
their effects. This section highlights how than natural landscapes such as forests
climate change is currently and projected and water bodies? (EPA). Within
to impact this area. The Plan-area is now Montgomery County, heat waves are the
facing sustained pollution with increasing most dangerous natural hazards. Fairland
private car ownership per household, and Briggs Chaney is one of the most
urban heat island effect, and food vulnerable areas within the County and its
insecurity. If these trends persist, the residents experience the effects of
effects of climate change will be extreme heat disproportionately. The
exacerbated. County currently experiences 4 days
above 95 F0 degrees due to a sparse tree
Existing Conditions canopy and significant impervious
Transportation surfaces. In our personal observations of
Transportation has a significant impact on the plan-area, we have seen distressed
greenhouse gas emissions. The Fairland trees caused by the extreme heat
and Briggs Chaney plan-area residents shrinking the already sparse tree canopy.
are majority private car riders, with about
60 percent of people driving to work over Food Insecurity
other modes of transportation. There was Food insecurity is defined by the U.S.
an increase in private ridership of about 5 Department of Agriculture as ?a lack of
percent from 2010 to 2019. There was consistent access to enough food for an
also an increase of 2-vehicle homes from active healthy life.? The Capital Area Food
2010 to 2019 of about 10 percent. The Bank breaks down food insecurity into
area had seen an increase in WMATA, census tracts and the plan-area includes
Ride On and Flash BRT ridership in recent four: Census Tract 7014.17 has a food
years, but ridership today is still lower insecurity rate of 13.7 with about 93.9
than pre-pandemic levels (WMATA & percent of its population food insecure;
MCDOT). Census Tract 7014.23 has a food
insecurity rate of 11.5 percent and 78.7
Urban Heat Island Effect percent of the population is food
?Heat islands are urbanized areas that insecure; Census Tract 7014.22 has a food
experience higher temperatures than insecurity rate of 14.6 percent and 58.9
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percent of the population is food Food Insecurity
insecure; and Census Tract 7014.14 has a Food insecurity is projected to increase
food insecurity rate of 10.3 percent and based on the current trends. There may
90.9 percent of the population is food be a slight increase of food security as we
insecure. come out of the pandemic but overall
food insecurity will continue to grow due
Trends for 2031 to the impact of climate change on global
Transportation food supply networks. This could be
Looking at the trends for transportation, attributed to both direct environmental
by 2031 there will be an increase in public impacts and economic crises that those
transportation ridership but still not environmental impacts indirectly cause.
projected to be higher than pre-pandemic
levels (WMATA). Trends show that Conclusion
COVID-19 still poses a threat to public Overall, if nothing different is done, by
ridership. Private vehicle ridership is also 2031 the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
expected to continue to increase along plan-area will be in a dire state. The
with 2-vehicle households. There is also a current climate change effects will be
small increase of adoption of electric and exacerbated creating a public health
hybrid vehicles but older, fossil-fueled crisis. The need for climate change
vehicles will be heavily relied upon due to adaptation is necessary to ensure the
the persistent price differential between safety of all residents within the
gas and electric vehicles. boundary. This adaptation will also
increase the chances that all residents are
Urban Heat Island Effect able to provide healthy meals for their
Extreme heat is projected to increase family.
from 4 days per year in 2021 to 12 days
per year on average being above 95
degrees by 2035 (CAP, 2021). This
extreme heat will affect shrinking tree
canopies, heat-related illnesses and
deaths, increased air pollution and
emissions, increased energy use and
demand, and increased stormwater
temperatures damaging aquatic
ecosystems (EPA).
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Community &
Economic
Development
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In this scenario, today?s community and Briggs Chaney residents are unemployed
economic conditions are forecasted ten compared to 4.5% for Montgomery
years into the future with no changes to County residents. Although the Fairland
policies, zoning, or funding. Under this and Briggs Chaney population has
format, economic development will be significantly lower per capita income and
limited to existing, limited opportunities, high unemployment than the county,
there will be restricted access and residents struggle with income levels and
mobility options due to single-use and inequality. The Fairland and Briggs
single-family residential zoning, and the Chaney plan-area challenged standard of
spatial fragmentation of the plan-area will living affects the current area?s economy.
preclude the creation of a sense of
community for current residents. For employment, the plan-area has fewer
jobs than the county?s, reasonable to the
Existing Conditions smaller area size. The Fairland and Briggs
As discussed in the demographics Chaney plan-area consists of 8,544 jobs
analysis portion of this report, of these compared to 560,950 jobs for
residents, 22% are young adults who Montgomery County, suggesting fewer
need job training and face limited job opportunities of 1.52% jobs in the
access/mobility to opportunities due to plan-area being within Montgomery
private automobile dependence and County. There is a need for building large
spatial fragmentation, precluding a sense employment centers to train the
of community. Regarding economic workforce where residents can live and
development in the plan-area, the per work in the same plan-area, thus the
capita income is $32,601, the limited income options and economic
unemployment rate is 7.9%, and the activity in Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
current number of jobs is 8,544.
For community development, the
Per capita income in the plan-area is plan-area is single-use zoned,
significantly lower than in Montgomery vehicle-dominated, and spatially
County. Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s per fragmented in four quadrants by US 29
capita income is $32,601 compared to and MD 200. Access to amenities such as
$54,510 in Montgomery County overall. jobs, shopping, and recreation is limited
However, the unemployment rate for the to those with private automobiles due to
plan-area is much higher than in the the spatial fragmentation caused by the
county: about 7.9% of the Fairland and major highways. Single-use zoning has
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resulted in the separation of land uses standard of living. However, the high per
where uses are permitted or prohibited capita income is not enough to survive.
(Watsky, 2018). As previously mentioned This data does not reflect the COVID-19
in the climate change analysis portion of pandemic we are experiencing, meaning
this report, the Fairland and Briggs residents could encounter different
Chaney plan-area is currently factors that significantly affect their
auto-dependent with 84.4% of the standard of living.
residents using their vehicles compared
to 74.9% for Montgomery County. This Employment
indicates that the plan-area is highly The Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area
auto-dependent, forcing many residents will produce an additional 11,693 jobs
to drive to get basic services. Based on from 2019 to 2031. The Fairland and
community listening sessions, many Briggs Chaney plan-area will consist of
residents expressed a lack of a sense of 20,237 jobs compared to 8,544 jobs in
community. Economic and social 2019. Despite suggesting more job
opportunities remain relatively limited. opportunities, only specific industries in
These conditions are expected to the plan-area will rise. By 2031, the
continue over the next decade if no fast-growing job industries will be in
reform is accomplished. healthcare, professional, and
management/business/financial services.
Trends for 2031 The healthcare industry will create 9,489
Per Capita Income jobs, with 3,231 jobs in the professional,
In 2031, the plan-area would improve and the management/business/financial
local economies to a more regional labor industry with 2,125 jobs. The remaining
market benefiting Montgomery County as population who work in the other job
a whole. We used the growth rates from industries may face challenges getting
2011 to 2019 American Community hired due to not having the training to
Survey (ACS) data to calculate the 5-year transition to other jobs. However, we see
estimated trends for 2031. The Fairland that the unemployment rate for the
and Briggs Chaney plan-area is expected plan-area is decreasing by 26% from 2019
to increase by 25.3% from 2019 to 2031, to 2031, suggesting that the plan-area
meaning that the plan-area?s per capita unemployment rate will lower to 6%
income will be higher at $40,847 compared to 7.9% in 2019. Despite the
compared to $32,601 in 2019.A higher per lower unemployment rates for the
capita income can enhance a higher plan-area and county, the Fairland and
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Briggs Chaney area?s rate remains higher and attractive placemaking giving
than Montgomery County?s. By 2031, 6% residents a strong sense of place they can
of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney call home, but those changes require
residents will be unemployed compared significant investment. Without zoning
to 3% for Montgomery County residents. reform and significant government
Residents may need additional education support, community and economic
and training opportunities to increase the development in Fairland and Briggs
area?s labor market. Chaney will become increasingly limited
and would preclude a sense of
Community community.
The plan-area will continue to be
vehicle-dominated and spatially Conclusion
fragmented by US 29 and MD 200. Overall, in this scenario, if the lack of
Accessibility to work and leisure support for residents in Fairland and
opportunities will be limited. Residents Briggs Chaney continues over the next
driving in the plan-area will increase by decade, despite higher per capita
9.7% from 2019 to 2031, suggesting that incomes and job opportunities, we can
the plan-area?s driving rate will be higher expect to see limited economic activity in
at 92.6% compared to 84.4% in 2019. The specific job industries and scarce job
percentage of driving residents in the training opportunities. In addition,
Fairland and Briggs Chaney area remain Fairland and Briggs Chaney residents will
higher than Montgomery County?s. By continue to lack a sense of community
2031, 92.6% of the Fairland and Briggs due to single-use zoning and spatial
Chaney residents will be driving fragmentation by highways US 29 and MD
compared to 73.0% for Montgomery 200. Without local zoning reform and
County residents. increased government support through
programs and funding, economic activity
The plan-area?s current spatial and access/mobility in Fairland and Briggs
fragmentation by US 29 and MD 200 has Chaney will continue to be limited. Many
resulted in the separation of uses, residents will struggle economically, and
car-dominant communities, and limited as the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
sense of community. Fairland and Briggs plan-area continues to be an
Chaney would benefit from mixed land auto-dependent location, it may result in
uses, walkable neighborhoods, a variety limited access to opportunities, spatial
of transportation choices, and distinctive fragmentation, and even displacement.
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Reform is urgently needed to address
these current issues.
