Planners are pushing for changes to Kensington’s master plan that would allow for more housing and retail in the town center, a move to attract additional residents and create a pedestrian-friendly retail hub. In a new draft of the Kensington Sector Plan, the Montgomery County Planning Board proposes changing the zoning to allow mixed-use retail and residential buildings for Kensington town center, in the area around Connecticut and Knowles avenues, at the request of the town council. The current plan allows only commercial development in the town center. Mayor Peter Fosselman said while adding apartments and condominium options to Kensington would increase the town’s tax base, that was a secondary reason for increasing residential density.
“There are very few rental options in Kensington,” he said. “Some of our older folks in town living in typical, two-floor homes, they don’t want to maintain a house and yard but they want to stay in town so they want more condo options.”
Planners predict that two residential and retail properties may be developed in the early stages of the 20-year sector plan, and five more may be developed over time.
The plan also puts the maximum building height at 75 feet, and those buildings would be limited to properties along Connecticut Avenue between Knowles Avenue and Plyers Mill Road.
Residents who have weighed in so far are generally supportive of the plan, said Donna R. Savage, president of the Kensington Heights Citizens Association.
“In general, people are interested in seeing it developed to some extent,” Savage said. “It does need updating … and it would be nice if there were more restaurants.”
Existing retail in Kensington is generally limited to two shopping centers on Connecticut Avenue and Antique Row on Howard Avenue. A handful of sit-down restaurants are scattered throughout the area.
But residents are wary about the traffic that redevelopment could bring, Savage added. However, the county planning board’s summary of the plan predicts that “traffic will increase in Kensington regardless of the sector plan’s recommendations,” adding that roughly one-third of the projected traffic increase is generated by development outside Kensington.
Weekday evening rush hour traffic is projected to increase from 12,400 vehicles to 15,050 vehicles by 2030.
The county planning board has scheduled a public hearing on the zoning recommendations in April.
