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Thomas Building

(Goddard School and Commercial Offices)

Preliminary Plan Approved

January 20, 2010

At its meeting on January 14, the Planning Board voted 4 to 0 to approve the Preliminary Plan for the Thomas Building (Goddard School and commercial offices), near the intersection of Route 108 and Norwood Road in Sandy Spring.

During closing remarks, some Board members noted that a number of issues brought up in the testimony, particularly related to the building size, will be discussed again at the Site Plan hearing.  The design includes a large building, a two-level parking garage and the removal of many trees, filling the relatively small lot.  The Site Plan hearing will make the final determination on the building structure and will ensure that the design of the building meets the requirements of the Sandy Spring-Ashton Master Plan.  The design will need to fit into the rural village of Sandy Spring.

More about the Thomas Building Preliminary Plan Hearing

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Thomas Building Documents

Development Review Process Streamlining

Montgomery County's development review process can take months, as planners gather comments from representatives of ioca] agencies and apply relevant, but often conflicting, regulations. Many development applications must go through the process three times.

The Planning Board has asked planners to review - and possibly shorten - the development review process. Streamlining, if approved as proposed, would

• Require each development plan to go to the Board only one time
• Encourage greater consistency by having a single set of reviewers guide a plan from start to finish
• Identify conflicts earlier in the process
• Reduce staff and Planning Board review time

Learn more at www.montgomeryplanning.org/development/drprocess

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