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Housing
As seen in Part I of this report, housing the county?s by about $30,000 and
within the Fairland and Briggs Chaney $200,000 respectively, suggesting that
plan-area has not necessarily been Fairland and Briggs Chaney pose as one
affordable to existing residents despite of the county?s relatively affordable
the area remaining one of the lower-cost neighborhoods (ACS, 2019). However, as
regions within Montgomery County. In noted before, the existing lower cost
this scenario, the current housing housing in Fairland and Briggs Chaney is
conditions are forecasted ten years into not necessarily affordable to the town?s
the future with no changes to policies, existing residents who earn lower
zoning, or funding. Under these incomes. Specifically, of the households in
conditions, housing will become the plan-area, approximately 2,000
increasingly more expensive, there will renters (53% of all households) and 300
not be enough housing available to homeowners (16% of all households)
accommodate the projected population spend over 30% of their monthly income
growth, and the new housing that is on their monthly housing costs (CHAS,
added will not be affordable to current 2014-2018).
residents.
As of right now, despite Fairland and
Existing Conditions Briggs Chaney being perceived as an
As discussed in the housing analysis in affordable area, current residents
the previous portion of this report, the experience a similar severity of lacking
Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area is housing affordability to that in the county.
home to over 15,000 residents residing Most concerning in this case, is that of the
within approximately 6,000 households. approximately 2,000 renters that are
Of these households, 68% are renters, cost-burdened by housing costs, well over
and the housing stock primarily consists ? earn under 50% of the HAMF.
of low density apartments and Comparably, of the roughly 300
townhomes. homeowners that are experiencing cost
burden, the overwhelming majority earn
Of households in the plan-area, the over 80% of the HAMFI (CHAS, 2018). This
median household income is $75,947, the to say that not only is affordability a
median home value is $281,821, and the primary issue in Fairland and Briggs
median gross rent is $1,691. Both Chaney for most residents, but renters
household incomes and home values in especially are severely underserved in
the plan-area are significantly lower than terms of affordable and attainable
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housing choices in Fairland and Briggs added to retain a healthy vacancy rate of
Chaney. These conditions are expected to 5-8% (Florida, 2018). It is highly unlikely
become increasingly more severe over that this number of housing units could
the next decade if no reform is be added to Fairland and Briggs Chaney
undertaken. in the next ten years under current
conditions. From 2010 to 2019, only a
Trends for 2031 total of 152 housing units were added to
Housing Units support the growth of ~260 households,
By 2031, the plan-area is expected to gain and in those same years levels of cost
roughly 1,000 residents and 500 burden remained virtually unchanged;
households. This is reflective of a slowing thus inferring that the housing added was
growth rate that is comparable to market rate and not accommodating low
Montgomery County?s. This was and middle income households.
calculated using a simple ratio method
whereby the growth rates for Fairland Moreover, the plan-area?s current zoning
and Briggs Chaney and the County are has resulted in quickly declining
assumed to be the same. Looking at developable residential space. Currently,
American Community Survey (ACS) data the majority of residential zoning is R90
from 2010 to 2019, the plan-area gained and R200, both of which are low density
roughly 1,450 people within 260 residential zones that do not allow for
households during those years. As you high density development. Second, the
can see, in the next 10 years we expect plan-area only has two small areas zoned
there to be a smaller growth of residents, for mixed-use development, signified by
though residing in a larger number of the magenta on the map. Because so
households. The larger number of much of the land in the plan-area has
households may be due to decreasing already been developed, the remaining
household sizes and due to the ratio undeveloped space is currently within
method not accounting for disparities of either R90, R200, or mixed-use zones.
housing units available and housing units However, of that undeveloped space, R90
that could be made available over the and R200 zones do not allow for the high
next decade. density residential development that
would be necessary to provide enough
In order to accommodate 500 new housing for 500 new households.
households, there would need to be Similarly, of the two mixed-use zones that
400-600 housing units constructed or would technically be good existing
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candidates for high density residential increased 8.6% over the same period of
development, the zones are already time. Similarly, the County?s median home
developed with long standing commercial value only increased 6.6% during the
properties and it would likely be difficult same years. If these growth rates
to redevelop without significant public continue, it is likely that rents and home
and/or private investment. Lastly, of the values will continue rising at a faster rate
small amount of new housing that is than the county, putting the current low
ultimately constructed, it will most likely and middle income residents of the
not be affordable or attainable to low and plan-area at risk for worsening cost
middle income households due to the burden and even displacement.
existing demand for the area, and due to
the high costs of producing affordable Relatedly, incomes in the plan-area have
housing developments. Without zoning also been steadily rising. From 2015-2019
reform and significant government they rose by 24.2%, which is staggeringly
support, housing in Fairland and Briggs higher than the County?s rate which sits at
Chaney will become increasingly limited 9.4%. We can hope to see these incomes
and unattainable for the low and middle continue to rise in the plan-area,
income households that currently reside however, the current median household
there or the new households. income of approximately $75,000 is still
just barely enough to afford the median
Affordability gross rent with no cost burden. As seen in
Not only will housing units themselves the previous section of this report, it is
become more limited in amount, but known current residents still experience
many residents of Fairland and Briggs the severity of cost burden that the
Chaney will face continued financial county as a whole does, thus inferring
hardship related to housing costs. that Fairland and Briggs Chaney is not
Between 2015 and 2019, rental prices and necessarily affordable to current
home values have both risen significantly. residents.
Rental costs in the plan-area increased
11.9% while home values increased 8.4%. Based on these predictions, we can
Both of these cost increases exceed that expect to see that cost burden rates
of Montgomery County?s. The rental remain the same if not become more
increases in Fairland and Briggs Chaney severe. This is especially important to
are of most concern, as Montgomery recognize for renter households, who are
County?s median gross rent only more vulnerable to rising rental costs and
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are more likely to be cost burdened by increasing household sizes, overcrowding,
their housing costs. It?s vital to note that and even displacement from the area.
these predictions are based on Reform is urgently needed to address
pre-pandemic years, thus meaning that these worsening issues.
these numbers do not account for the
unpredictability and tightening of the Community Concerns
housing market that was a result of As the status quo scenario highlights data
Covid-19. These global and national driven aspects of current conditions in
events may become more frequent as the community, we wanted to be sure to
2031 approaches, and it calls for an include community member?s thoughts
urgent response from governmental about Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
agencies. Through attendance of Montgomery
Planning Listening Sessions and
Conclusion Montgomery Planning Community Events,
Overall, in this scenario, housing will have we took note of the primary topics that
become more costly, there will not be community members were concerned
enough housing to accommodate the about in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. The
projected population growth, the new list below are community concerns that
housing that is built will not we aim to address along with the existing
accommodate low and middle income conditions above in both the reform and
households, and housing overall will have revolution scenarios.
become much more limited despite the ? Local job availability
demand. Without local residential zoning ? Disinvestment when compared
reform and increased governmental with the rest of the County
support through programs and funding, ? Better access to local parks and
housing options and affordable housing programming opportunities
in Fairland and Briggs Chaney will ? Old, low-quality housing that is still
continue to be increasingly limited. If the high cost
lack of support for residents in Fairland ? Limited access to Montgomery
and Briggs Chaney continues over the College campuses
next decade, the many low and middle ? Insufficient transit
income households will be left to struggle ? No sense of ?culture?
with their housing costs, and as Fairland ? Interchanges for pedestrians
and Briggs Chaney continues to be an ? Lack of a community gathering
in-demand location, it may result in place
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Moving Further Away from an Equitable and Sustainable Future
Overall, the status quo scenario acts as a reminder of the urgency that attention to these
subject areas require. Without reform, temperatures will continue to rise and the long term
climate viability of the area will continue to decline. Economic and social opportunities will
remain limited, and the fragmented landscape due to Route 29 and Route 200 will continue
to inhibit a sense of place. Housing will become increasingly unaffordable, and potentially
displace existing residents, especially renters, and a lack of accommodations for low and
middle income households will persist. The following reform and revolutionary scenarios
seek to address these urgent issues by providing viable strategies to solve them.
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REFORM
Vignette
VANESSA
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Given the impact of a status quo future for Fairland and Briggs Chaney, it is clear there is a
need for intervention. The reform scenario rights many of the wrongs resulting from the
status quo, and does so through the adoption of planning best practices. In reform, there is
a push for changes in regulations, traditions, and typologies by using the best planning
ideas, practices, and tools available today. The reform scenario would make a sizable
impact. Yet, despite these state-of-the-art adoptions, as we will see,  do not alleviate all
challenges in the future and will fall short of achieving a fully sustainable and just Fairland
and Briggs Chaney. To frame the reform scenario, this report will first provide an overall
vision of Fairland and Briggs Chaney in the year 2031 under the reform framework
proposed by Thrive Montgomery 2015. Next, it will dive into objectives and strategies for
each of the three overarching themes: climate change adaptation and mitigation, economic
and community development, and housing.
Thrive Montgomery 2050
The reform scenario is informed by Thrive Montgomery 2050, the draft update to
Montgomery County?s General Plan. Thrive Montgomery 2050 acts as a comprehensive
amendment to the 1969 General Plan, On Wedges and Corridors, and other master,
functional, and general plans since. The county?s General Plan was last updated in 1993
(Montgomery County, 2021).
Because Thrive Montgomery is a General Plan, it does not provide implementation steps and
instead sets a vision for the county through broad policy recommendations. The plan
includes three desired outcomes: (1) economic health, (2) equitable communities, and (3)
environmental resilience. On a smaller scale, the plan focuses on the topic areas of
complete communities, transportation, housing, parks and recreation, compact growth,
and design, arts, and culture (Montgomery County, 2021). In this report, the reform
scenario objectives and strategies will interweave Thrive Montgomery goals to ground
them in the actual scenario.
