In working with this small, community oriented congregation we assembled a team to provide Master Planning and Site Planning services to enable them to consolidate two separate parcels of land and create a site large enough for a new 350 seat church. Working with Civil Engineers and a land-use Attorney, we addressed the issues of drainage, wetlands, tree preservation, zoning and access with the County staff agencies. We also held meetings with the neighboring civic associations as well as with County Council members prior to filing the plan.
In order to achieve Preliminary Plan approval by Montgomery National Capital Parks & Planning Commission (MNCPPC), we met with and reviewed our conceptual site plans with the staffs of the agencies responsible for utilities, transportation, environmental protection and public safety. It was necessary for us to revise our plan several times to satisfy the requirements of these agencies.
In addition, we met with representatives of the civic associations of all of the neighboring subdivisions, as well as with two of the relevant County Commissioners, prior to the public hearing before the Planning Board. As a result, the Preliminary Plan was approved with no opposition by unanimous vote of the Planning board. In the Fall of 2001, the new church opened on the site which the congregation had occupied since 1944.
