Discovery's trade for more security at Silver Spring headquarters

In the strange world of public space requirements, one artsy fence equals one, 1,400-square-foot playground.

At least that’s the solution Discovery Communications and the Montgomery County Planning Board staff have come up with to compensate for Discovery’s request to section off its playground from the public. The trade-off — adding public art — is to satisfy the county’s public space requirements for high-density projects. For those especially curious about the reasoning, check out item No. 6 on the Montgomery Planning Board’s agenda.