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Vision for 2031
Under the reform scenario, in 2031 the Fairland and Briggs Chaney community
has taken meaningful steps to reduce its carbon emissions and residents have
better access to affordable housing options, healthy foods, employment, and
transportation options. However, many households remain housing
cost-burdened, the community struggles to meet its net zero emissions target, the
population experiences uneven access to job, education, health, and recreation
opportunities, and residents face risks of displacement.
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Climate
Change
125
In 2031, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney in-depth information about climate
area made large strides toward climate change effects in the county and outlines
justice and goals outlined in the specific strategies that are necessary to
Montgomery County Climate Action Plan. achieve its goal (Montgomery County,
The Climate Action Plan is Montgomery 2021).
County's strategic plan to cut greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2027 and CAP is directly related to Thrive
100% by 2035.?Specifically, the plan-area Montgomery 2050. As mentioned, Thrive
is building a stronger focus on multimodal Montgomery offers broad, county-wide
travel options, including walking, biking, policy recommendations and points to
and transit infrastructure. A targeted the Climate Action Plan for a more
extension of the Flash BRT system to comprehensive analysis of action steps.
points north and an expansion of the The following climate change objectives
Capital Bikeshare network to key and strategies incorporate many of the
destinations allows for greater mobility. actions in the Climate Action Plan to
Complete street designs create safer ground our work in the existing plan.
roads for all multimodal users.?The region
also supports the natural environment ?Objective 1: Build a Stronger Focus on
and park network with community-based Walking, Biking, and Transit
solutions, working to enhance Infrastructure?
environmental stewardship with a ?The first objective is to build a stronger
Community Justice Academy made up of focus on walking, biking, and transit
local residents.?Finally, there is an infrastructure. Given the existing mobility
emphasis on the reduction of emissions and accessibility challenges of the area,
from vehicles, homes, and businesses multimodal transportation is not a
through plentiful EV charging stations, competitive transportation option when
green building standards, and an compared to the private vehicle. To
expanded tree canopy. achieve climate objectives outlined in
Montgomery County?s Climate Action
Montgomery County Climate Action Plan, shifting transportation modes away
Plan from private vehicles is a necessary step
Climate change objectives in the reformist to lower emissions.
scenario are based on actions outlined in
the Montgomery County Climate Action Expanding public transit involves
Plan, or CAP. The plan provides more increasing the frequency, span of service,
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and coverage of existing bus routes County, and those connections are to
operated by WMATA and Montgomery other local, low-frequency routes. This
County to make them more accessible, severely limits the amount of
effective, and attractive to residents and cross-county mobility, even though the
workers in the area.?As discussed in the study area is along the county border.
mobility analysis in Part I, WMATA bus
service operates in the north-south Another larger planning intervention
direction via the Z6, Z7, and Z8 routes. includes the extension of the Flash BRT
Similarly, the Flash BRT emphasizes the service to Columbia, MD. As previously
north-south directional. Montgomery mentioned in the report, many workers in
County?s Ride On Service provides more the Fairland and Briggs Chaney plan-area
east-west connections, but two of the commute from points north, including
three routes only operate during weekday Columbia and Laurel.?Extending the BRT
rush hour. service would ultimately connect
Columbia to Silver Spring, providing a
Increasing the frequency of local bus strong north-south transportation route
service to at least every 15 minutes connecting jobs and homes along the US
(matching the Flash BRT service interval) 29 corridor. As part of this expansion, it
would be a major step in increasing would be wise to incorporate bus-only
accessibility, as residents would have the lanes or allow bus travel in the
ability to arrive at their bus stop at any breakdown lane to avoid traffic
time without consulting a schedule of congestion.
arrival times.?Expanding the span of
service to operate on every day of the To complement expanded public transit,
week would similarly reach more it is important to similarly expand active
residents and workers who currently are transportation and micro-mobility
not served by restricted service spans. networks in an effort to reduce private
Finally, offering connection points to the vehicle trips.?We would do so by adding
east and west would increase the ability three Capital Bikeshare stations at key
for residents to arrive at points east in locations in the plan-area, as shown in
Prince George?s County, including adding Figure 57. We have selected Paint Branch
a connection point to Prince George?s The High School to support a demographic
Bus service.?Currently, in the Fairland and that may not have driver?s licenses and to
Briggs Chaney plan-area, only the Z6 and encourage active transportation among
Z7 connect to routes in Prince George?s the younger generation. The intersection
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of Fairland Road and Columbia Pike is By adding bikeshare stations farther
near the center of the plan-area and is south in the plan-area, residents would
next to the entrance of the north-south be able to travel throughout the entire
shared use path, making a bikeshare area via bike. For example, residents
station easily accessible. Finally, the Tech living near the Tech Road BRT station
Road BRT station is a location with office could use bikeshare to visit friends living
buildings, rapid transit, and is also near near the Briggs Chaney Park and Ride
the north-south shared use path, making station.
it another suitable location for bikeshare.
Figure 57: New Capital Bikeshare locations in
the reform scenario. Map prepared by
authors.
Beyond expanding Capital Bikeshare service, roadways will need to be improved using
complete streets guidelines. In general, complete street designs include curb cuts, visibly
painted crosswalks, painted (and often protected) bike lanes, and related signage. These
actions improve safety for all roadway users. With an increased perception of and
provisions for safety, more residents and workers would feel comfortable traveling by bike
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or on foot.
Finally, connecting the north-south shared-use path around the outside of the Arden
Courts Assisted Living facility is a priority. As shown in Figure 58 and described in the
existing conditions analysis, the missing link in the north-south shared-use path is a major
challenge to increasing multimodal travel. By making use of the green space surrounding
Arden Courts and the adjacent Verizon campus, a sidewalk or path could be constructed to
fully link the network. A completed north-south shared-use path fully connects the east
side of the plan-area, allows for convenient bike access, and would support the reduction
of greenhouse gas emissions.
Figure 58: North-south shared-use path with missing connection. Map prepared by authors.
Objective 2: Support a Resilient, Community-based Natural Environment and Park
Network?
The second climate change objective in the reform scenario is to support a resilient,
community-based natural environment and park network. A key strategy is to incorporate
green infrastructure in the existing network of parks, including the Fairland Recreational
Park and Edgewood Neighborhood Park. Examples of green infrastructure interventions
include the creation of rain gardens, increased tree canopies, and removing impervious
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surfaces. Successful green infrastructure initiatives have taken place at Eastie Farm in
Boston, where the local green space absorbs heat, provides a cooler area during hot
summer days, absorbs rainwater, and helps to build resilience against storm flooding (The
One Waterfront Team, 2019).
Food systems? sustainability is another major component of community resiliency. In the
reform scenario, Fairland and Briggs Chaney has expanded its community gardens from
the existing Briggs Chaney Community Garden, located just west of the plan-area along
Briggs Chaney Road. Existing local parks such as Fairland Recreational Park and Edgewood
Neighborhood Park are natural locations to expand this program. In addition, expanding
the program to local HOAs and apartment building operators could bring food
sustainability to the hyper-local level: at people?s homes.
All of these strategies must be grounded at the local level. To ensure resiliency and natural
environment protection is based in the community, we would develop a Community Justice
Academy to empower local residents to innovate and implement neighborhood-specific
solutions.?Examples of community-driven solutions can be found in Austin, TX and New
York City, NY to name a few (Mitchell, 2018; NYC Mayor?s Office of Criminal Justice, 2020).
Referring back to Part I sections regarding community assets and community engagement
strategies, a community engagement academy will ensure that residents are empowered
to identify and implement solutions where they live.?
Objective 3: Reduce Emissions from Vehicles, Homes, and Businesses?
Finally, a major component of Montgomery County?s Climate Action plan includes efforts to
reduce emissions from vehicles, homes, and businesses.?To do so, we must amend the
building code to require new buildings to be net zero, all electric-fueled, and use low
carbon materials. This will support the overall goal of making buildings more efficient,
especially if there is new development taking place as a result of zoning changes allowing
for more compact and transit-oriented development.
Relatedly, the local and county governments can take the lead in installing electric vehicle
(EV) charging stations in rights of ways. For private property, incentives are needed to
encourage residents, HOAs, and businesses to install charging stations as well. A wider
availability of EV charging options will encourage residents and others in the area to shift
their private
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vehicles to electric power and reduce transportation emissions. There are currently three
EV charging stations in the plan-area: two located at Auto Sales Park and one located along
Tech Road. Additional parking lots including the Briggs Chaney Marketplace, the Verizon
campus, and Briggs Chaney Park and Ride/East County Community Center could support
additional charging stations throughout the plan-area.
Finally, retaining and expanding the tree canopy is essential for carbon sequestration and
reduction of the heat island effect. Tree Montgomery is an existing program that plants
trees on private property and could be expanded to re-tree large, public areas that are
severely lacking a canopy (Tree Montgomery). In line with the Climate Action Plan, tree
canopy renewal should be implemented with equity in mind to ensure underserved
populations do not bear the brunt of inadequate tree canopies. In fact, the census block
group near the ICC/US 29 cloverleaf interchange is the lowest-rated census block group
when measuring the tree canopy. All this shows the severity of this issue in the Fairland
and Briggs Chaney community.
