Montgomery Parks Seeks Input for Its Fiscal Years 2025-30 Capital Improvements Program, with Public Forum to be Held Thursday, Sept. 7, in Wheaton

Montgomery Parks is seeking input on its Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2025-30 (FY25-30). Community suggestions for the upcoming CIP can be submitted online, via email, U.S. mail or in person at a public forum that will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Wheaton Headquarters of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC).

The M-NCPPC headquarters are located at 2425 Reedie Dr. in Wheaton.

The CIP is prepared every two years to cover a six-year cycle and funds new parks and park amenities, environmental restoration, and rehabilitation projects that increase the life of assets.

FY25-30 Capital Improvement Program priorities may include:

• Implementing the updated Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan and rehabilitating aging facilities.
• Constructing the Lyttonsville Neighborhood Green, a new park along the new Capital Crescent Trail to Silver Spring in Lyttonsville that includes the Talbot Street Bridge memorial.
• Increased funding for electrification and solar power generation.
• Increased funding to rehabilitate and modernize aging infrastructure and park amenities.
• Increased funding to restore Stream Valley Parks degraded by untreated impervious areas draining onto parkland.
• Increased Vision Zero funding to provide safer trail intersections and traffic calming along parkways, specifically focusing on Matthew Henson Trail, Sligo Creek Trail and connections to Wheaton Regional Park. The funding also will be used as matching funds for Federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) and RAISE grants.
• Increased funding to renovate existing trails and improve community connections, specifically focusing on Sligo Creek Trail and Northwest Branch Trail. The funding also will be used as matching funds for Federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) and RAISE grants.

The projects would improve existing parks, restore environmental resources and enhance service delivery to communities most in need. The projects highlighted for increases will be coordinated with our existing Level of Effort programs. This ensures safe, inviting, accessible park amenities are available throughout Montgomery County.

To share ideas and feedback about these projects and other parks, amenities and improvements to consider funding in the CIP:

• Sign up to speak at the public forum (limit of 35 speakers) online at the Montgomery Planning Board website at this link. If you need assistance completing the online form, email staff in the Planning Board Chair’s Office at mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org or call 301-495-4605.
• Written Comments should be received by Sept. 11 via
• E-mail to mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org
• Fax to Chair Artie Harris at 301-495-1320
• U.S. mail addressed to: Artie Harris, Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board, 2425 Reedie Drive, 14th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902.
• Online comments can be submitted through Sept. 11 via Montgomery Parks Open Town Hall.

Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 420 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of M-NCPPC, a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land.