Rockville and Montgomery County can succeed together, and Shady Grove Metro is an opportunity for shared growth and investment. For this and other reasons, I strongly support annexing the Shady Grove Metro Station area and pursuing a State Transit-Oriented Development designation because I believe Rockville can help deliver benefits that extend well beyond our municipal boundaries.

Bethesda Magazine’s October 30 coverage included my comments about this opportunity and examined the County Planning Board’s discussion the previous day. I told Bethesda Magazine that Rockville hopes to drive “significant mixed-use development” and improvements to the station’s pedestrian and vehicle infrastructure.  County planning staff recommended annexation, while urging Rockville to incorporate priorities for affordable housing, public space, and infrastructure. The Board remained neutral.

On September 28, I moved adoption of Rockville’s annexation plan for approximately 66.4 acres encompassing the western portion of the Shady Grove Metro property and adjoining CSX property. The Mayor and Council adopted the plan, advancing the process without completing annexation. My goal is to give Rockville a stronger role in shaping this important transportation gateway and helping it reach its potential.

Turning annexation into an opportunity for investment

Annexation should be followed by pursuing a State Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) designation for Shady Grove, building on the designation the Rockville Metro station area received earlier this year. City planning materials already contemplate pursuing designation for Shady Grove following annexation. A TOD designation would provide access to additional tools for advancing development, including eligibility to apply for state infrastructure grants and loans, competitive advantages for affordable housing funding, and incentives that can help attract employers and investment. Designation would not guarantee funding or approve a particular development, but it would strengthen our ability to pursue state support for a coordinated plan.

I want Rockville to actively pursue those opportunities rather than wait for investment to arrive. Bringing Shady Grove into the City would also allow us to coordinate planning around three Red Line stations: Twinbrook, Rockville and Shady Grove. Each has different needs, but together they offer an opportunity for a stronger corridor of housing, businesses, jobs and public spaces.

Benefits that extend beyond Rockville

Montgomery County would share in the benefits of successful redevelopment. City staff’s analysis identifies the potential for additional revenue for both the City and County, along with construction employment and permanent jobs. Growing our economic base can help support the public services residents rely on, rather than continually placing greater burdens on existing taxpayers. These are long-term opportunities, and we must also account for the costs of providing City services before redevelopment occurs.

The opportunity is also about the kind of community we create. I want more housing options, including affordable housing, alongside businesses, welcoming public spaces and convenient access to transit. These goals are consistent with the County’s own Shady Grove Sector Plan, which calls for mixed-use redevelopment around Metro, affordable housing, new bikeways, parks and public amenities.

Rockville can contribute planning capacity, infrastructure coordination and sustained economic-development attention to advancing that shared vision. County planning staff specifically noted that the City is already working with WMATA on roadway conditions and lighting, and concluded that annexation would assist coordination and implementation of proposed improvements.

Our transportation goals should serve everyone who relies on Shady Grove, including neighbors in Derwood, Gaithersburg and communities farther upcounty. Safer pedestrian and bicycle connections, better bus access and improved station circulation should benefit existing commuters and surrounding neighborhoods, not just future residents of the annexed area.

Building a partnership and planning for the long term

I value my collaboration with Jeff Reznick, a member of Montgomery Planning’s Shady Grove Sector Plan Implementation Advisory Committee, on shared goals for Shady Grove and the surrounding communities.  I see annexation and pursuing TOD designation as opportunities for Rockville to help advance those goals in partnership with the County, WMATA, the State and neighboring communities.

The questions raised about transit operations and coordination deserve thoughtful answers. Any redevelopment should strengthen Shady Grove’s transportation function, and planning must address the entire station area even where municipal boundaries divide it. Protecting Metro operations and maintaining reliable access for riders must remain central to the effort.

Growth also requires planning for schools, roads, utilities, public safety and other public facilities from the beginning. We should be considering what Shady Grove and the surrounding region will need 10, 20 and 30 years from now, rather than waiting until development creates demands our infrastructure is unprepared to meet.

I support annexation because I believe Rockville can help turn shared planning goals into tangible improvements, while remaining accountable for the responsibilities that come with bringing this area into our City.

Rockville’s public hearing is scheduled for Monday, November 16, at 6:30 pm, or as soon thereafter as the matter is heard, with in-person and virtual participation available. I encourage residents, neighboring communities and transit users to participate.

Shady Grove’s future should be measured by the housing opportunities, transportation improvements and economic benefits we deliver together. I believe annexation, followed by pursuing TOD designation, can help Rockville and Montgomery County build that future.