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Community &
Economic
Development
The status quo scenario for community Growth
and economic development portrayed The strategies identified to achieve the
some worrying trends for the future of objective of promoting economic growth
Fairland and Briggs Chaney. Stagnating are derived from Thrive Montgomery
economic growth, inequities, and spatial 2050?s section on economic health. The
fragmentation will likely continue to plan states that Montgomery County as a
plague Fairland and Briggs Chaney in whole must ?simultaneously bolster its
2031 if corrective action is not taken. dominance in existing sectors, diversify its
Luckily, Thrive Montgomery 2050 puts a job base, improve connections to centers
strong emphasis on economic health and of employment and innovation
community equity. This section will lay out throughout the region, and provide the
objectives and strategies guided by Thrive kinds of infrastructure, services, and
Montgomery 2050, to achieve the desired amenities that will strengthen its ability to
future for the economy and community of compete effectively in the future? (Thrive
Fairland and Briggs Chaney. Montgomery 2050, 2021). The strategies
we propose in this section will help
The three objectives that were identified achieve these necessary improvements to
for community and economic Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s economy
development in Thrive Montgomery 2050 while simultaneously improving the lives
were to promote economic growth, of the area?s residents.
incentivize more mixed-use development,
and create places that encourage social The first strategy we have identified to
interaction and reinforce a sense of place. promote economic growth is to support
These three objectives combined can help the creation of local jobs in the green
Fairland and Briggs Chaney realize the industry. The addition of well-paying jobs
goals set forth for Montgomery County in in the green industry will help diversify
Thrive Montgomery 2050 by creating a the area?s economy that is currently
competitive economy and an inviting dominated by the health care and
business and community atmosphere. professional sectors. This diversification
The following sections will lay out of the economy will help position Fairland
strategies identified to achieve these and Briggs Chaney for future success and
goals and propose place-based protect it against economic downturns in
interventions. other sectors. The focus on job creation in
Objective 1 : Promote Economic the green sector would also help achieve
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Thrive Montgomery 2050?s other goal of shareholders enabling them to build
environmental resilience. One example of wealth. A similar model could be
jobs in this sector would be work related implemented in Fairland and Briggs
to upgrading Fairland and Briggs Chaney Chaney?s Marketplace to provide an
?s existing energy infrastructure to one investment opportunity for residents and
that relies more heavily on renewable space for local businesses.
sources such as solar and wind.
Objective 2: Incentivize Mixed-Use
The second strategy that could be Development
implemented in Fairland and Briggs Creating dense, mixed-use developments
Chaney is using innovative techniques is an important topic in Thrive Montgomery
such as community investment 2050 and garners its own entire section in
cooperatives to strengthen the local the plan. With Fairland and Briggs
economy. Community investment Chaney?s land largely already developed,
cooperatives are a technique used to any new development will likely be
build community wealth by allowing re-development of existing buildings and
residents to pool their resources to should take place in a dense form with a
purchase shares in a local project to build mix of uses. The creation of a mixed-use
wealth and improve their community. An center in Fairland and Briggs Chaney will
example of this is the Northeast help stimulate the economy, build a sense
Investment Cooperative (NEIC) in of place, and promote sustainability.
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The NEIC was
formed when a group of local residents One strategy available for creating a
decided to pull their resources together dense mixed-use center in Fairland and
to purchase an abandoned furniture Briggs Chaney is to pursue infill
store and rent the property to local development in existing commercial
businesses. Today the property is centers. One possible location for this
occupied by two successful businesses development to take place is the existing
and the cooperative recently purchased a auto mall. The current auto mall is made
second property that is currently rented up of aging buildings and has an
to a local contracting and construction uncertain future due to changes in the
company. The NEIC has not only automotive industry such as e-commerce
benefited the community by providing and smaller showrooms, following the
space for local businesses but also pays Tesla model. This area has tremendous
out a dividend to community potential due to its access to regional
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connections via US 29 and MD 200 and anti-displacement fund should be formed
proximity to dense multi-family to combat the rising housing costs. This
neighborhoods. A community gathering fund could be used to offset the increase
space could be included in this new in rents and allow renters to stay in their
development providing much needed current home and benefit from the new
public space for surrounding residents. development. It could also be used to
help residents who may be displaced due
The second strategy that could be to the construction of the new mixed-use
implemented in Fairland and Briggs center find housing in the new
Chaney is form-based code. Current development. These strategies will help
zoning in Fairland and Briggs Chaney only create a welcoming town center for
allows mixed-use development on four Fairland and Briggs Chaney that
small parcels scattered across the strengthens the economy, provides space
plan-area. Form-based code would allow for the public, increases the housing
new development not to be limited by use stock, and creates a sense of place. The
and ensure that the form is consistent addition of an anti-displacement fund
with the surrounding environment. This would ensure that the benefits of this
would make it much easier for a improvement can be felt by existing
mixed-use center that combines residents.
residential, commercial, and institutional
uses to locate in Fairland and Briggs Objective 3: Reinforce Sense of Place
Chaney. Form-based code has already While it is important to invest in Fairland
been implemented in Arlington along US and Briggs Chaney?s economy, we cannot
29 and has resulted in the redevelopment forget to invest in the people and places
of some traditional commercial that already exist in the area. The third
properties into walkable mixed-use strategy focuses less on economic
development. development and more on community
development through creating a sense of
Finally, any new mixed-use development place and encouraging social interaction.
in Fairland and Briggs Chaney would likely Thrive Montgomery 2050 suggests making
raise the cost of living for nearby social connection a central objective for
residents due to the attractiveness of the Parks Department. This displays
living near development with community Montgomery County?s commitment to
spaces and transit access. In order to fight creating a sense of community and
the possibility of displacement, an encouraging interaction.
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The first strategy that should be Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s commercial
implemented is to invest in community areas.
capital by funding youth development
programs. After speaking with community Conclusion
leaders, we heard that more investment The strategies outlined in this section will
needs to be made into Fairland and ensure that Fairland and Briggs Chaney is
Briggs Chaney?s youth. This investment in able to compete in the regional economy
youth will improve the community by that has historically outperformed it.
giving kids recreational opportunities and Through investment in businesses, new
preparing them to be productive citizens mixed-use developments, and investing in
and members of the workforce. the citizens of Fairland and Briggs Chaney
the goals outlined in Thrive Montgomery
Montgomery County should also enhance 2050 can be achieved. These strategies
Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s existing will involve significant investments in
public parks, facilities, and paths. As Fairland and Briggs Chaney ?s parks,
stated in Thrive Montgomery 2050, this public facilities, commercial centers, and
investment should provide opportunities transportation network and can make
for social connection in this fragmented substantive, although not sufficient
community. This could entail adding new improvements towards the goal of a
amenities to Fairland and Briggs Chaney?s healthy economy and community.
existing parks, improving access to parks
via biking and walking, and improving
community facilities such as the East
County Community Center.
Finally, a grant program should be
established to improve aging facades and
streetscapes to make Fairland and Briggs
Chaney?s commercial centers and
neighborhoods more appealing. This
would mainly improve the area's sense of
place by creating a more visually
appealing community but it could also
have a positive impact on the area?s
economy by attracting consumers to
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Housing
Working within current systems is left to develop within the plan-area. As
necessary for reform, however, these Fairland and Briggs Chaney continue to
systems must be pushed to their limits. be a relatively affordable area in
Housing is an area where there is room comparison to the rest of Montgomery
for change in the Fairland and Briggs County, people will continue to migrate to
Chaney plan-area. To understand the the region.
strategies recommended, it is important
to note that housing is still considered a Encourage Low-Income Housing Tax Credit
commodity, and some single family (LIHTC) financing and public/private
developments still exist. To achieve partnerships for potential affordable
movement forward, three objectives have developments.
been identified with corresponding Currently, there is only one Low-Income
strategies. The purpose of these Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) building in
objectives and strategies is to create Fairland and Briggs Chaney, Willow
significant reform in housing typology, Manor. It is meant to be housing for
affordability, and climate resiliency for the senior residents. Expanding LIHTC
plan-area. financing can serve the community by
creating more affordable housing for
Objective 1: Provide Affordable and residents of different age groups. Also,
Diversified Housing Options that public/private partnerships can help ease
Attempt to Accommodate Existing and the cost of building affordable housing, as
New Residents. it is typically expensive to build.
Utilize zoning reform to remove barriers to
denser housing typologies. Allocate additional funds from Montgomery
Zoning reform, particularly the upzoning County?s Housing Initiative Fund to aid
of single family developments, will allow renter households.
for denser development to proliferate The Housing Initiative Fund, or HIF,
through the plan-area. While the currently serves to keep properties
plan-area has multifamily developments, affordable. The goals of the HIF include:
it is clear from both population and future ?renovating distressed properties,
housing need projections that single preserving the affordability of units,
family developments will not be enough creating housing for residents with special
to house existing and new residents in needs, creating mixed-income
the future. Also, there is little vacant land communities and making sure that
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housing programs build neighborhoods Encourage homeownership by implementing
and not just housing units? (Montgomery a down payment assistance program for
County, 2007). Funds could also be low-income and/or first-time home buyers
earmarked to directly provide rental utilizing regional and state funds.
assistance. The state of Maryland has the Community
Legacy Program, which could be used to
Implement localized community land trust help with a downpayment assistance
to encourage long term affordability for program. Since the Program is particularly
current and prospective homeowners. concerned with encouraging
Community land trusts help preserve homeownership and Fairland and Briggs
affordability by putting power into the Chaney is in a Sustainable Communities?
hands of the land trust members. Since designated area, this use of funds is a
the purchaser is only buying the house, good match. Other funding could come
not the land, the cost of the home is from a combination of county and state
lessened. Also, prices are kept affordable resources to distribute the cost of such a
in perpetuity through restricted sale downpayment assistance program more
prices (Inland Empire CLT, 2020). equally between funders.
