Environmental Site Design (ESD) Strategy

The final report, Implementing Environmental Site Design in Montgomery County is now available on-line.

This effort is focused on review and modification of County code to comply with the Maryland Stormwater Management Act of 2007 (Act) and meet the terms of the County's NPDES MS4 permit.

The County is reviewing existing codes applicable to land development and the agreed upon definition of "maximum extent practicable" (MEP).

The specific timeline of activities associated with this task is tied to the County's NPDES MS4 permit requirements.

Meetings: Schedule and Locations

• Meeting Summary  (PDF, 61 pp, 4.4 MB) 
• Meeting Agenda (PDF, 2 pp, 319K)
• Meeting Presentation (PDF, 48 pp, 4.8Mb)

Purpose: DEP and their consultant presented recommendations and solicited input on how the County's codes, regulations, programs, and policies may need to be updated to allow the use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) and low impact development stormwater techniques to the maximum extent practicable.

Clean Water Task Force (CWTF) Meeting
Date: Monday, March 1, 2010

Purpose: The inter-agency Clean Water Task Force (CWTF) met to discuss how the County's codes, regulations, programs, and policies may need to be updated to allow the use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) and low impact development techniques to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). This meeting built on the introduction to ESD to the MEP and the code review presented at the February 1st meeting through more specific discussion of comments from the agencies on the code review.   

Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Permitting Services, Department of General Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and Montgomery County Public Schools participated in this meeting. County Council was also represented at this meeting.

This agency meeting was open to the public, but not scheduled for general public comment. Representatives from the business community and environmental groups were however allowed an opportunity for comment at this meeting.

• Meeting Summary (PDF, 27 pp, 655K)
• Meeting Agenda (PDF, 2 pp, 107K)
• Meeting Presentation (PDF, 35 pp, 3.4Mb)

Clean Water Task Force (CWTF) Meeting
Date: Monday, February 1, 2010

• Meeting Summary (PDF, 14 pp, 1.6Mb)
• Meeting Agenda (PDF, 2 pp, 94K)
• Meeting Presentation (PDF, 66 pp, 6.3Mb)

ESD Strategy Documents

Our consultant has prepared a final report, Implementing Environmental Site Design in Montgomery County, which summarizes how the County's codes, regulations, programs, and policies may need to be updated to allow the use of Environmental Site Design (ESD) and low impact development techniques to the maximum extent practicable (MEP). The draft report was reviewed by the public and by representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Permitting Services, Department of General Services, Department of Transportation, Department of Fire and Rescue Services, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and Montgomery County Public Schools.

Draft changes to the Montgomery County Code for compliance with statewide stormwater management requirements (Updated November 2009) (PDF, 113 pp, 3.0Mb) 

View Public Comments

• Public Comments
• Summary of Environmental Site Design Comments

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