Objective 2: Strive for Equitable Implement fair-share housing policy and
Housing. fully fund the enforcement of fair housing.
Mandate rent control. Fair-share housing involves making sure
Rent control is a basic element for that each neighborhood or community
creating equitable housing, as it prevents within a designated region, regardless of
rents from skyrocketing. It also can racial or economic makeup, has some
restrict the eviction of tenants (New York affordable units to contribute to the fair
Office of Rent Administration, n.d.). The distribution of units in the region This
main purpose of rent control is simply to prevents the concentration of affordable
make sure rents remain affordable in an housing in traditionally low-income,
unaffordable market for many. For minority neighborhoods. Also, fair share
Fairland and Briggs Chaney specifically, housing can even create more affordable
rent control would ensure the area is not housing overall, since some of the
extremely affected by the rising rent barriers to the placement of affordable
trend around Montgomery County. housing are lowered.
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Objective 3: Support Climate Utilize regional, state, and/or federal grants
Resiliency, Mitigation, and Adaptation to fund retrofitting of residential structures.
within Residential Neighborhoods The state of Maryland has multiple
Encourage the replacement of impervious programs rewarding the upgrading and
surfaces in residential neighborhoods with retrofitting of buildings, including the
pervious materials. BeSMART Energy Efficiency Loan for
Montgomery County?s own program, Homeowners and the Low-to-Moderate
RainScapes, already works on rewarding Income Energy Efficiency Grant (Maryland
residents who convert their property Energy Administration, n.d.). Using the
through more stormwater-friendly preexisting state-level programs,
designs. Spreading awareness of educating residents on the importance of
RainScapes and other educational retrofitting, and creative Montgomery
programs and providing funding County-specific programs would all serve
opportunities would create more to expand retrofitting in the plan-area.
alternatives to impervious surfaces in
Fairland and Briggs Chaney. As the limited Overall, the plan-area could benefit from
greenfields in the plan-area develop, it is expanded housing policies, including
important that they develop sustainably, enhanced renter protections,
in an environmentally-friendly way. environmental stewardship rewards, and
encouraging increased homeownership.
Incentivize homeowners/landlords to plant While these objectives and strategies
native or non-grass lawns in residential serve to move us forward, they still work
areas. within inequitable systems. More must be
RainScapes again could help with the done to dismantle these systems to
educational and incentivization aspect of create housing justice for the plan-area.
championing native or non-grass lawns.
Native and non-grass lawns, like pervious
pavements, are better for water
management. This would make the
plan-area less vulnerable to water related
issues, like flooding and runoff.
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Though movement forward has been achieved, there are still persisting inequalities and
unsustainable systems in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area. There is still urgency to
tackle the same challenges that plagued the status quo scenario. Climate change objectives
have been implemented, leading to reduction in carbon emissions and an increase in
transit use. However, the steps taken have not been enough to reach net zero emissions.
While an inviting atmosphere and competitive economy have been improved upon, there is
more work to be done to create a sustainable and justice-oriented plan-area. Housing
affordability and diversity has improved in Fairland and Briggs Chaney, but too many
residents still continue to be cost-burdened. By moving beyond reform into revolution, we
can create a truly just and sustainable future for all residents of Fairland and Briggs
Chaney.
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JANE
For the revolution scenario, we start by imagining a truly just and sustainable 2031 and
backtrack from there to identify objectives and strategies to achieve it (backcasting). In
other words, what would the realization of sustainability and justice in the plan-area
require? Because the actions reflected in the revolution scenario are necessarily more
ambitious than the reform scenario, we assume here that reform-level strategies have
been realized, but were unable to fully accomplish the climate adaptation and mitigation,
housing, and community and economic development objectives required in the plan-area.
This scenario is not constrained by what may currently be perceived as politically or
economically possible but is instead guided by what would be necessary to achieve full
sustainability and justice. Such a powerful exercise can help planners and community
members alike reconsider what is politically possible and desirable. It is our hope that this
vision thereby contributes, to the expansion of the planning imagination.
What the Community Values
During our study, we heard from community members about the things they value in the
plan-area. In the objectives and strategies addressed in the revolution scenario, we seek to
preserve and enhance these assets and valued features. The major assets community
members identified were:
? Access to green space
? Moderate cost of living
? Accessibility
? Socioeconomic and cultural diversity
? Housing value
? Existing transit, e.g., Ride On bus
_____________
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Vision for 2031
Fairland and Briggs Chaney prospers as a just, carbon negative community that
has adapted to and mitigates the effects of climate change. Residents of Fairland
and Briggs Chaney live in quality, dignified housing. They have access to
everything they need to thrive and lead healthy lives, including: emissions-free
multi-modal transit options, quality job opportunities, good food, vibrant public
spaces, and opportunities to develop their vocations and pursue their dreams.
Residents feel supported, fulfilled, and valued by their community, their county,
and their nation.
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Climate
Change
The revolutionary climate change objective for Fairland and Briggs Chaney is that the
existing community will both resiliently adapt to the effects of climate change and
contribute to climate crisis resolution. By 2031, the community has surpassed net zero and
is carbon negative. Successful efforts to daylight streams and remove impervious surfaces
have opened land areas for climate change mitigation programs, like tree canopy
expansion and local food production. The community has become 100% food secure, as
well as a surplus producer. And finally, it has overcome the urban heat island effect
through a multi-pronged approach. By implementing these and other climate change
adaptation and mitigation strategies, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney has become a global
model for just resiliency.  This is pursued by a single objective and multiple strategies.
Objective: Making Fairland and Briggs Chaney Resilient, Sustainable, and Just
Eliminate Transportation Emissions
Montgomery County?s existing goal to eliminate 2005 level greenhouse gas emissions by
2035 does not mean eliminating all greenhouse gas emissions; however, committing to
impactful strategies that radically change the status quo in Fairland and Briggs Chaney will
hasten the move away from carbon and toward cleaner energy and transportation choices.
Adoption of these strategies not only supports the mobility and health needs of community
members, but also will influence the transportation choices of residents in surrounding
communities, thereby reducing any potential emissions resulting from out-of-area vehicles.
Three of the potential strategies to eliminate transportation emissions in the plan-area
include: extending light rail from the Silver Spring or Takoma areas of Montgomery County
to the northern edge of East County; transforming parking lots and automobile-centric
corners of Briggs Chaney into people-centric areas; and integrating inductive electric
charging pads into local roads and strategic locations to facilitate the use of electric and
autonomous vehicles.
Extend Light Rail up US 29 to County?s Edge
In order to eliminate transportation emissions and address the needs of the increased
population in the master plan and broader study areas of Fairland andBriggs Chaney, the
extension of light rail is required. Via light rail, there is less of a need to switch modes of
transit on longer commutes and the uninterrupted nature of a train ride is more
convenient schedule-wise for riders than bus rapid transit (BRT) or other bus options
(WMATA, 2011). Extending light rail transit to the area, whether through the development
of a new WMATA metro line (Metro) or the expansion of the upcoming Purple Line offers
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expanded mobility access to residents who lack private transportation and makes it easier
for residents reliant on their personal automobiles (particularly ICE - internal combustion
engine vehicles) to use alternative, more climate-friendly forms of transportation.
Extensions of Metro and the Purple Line were studied a decade ago by WMATA, but found
to be a threat to ridership at existing stations because of a lack of sufficient demand
(WMATA, 2011). More residents in and around Fairland due to new developments in the
White Oak, Fairland and Briggs Chaney, and Burtonsville areas, as well as surrounding
communities, generates a significant amount of new demand for light rail (Bohnel, 2021).
Furthermore, the paths of these light rail lines can serve as added green space and
multi-modal pathways for pedestrians, e-scooters, bicycles, etc., like the example set by the
Underline in Miami, FL (see Figure 59) and proposed for the Silver Line Metro Path in
Tysons, VA (Bolden, 2021; Solomon, 2021).
Figure 59: Rendering of the Underline greenway under the Miami Metrorail.
Source: The Underline, 2021
Finally, rather than abandoning the existing BRT line, it can be rerouted to improve
cross-county, east-west transit access for residents. The buses and stations can be
re-deployed in other areas of the county without light transit to support WMATA metro
lines or, ideally, support the extension of light rail to the plan-area/East County. As
displayed in Figure 60, the BRT system was originally envisioned to criss-cross the county
and efforts to expand the existing network are ongoing, including development of the Veirs
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Mill Road, east-west stretch (BRT Scope of Work, 2011; Final Corridor Study Report, 2018). By
shifting the BRT lines to east-west routes and concurrently committing to light rail in the
plan-area, the new train to Fairland and Briggs Chaney will succeed in supporting the needs
of local ridership while attracting ridership from neighboring areas via the rerouted BRT,
other bus lines, and expanded multi-modal trails.
Figure 60: Partial map showing proposed BRT routes (colored lines) in Montgomery County, MD.
Source: BRT Scope of Work, 2011.
Plan for Open Space Due to EV Adoption
The general conversion of the nation?s transportation to fully electric vehicles and modes of
transportation will have a significant impact on eliminating carbon emissions. Beyond light
rail, personal electric vehicles and car sharing programs using electric cars will greatly
decrease the need and reliance on a variety of vehicle maintenance services, such as oil
changes, system flushes, engine repairs, etc. (Boloor, et al., 2019). The spread of these
vehicles will have a large spillover effect. Considering the longer life of certain EV car parts,
reduced need for regular service and the fact that these service products "account for 50%
of dealers' gross profits," less car maintenance businesses will be needed (Boloor, et al.,
2019; Woods, 2021). Over time, this means less gas stations, less vehicle service businesses,
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and likely smaller dealerships. This negates the need for large car lots and significant
surfaces of impervious pavement. Removing this pavement and adaptively reusing auto
park spaces for mixed-use creates new opportunities for affordable housing, community
services, and park space. Tesla for example is known for small-scale, urban dealerships, but
Cadillac is also embracing that model for the future at the Manhattan-proposed
development pictured in Figure 61 (Lutz, 2021; White, 2021).
Figure 61: Rendering of a planned mixed-use building with ground floor auto dealership.
Source: Automotive News, 2021.
Integrate EV Charging Into Pavement for Autonomous and Electric Vehicles
To ensure that electric vehicles operate efficiently, especially public transportation vehicles
and expected autonomous vehicles, inductive charging infrastructure is necessary. This
charging infrastructure can be inlaid within collector and arterial roads as demonstrated in
Figure 62, as well as strategic locations such as curbside (as being done in Norway) to keep
vehicle batteries charged all-day, thereby addressing any concerns about battery range
(Statt, 2019). In Indianapolis, new electric public buses had issues with the range of its
batteries, in part due to cold weather affecting the charge capacity of the batteries, as well
as the inability to quickly recharge in more locations (May and Hwang, 2019). This issue led
to buses being unable to complete a route and disrupting riders' commutes (Dzikiy, 2019).
As a remedy, the bus manufacturer strategically installed inductive charging areas where a
bus could recharge while stopped between route loops, helping the buses get over 200
miles per charge, closer to the promised range (Dzikiy, 2019; Sanchez, 2021).
Similarly, the adoption of EV buses by WMATA and MCDOT will benefit from, if not
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necessitate, the same infrastructure. Furthermore, in order to keep more shared
autonomous vehicles on the road (as are expected to come) and available to users, they
will need to take advantage of this type of "charging on the go"; otherwise, delays in being
able to access a vehicle or the threat of having a vehicle stop en route due to a drained
battery may dissuade users from adopting these eco-friendly options (Gruzen, 2019;
Newman, 2021). Like being done in Norway, inductive charging would also speed up
turnaround times for human-driven, ride-hailing services and potentially privately-owned
EVs.
Figure 62: Depiction of an EV charging its battery while moving over an inductive charger
installed within the road. Source: SXDRV.com, 2021.
Redesign the US 29/MD200 Interchange to Improve Land Use
The aforementioned introduction of improved transportation alternatives, incorporation of
shared autonomous vehicles, and use of more efficient electric vehicles will lead to less
demand for wide, excessively paved roads and highways. Like with the evolution of the
auto park in the plan-area, redesigning road spaces such as the US 29/MD 200 highway
interchange opens up space for more pedestrian and multi-modal friendly pathways, as
well green infrastructure and the daylighting of buried streams. To help understand the
scale of impact from road removal around US 29, just removing the on and off ramps
connecting MD 200, as they exist in 2021, opens up at least 56 acres to redevelopment. For
comparison, the successful mixed-use development Mosaic District in Fairfax County is only
about 31 acres, but adds 1,004 multifamily rental units and 121 townhomes to the
Merrifield community alongside restaurants, retail, and services (Fairfax County Planning
and Development, 2021).
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Roadway removal and redesign is a large project that demonstrates the county's
commitment to an expansive tree canopy, healthy waterways, and to disincentivize private
automobile use. When MD 200 was constructed a decade ago, acres worth of mature trees
south of the auto park had to be removed for roadways (ICC SCEA, 2004). As visible in Figure
62, the project radically transformed the natural and built environment of the plan-area.
2002: before ICC construction               2020: after ICC construction
Figure 63:  Overhead Photos of the US 29/MD 200 Interchange. Source: Google Earth, 2021.
In 2021, the census block the auto park is located in (bordering the northeast corner of the
US 29/MD 200 interchange) has the lowest tree equity score of any census block in
unincorporated Montgomery County and the fifth-lowest overall in the county, due in part
to the loss of tree canopy and addition of unshaded pavement from the highway
construction (American Forests, 2021). The loss of forest has had a harmful effect on the
surrounding community, which already is burdened with a high poverty rate, food
insecurity, and exposure to greater air pollutants from the additional road traffic and
auto-centric nature of the Briggs Chaney commercial center (American Forests, 2021).
By removing and redesigning the US 29/MD 200 interchange area, space is created to
reverse some of the damage caused by the original highway project, such as the daylighting
of a stream that ran alongside the highway's path, but disappeared because of
construction. Together with new tree canopy, this waterway can help support local wildlife
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and lead to more effective stormwater mitigation. MD 200 as a concept also does not need
to disappear entirely as many community members and surrounding neighbors rely on the
east-west connector, but could be reduced in size and better integrated with
neighborhoods to the north and south. This realignment of the road would facilitate
community-friendly construction around the new surface road that would feature
stormwater tools like green or blue roofs, tree-building integration, public transit and bike
and pedestrian trail access.
Ensure Community Wide Access to Local Food Supply and Production Opportunities
In 2031, even with climate change impacting global food supply chains and costs, and after
a local history of food insecurity, Fairland and Briggs Chaney turns a corner and becomes a
surplus food producer. This is achieved by first, incentivizing local HOAs to develop
community gardens on their properties rather than exclusively relying on public spaces for
these sites. Based on observation, many townhome and multi-family residential
communities in the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area have community space that can be
converted into community gardens, food forests, or can accommodate a mobile vertical
farming operation for the benefit of community members (e.g., by repurposing guest
parking spaces).
Second, creation of a public vertical farming program similar to the one recently
implemented in Jersey City, NJ that not only offers access to this innovative food growing
method to all residents, but integrates these farms into public facilities, like the East County
Community Center, Paint Branch High School, and Greencastle Elementary School (Morris,
2021). Food produced by these facilities is available to residents for free through the
cooperation of the farm company (here Aerofarms) and the local government (Oladipo,
2021). The Jersey City program is the first municipal vertical farming program in the country
and reflects how much potential there remains to address community nutrition through
technologies that, although still developing, have existed for years (Morris, 2021).
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Figure 63: Aerofarm's commercial vertical farm facility. Source: NewYorkYIMBY, 2021.
Finally, creating a public farmers? market where residents could buy and sell
locally-produced food on a year-round basis, creating a new income stream for residents
and solidifying local access to healthy food. This food could be grown in gardens at homes,
community garden patches, or a vertical farm. Local residents could also be assisted by the
county expanding its Business Advancement Team to have representatives at the Regional
Services Center operate a business incubator at the site (or at the Resilience Hub described
in an upcoming section below). Using this economic development resource, residents can
develop cooperative farming arrangements and companies that source from a variety of
local cottage growers, helping residents gain access to more farmers? markets and further
increase income potential.
Require Cooling Paint for All Roofs and Pavement
In order to combat the urban heat island effect discussed earlier, several strategies are
combined to make the outdoors safer and more comfortable for the community. The new
trees planted in previously impervious surfaces, such as around shrunken roads, removed
parking lots, and integrated into building surfaces (like roofs and balconies) will reduce air,
surface, and indoor temperatures. This shade will work in tandem with cooling paint on
roads, sidewalks, and building roofs. Newer cooling paints are not just white or
light-colored paints, but chemically composed to effectively reduce heat. Figure 65 shows
this cooling paint being applied on a Los Angeles? road. The paint has shown to reduce
temperatures by between 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and Greg Spotts from L.A.'s Bureau
of Street Services states, "the locations near the cool pavement were, on average, two
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degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the surrounding area" (Haas, 2021).
Applied in the Fairland-Briggs Chaney area, one example is using this seal on the roof of the
Greencastle Elementary School complex, which itself is approximately 54,577 sq ft,
equating to an acre and a quarter of unshaded impervious surface, not including the
almost ? of unshaded acre beside it used for parking. Addressing these "invisible" and
often ignored areas will have a significant impact on residents' quality of life as global
temperatures rise.
Figure 65: A construction worker in Los Angeles applying cooling paint to a residential road.
Source: L.A. Bureau of Street Services, 2021
Recruit a Paid Neighborhood Community Climate Response Team for a New Local Resilience Hub
Communities around the world are taking steps to accommodate residents during times of
crisis, whether natural or otherwise. For example, during heat emergencies, Montgomery
County designates and opens cooling centers where people can seek shelter from
life-threatening heat (Ramirez, 2020). Also, a variety of places around the county offer free
food to individuals in need, whether with or without county or other governmental
assistance (Swenson, 2021). To overcome escalating threats from climate change (such as
more regular extreme heat and rain events) and secondary effects of climate change (such
as strains on food supply and energy), a more holistic approach to addressing community
needs is required. Many of these threats will impact a particular community at once and
those residents will benefit from having a single location that is able to address the
multitude of threats it faces due to climate change and other crises. This is the rationale
behind the concept of a ?resilience hub?.
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At a resilience hub, residents not only can seek shelter from an ongoing emergency, like
those aforementioned, but during moments of calm, the site also serves as a community
meeting place and potential recreational and training site (Hubs in Action, 2021). Here, a
resident can charge all of their devices, including a vehicle, from off-grid renewable energy
if their residential power goes out (Hubs in Action, 2021). They can also obtain food from the
on-site food pantry and municipal urban farm, discussed previously. In addition, green
infrastructure integrated into the site and its surroundings can serve as new wildlife habitat
for birds and small mammals, short nature trails, and parkland for playgrounds and
athletics. As shown in Figure 66, a wide variety of features can be part of a neighborhood
resilience hub (Hubs in Action, 2021). Therefore a resilience hub could easily be integrated
into existing public structures, community centers, schools, etc. via retrofits. In fact, the
East County Community Recreation Center in Briggs Chaney is already a designated cooling
center (Ramirez, 2020).
Operating this resilience hub and serving as a rapid response for climate emergencies that
require personal attention is a Community Climate Response Team (CCRT). Its mission is
partially inspired by FEMA's Community Emergency Response Team program (FEMA, 2021),
but the CCRT differs in that it is a paid staff that serves a primary role in local climate crisis
preparedness, as well as response.  Members of this team help maintain the resilience
hub's inventory of supplies for residents and its infrastructure. They also report to local
calls in the same way an ambulance, firefighter or police officer would, but remove the
burden of climate crisis-related calls from those other officials. For example, if a
household's air conditioning breaks during a heat emergency and they are unable to move
to a resilience hub on their own to escape the dangerous heat, they can call the local CCRT
to get a ride to the nearest hub. Similarly, during an expected flash flooding situation, CCRT
members can mobilize to flood-prone areas before a storm to help any commuters or
pedestrians trapped by rising water. The CCRT not only gives the local community another
safety net for any climate risks not addressed through building retrofits, stormwater
mitigation, or emissions strategies; it is also a fail-safe in case something goes wrong with
existing infrastructure. Furthermore, a CCRT is a job creation program that generates
meaningful work opportunities and can recruit from local high schools and colleges
through associated internship and volunteer mentor programs.
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Figure 66: A depiction of a neighborhood resilience hub that incorporates a broad range of
community needs. Source: Hubs in Action, 2019.
Conclusion
Without immediate, focused action, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney community will only
become more vulnerable to the rising dangers of climate change. Although more passive
actions such as the promotion of electric vehicles and offering of energy efficiency rebates
are important and the execution of the Climate Action Plan's proposals would have a
significant impact on emissions, a more complete and rapid transformation is necessary to
truly make the community resilient and just. The revolution scenario depicted here
incorporates strategies that in combination could eliminate transportation emissions and
food insecurity, make the neighborhood healthier and more comfortable to live in, and
create green jobs. A ten-year planning window (with a 2031 horizon) to accomplish all of
this is short compared to many planning timetables, but it's necessary to make up for lost
time to address the community's climate change vulnerabilities and to be responsive to the
Intergovernmental Climate Change?s urgent recommendations. In fact, it is only four years
less time than the 2035 emissions reduction goal established in the county's Climate Action
Plan. The climate crisis will not wait and neither can the Fairland and Briggs Chaney
community for the solutions to combat it.
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Community &
Economic
Development
158
Understanding the limitations of the Objective 1: Eradicate poverty and
reform scenario interventions, our create livable incomes for all
revolutionary community development Eradicating poverty should be a priority
strategies aim to fully address systemic objective which on the ground translates
barriers at the scale of the need to to a population that is adequately
promote community health and realize a employed, compensated for their
just and sustainable Fairland and Briggs contributions, or otherwise receiving the
Chaney. full access and support they need to lead
fulfilled lives. Though Fairland and Briggs
In the revolutionary scenario, our primary Chaney are considered affordable in
community and economic development Montgomery County, many area residents
objective is to fully eradicate poverty and still struggle to cover their basic needs as
secure a livable income for all residents. the cost of living continues to climb. The
Our second objective is to optimize conventional strategies proposed are at
connectivity, realizing the vision of the risk of exacerbating displacement or
15-minute city that relies primarily on homelessness if appropriate
sustainable and healthy modes of interventions are not taken. Conversely,
transportation. Last, but not least, in this the following strategies are critical
diverse community, it should be an strategies recommended to provide
objective to ensure that all residents feel security to current and future generations
a sense of belonging, safety, in Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
empowerment, and representation in
decision-making processes. This is We recommend strengthening or creating
revolutionary in that it challenges new social safety nets with anti-poverty
dominant paradigms of capitalist norms, interventions, like piloting a county-wide
but is not untenable for affluent societies Guaranteed Basic Income as a means of
and counties like Montgomery County. It providing basic security as a right. Such a
offers a critical reframing of community program should be designed to offset
and economic development because it major lags in the labor market and relieve
focuses on the desired outcome for the burdens of the most vulnerable
community well-being, rather than simply among us who are either working poor or
replicating market-focused activities that unable to work due to various life
will reproduce or exacerbate disparities. circumstances (e.g., age, handicap, or
illness conditions). Universal Basic Income
pilots such as in Stockton?s 2019 pilot
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found that full-time employment among recommended in the revolutionary
participants increased by 12% in the scenario, significant public land is
program?s first year (Bedayn, 2021). available for siting a new 1000? x 500?
campus.
The second strategy we recommend is
improving access and affordability to Objective 2: Optimize Connectivity and
quality healthcare, a studied method to Realize the 15-minute City
reduce social and economic Our second Community and Economic
vulnerabilities and inequality (Asaria et al., Development objective builds on the
2016). This can be done with piloting a strategies in the reform scenario and
county-wide Universal Healthcare policy works to fully optimize connectivity in the
as in the United Kingdom, but should also study area. Building on the ICC/US 29
be holistic and focus attention on the reduction and rail extension
expansion of healthcare practitioners and interventions, we expect this to not only
facilities to bridge service gaps and transform the transportation network,
produce additional jobs in the study area. but also open up more space for higher
Stimulating growth in public sector jobs density mixed-use equitable
for these social safety nets at the state transit-oriented development (ETOD), a
and local level is an important means to key method of achieving more compact
facilitating new projects and the county?s 15-minute cities. Rezoning the study area
capacity to respond to economic to upzone and incentivize more
instability and needs. commercial and mixed-use centers near
residential communities would be
Our third strategy to eradicate poverty necessary to enable residents to access
involves the addition of a Montgomery their destinations/shopping needs
College Campus to the study area as a without relying on a car.
means of stimulating educational and
economic activity. The campus would be a To create a more cohesive sense of place
partner institution to the community, that connects destinations, we envision a
offering not only higher education centralized green space that brings the
training, but also workforce training for study area together and can serve as an
existing and emerging industry gaps, and activity hub where people can exercise,
enhance the capacity for delivering shop, hold classes, access transit, walk
community services. Assuming the ICC from the new Montgomery College
and US 29 highways are redesigned, as is campus to their housing or other services
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in the area nearby. Such processes should Objective 3), and other negotiated
invite the community to co-create the community benefits.
area and allow them to design and plan
for uses they value. Objective 3: Foster Sense of Belonging,
Security, and Fairness
Converting the ICC clover to a more The third objective for the revolutionary
traditional boulevard or 4-way street grid scenario is to foster an environment that
provides opportunities for connecting the promotes residents? full sense of
east and western parts of the study areas belonging, security, and fairness in their
in a more pedestrian, transit, and interaction throughout their
bike-friendly manner. The recently passed communities. We look to strategies that
Federal Infrastructure Investment and promote inclusivity and the co-creation of
Jobs Act includes a GAO commissioned communities through the introduction of
report for evaluating the impact of greater access to spaces, economic
highway removal on the surrounding opportunities, and relationships.
community (H.R.3684, 2021-2022).
Section 11509: Reconnecting The first recommendation is the adoption
Communities Pilot of the law offers of non-citizen voting in local elections as
funding for planning, construction, has been done in nearby Maryland cities
treatments, and support for such as Takoma Park and Mt. Rainier, and
disadvantaged businesses and in national cities, like New York City
communities burdened by transportation (Hern?ndez, 2016; see also Al Jazeera,
systems (Vakil, 2021). We recommend 2021). Approximately 15% of Montgomery
County staff working with state and County residents are non-citizens, an
national DOT agencies to pursue funding average concentration of whom reside
to conduct feasibility and planning within the plan-area (ACS 2019, Census
analysis for retrofitting the surface Reporter). A significant portion of the
transportation grid along the corridor. population whether they are refugees,
green card holders, or unauthorized
Lastly, as mentioned in the reform residents are currently navigating without
scenario, ETOD planning includes representation in the decisions that affect
coupling necessary anti-displacement their everyday life. Expanding suffrage
programs such as: affordable housing, rights and civic participation to all
small business protections, affordable residents is a critical action to creating a
workspace policies (discussed further in more just Fairland and Briggs Chaney.
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The second strategy we recommend is districts, the borough also designated
the introduction of community rent caps between 40-60%  of the market
time-banking systems, which provides rate (Affordable Workspace, 2021). Such
flexibility and compensation for skills and measures allow small- and medium-sized
labor that are outside businesses to enter and prosper in
traditionally-recognized job functions, market spaces.
such as raising children or caring for
elderly parents. Rather than monetary Conclusion
payments, which is not necessarily a The possibilities for a revolutionary
disposable form of capital, time community and economic development
contributions are an acceptable means of strategy are vast, and the presented
exchange for goods/services. strategies introduce important,
Time-banking has been utilized in a range immediate corrective actions for a region
of ways, from business development and that has been historically neglected. The
lending, social services, advocacy, and interventions also are intended to
more (Cahn & Gray, 2015; AboutAroyo support the area and population with
SECO Network of Time Banks). Groups significant opportunities to shape and
participating in time-banking systems experience a just and sustainable future.
appreciate the social benefits of having
methods that help people build a
different type of capital ? relationships
and value networks with their neighbors,
which is valuable in an era undergoing
social disconnection.
Lastly, as the study area transforms with
the above strategies in place, it will attract
new residents and employers and will
require measures to counter the cost of
living and provide a mix of small, medium,
and large businesses. Hackney Borough in
London, England?s Affordable Workplace
Policy requires commercial developments
to offer at least 10% of workplace
floorspace below market rate. In certain
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Housing
163
It is beyond the scope of this report to define housing justice, so we instead identify
housing conditions that most people would consider unjust: it is unjust that a small portion
of the US population live in luxurious housing while so many struggle to pay for unlivable
homes, it is unjust that the many Americans who live paycheck-to-paycheck fear forced
displacement from their homes, and it is unjust that the catastrophic consequences of
climate change impact the poor most severely.
Our revolutionary housing objectives acknowledge these injustices and seek to correct
them. They aim to house every resident in quality, dignified housing with no cost burdens.
Residents no longer fear that they will be forced from their homes because of strong legal
protections and anti-displacement strategies that recognize every residents? right not just
to good homes but to remain in place. And blending with our climate change objectives, the
housing stock will adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change such that homes
become safe and carbon negative.
Objective 1: House Everyone without Imposing Cost Burdens
Convert some existing housing into social housing and construct new social housing.
Social housing is essentially a more comprehensive version of the public housing we see in
the US. The major difference is that it is designed not merely for poor people but for the
general population. This is, quite simply, the best and most cost-effective way to provide
good housing for everybody. The budget of Montgomery County?s Housing and Community
Affairs department shows that, in 2021, each unit of affordable housing produced cost
nearly $60,000 (Housing and Community Affairs, 2021). Considering that the Fairland CDP
has over 3,000 cost-burdened households, it would cost over $180 million for the County to
house its cost-burdened household at that rate. By comparison, the City of Vienna funds
over 220,000 social housing units with a budget of just $700 million per year (Pelleteret,
2020). Other localities with high land values are also exploring social housing as a solution
to their most serious housing problems, e.g., the San Francisco city council recently voted
to fund a $64 million social housing program (Abraham, 2021).
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Figure 67: Map of social housing site proposal (left). Map of the 15-minute walkshed from the
social housing site (right). Prepared by paper authors.
Figure 67 shows how social housing could operate in the plan-area. The most cost-effective
way to create social housing is to convert existing market-rate naturally-occurring
affordable housing, but ultimately Fairland and Briggs Chaney need more units to
accommodate its growing population, and those units should be affordable. As an
example, we identified the East County Community Center parking lot as a good location
for a multifamily social housing development. Because of the extension of the Flash bus
line to include a stop right next to this parking lot, its highest best use has already changed.
And we mapped a fifteen-minute walkshed on the figure?s right, which shows that it would
have walkable access to Edgewood Park, Briggs Chaney Marketplace, Greencastle
Elementary School, and the Willow Manor LIHTC retirement home. With this development
and the densification of the auto mall, the highest best use for all that space to the
south-west would likely change to enable different kinds of development. However, routes
29 and 200, if remain unchanged, have a huge effect on the extent of the walkshed. Even
with that limitation, this development would boost attractiveness for nearby retail
investment, enable a 15-minute walkshed that creates a complete community, and give
residents the capacity to age gracefully in place through transfer to the nearby retirement
home.
165
Make a Community Control Fund.
Next, we suggest establishment of a community control fund. This fund would operate in a
manner similar to the housing initiative fund, but it would emphasize democracy by putting
those funds in the hands of the people, enabling creation of community land trusts, giving
tenants meaningful access to the right of first refusal, and allowing for the development of
permanent supportive housing.
Objective 2: End Forced Displacement
Guarantee Security of Tenure
To end forced displacement, the revolution scenario would require a suite of legal
protections that, for the most part, the County could enact with political consensus.
Organizations that advocate for tenants? rights such as People?s Action and the Kansas City
Tenants union have forwarded several of the protections we present here. Many of these
protections have been legislated temporarily in the County due to the pandemic, but they
should be made permanent.
? Just cause evictions: Currently, landlords can evict any tenant for violation of lease
terms, excepting particular legally-prohibited causes. By identifying the specific
conditions under which a landlord can justify eviction, tenants are protected from
creative and arcane rental contract requirements.
? Right to organize: many tenants facing exploitative rental contracts and unlivable
conditions would organize with other tenants but fear retaliation. Montgomery
County has such laws on the books, but like other localities, this requirement is
often insufficient to guarantee protection. Montgomery County should invest more
in enforcement of this protection, and the consequences for landlords who violate it
should be made more severe and enforced.
? Right to counsel for bank tenants negotiating mortgages: the term ?bank
tenants? has become a popular descriptor for homeowners with mortgages. While
the financial conditions of a mortgage are significantly different from that of a rental
contract, mortgage holders are effectively renting their home from whatever
financial institution gave them the mortgage?therefore, they are bank tenants.
Many bank tenants sign into their mortgage with a poor understanding of the
extremely complex requirements that the contract imposes, such that many
financial institutions employ predatory lending practices. A right to counsel for bank
166
tenants negotiating mortgages would ensure that all parties would enter into a
contract with a full understanding of its obligations.
? First-come, first-served rental applications: this requirement would force
landlords to accept the first application that meets their publicly stated rental
requirements. This protection bolsters existing fair housing protections by
preventing landlords from discriminating against particular categories on false
pretenses.
? Fee limits: using various and unexpected fees, landlords can mislead prospective
tenants using artificially low rents. By specifying what sorts of fees are allowed and
identifying a fee-to-rent percentage for fees and deposits, the County can interrupt
this misleading practice.
? Extension of fair housing protections: the federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal
for landlords to discriminate on the bases of race, color, national origin, religion,
sex, familial status, and disability. Montgomery County extends those protections to
include discrimination on the basis of age, sexual orientation, source of income, and
family responsibilities. This scenario would require the County to extend those
protections even further to include criminal history, immigration status, eviction
history, and credit score.
Objective 3: Make the Housing Stock Adapt to and Mitigate the Effects of Climate
Change
Retrofit existing buildings and require new housing to be carbon negative.
Green retrofitting of homes features in the reform section of this report, bolstered by the
recommendations of Thrive Montgomery 2050 and state subsidies for such retrofitting. As
we identified then, such subsidies are insufficient in the face of the existential threat that
climate change poses to the plan-area, the county, and the nation.
There are many technologies that enable carbon negative homes such as solar panels,
electrification, passive heating, and others. But green retrofitting now is less about specific
technologies and more about political and economic investment both in retrofitting and in
industrial policies that forward research of green technologies. These changes are
expensive, and they will not be possible so long as their costs are borne primarily by the
household itself. As such, they require expansive public investment.
Mandate disaster-related tenant protections.
167
When the national eviction moratorium ended in the summer of 2021, many vulnerable
renters confronted the possibility that they may become homeless during a historical peak
of wildfires, floods, and heatwaves on top of the economic and health crisis caused by the
pandemic itself. Indeed, the pandemic was an exception in that the federal government
imposed an eviction moratorium. Most of the time, evictions continue even during
disasters, which worsens economic and racial inequalities?experts have found that
eviction rates actually increase during such crises, but the rate of evictions differs
depending on state and municipal tenant protections (Raymond et al., 2021).
The revolution scenario therefore requires tenant protections that interrupt landlord
profit-seeking practices that would exacerbate the effects of disasters for low-income
tenants. Some such protections are basic and would benefit tenants both during disasters
and other times. Connecticut, for instance, legally protects tenants? right to repair their own
dwelling and deduct costs of repair from rent if the landlord refuses to maintain livable
conditions. Localities can also mandate disaster-related eviction moratoria based on their
geographic conditions. In the Plan-area, for instance, flooding and wildfires are unlikely, but
there may be increasing heat waves and heat wave-related deaths, which would
particularly impact the homeless and house-deprived. As such, the county could legislate
eviction moratoria that would activate when the average temperature exceeds a specified
threshold, or it could permanently outlaw evictions during the hottest summer months.
168
Historically, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney area developed inequitably. The area is
spatially fragmented by the bisecting roads US 29 and the ICC. Single-family homes have
taken up significant portions of the land area. Housing costs continue to rise and renters
bear the greatest cost burdens. More impervious pavement has been built, exacerbating
climate effects. Vulnerable populations have often been excluded from conversations
around economic vitality and struggle to find jobs within the plan-area. Beyond this, the
plan-area is no exception to Montgomery County?s development trends: it is a typical
American suburb.
While there is work to be done to improve life in Fairland and Briggs Chaney, it is vital to
remember the things the community already values. The existing green spaces and transit
options, the relative affordability of cost of living, the diversity of cultures and languages
spoken, the current value of housing, accessibility and mobility, and more are all things that
already make Fairland and Briggs Chaney a desirable place to live. The purpose of new
plans and objectives is to build upon what is already there, to enhance the positive
elements and to uplift shared values and goals.
The people of the Fairland and Briggs Chaney community deserve a just future, one where
there is no fear of losing a roof over their heads, where their children can walk and bike to
schools and parks safely, where they can commute to jobs that fulfill them and compensate
them fairly. This future would mean even stronger community ties among neighbors; a
better environment and more green spaces to enjoy; a range of housing options, types,
and prices; improved transit options that are convenient and affordable; and a raising
wealth of languages and cultures.
These are objectives that the County can and should realize. Action now is essential. Justice
in this process is non-negotiable. It is clear from the findings of this report that inaction
(withholding the status quo) or incremental change (promoting reform) is not enough. A
status quo or reform future will not deliver the quality of life necessary to uplift the people
who live in Fairland and Briggs Chaney. Only by having the courage to move beyond these
simply unacceptable futures into one where justice and sustainability are truly realized can
planners have a lasting impact on the lives of the people for whom we plan
169
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