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Home > Government > Mayor and Council > Vision for 2006-2008 | ||
Vision of Rockville In 2020
Approved by the Mayor and Council on May 8, 2006 Successful cities possess a strong sense of place. Rockville’s sense of place is the product of a unique eclectic community tapestry integrating tradition, continuity, and renewal. Located within the vast and dynamic metropolitan area adjacent to the nation’s capital, Rockville has successfully distinguished itself as a vibrant small city that combines a rich historical heritage, small town charm, urbane progressiveness, and an international flavor. Our rich history is still evident in the many well-restored and maintained historic homes, churches, and public buildings. Rockville still utilizes its original courthouses and has successfully rehabilitated many of its valuable structures and put them to creative use. The Glenview Mansion is still our crown jewel. Rockville takes equal pride in being home to many companies and research institutions working at the forefronts of science and technology. Our international scientific prominence is a distinction that has attracted to Rockville significant numbers of scientists, professionals, and businesspeople from every continent. Rockville is distinguished by its successful renewal of its city center, as well as by the creation of an equally significant and thriving center in the vicinity of the Twinbrook Metro Station. Both centers are important civic gathering places that provide Rockville residents and visitors with opportunities to learn, relax, dine, shop, and connect with one another. The appearance, feel, and vibrancy of these centers have established Rockville’s pre-eminence as a mixed-use community in the D.C. area. Rockville’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity is the combined result of the community identity felt by long-term residents, the openness with which we welcome newcomers, and our participation in the global economy. Numerous community centers and cultural venues, businesses and commercial establishments of every type, an extensive network of beautiful parks, and superior municipal services are all unsurpassed in quality, and together serve the wide variety of needs of all individuals in the community. Rockville celebrates its history, cultural diversity, and optimism for the future with numerous civic events. Our Memorial Day parade is the oldest and largest in the metropolitan Washington area, and caps the annual Hometown Holidays celebration. This weekend-long extravaganza featuring arts and crafts, food, and musical entertainment is a Rockville showcase that each year attracts more than 100,000 people from within and around the city. Our traditional observances of Veteran’s Day and July 4th, are among the most distinctive and popular celebrations in the entire Washington region. The twice-weekly seasonal Farmer’s Market has served the community for over thirty years, not only as a place to select from the bounty of locally grown produce, but also as a lively locale for neighbors to meet, socialize, and be entertained. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
Neighborhoods are the heart and the soul of our city. Rockville’s has more than 70 distinct neighborhoods. From its historic 19th century neighborhoods, through its various 20th century suburban subdivisions and multi-unit residences, and continuing through its early 21st century redeveloped mixed use neighborhoods, run the common threads of community identity, adaptability, and diversity. Rockville has retained and strengthened its hometown feel while its boundaries have expanded, and its population has increased in size and diversity. Rockville's neighborhoods are safe, inviting, attractive, and well maintained. The more recently built homes and additions are in harmony with surrounding older houses. Revitalization and redevelopment, where needed, are readily undertaken and achieved. The size and variety of the housing stock is adequate to the needs of a growing and changing population. There is a wide variety of housing types and styles, and an appropriate balance of owner-occupied and rental units. The housing stock includes a good supply of units affordable to seniors, first-time buyers, and the entire broad spectrum of the workforce. Our neighborhoods are pedestrian-friendly and physically connected to each other, as well as to parks, schools, stores, recreational facilities, and public transportation. They are safe places for individuals of all ages and from all walks of life; and a full range of high quality municipal services serves them equitably. While residents identify strongly with their own neighborhoods, they also feel connected to and care about the community as a whole. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
The most successful communities are those with a substantial portion of its citizens committed to working actively for the betterment of the community, and with multiple opportunities for citizens to exercise that commitment. In Rockville, there is a wide range of avenues through which citizens engage in civic and community life, including neighborhood and homeowners’ associations, non-profit organizations and voluntary associations of all stripes, philanthropic campaigns, and the City governments. Rockville encourages and practices two-way communication with its citizens, and provides meaningful and effective opportunities for all citizens to participate in the decisions that shape the community. Rockville is a place where citizens are provided with many opportunities to become fully informed about and to become actively engaged in their government and community. The City government fosters and maintains a wide variety of means for communicating with citizens, and provides opportunities for citizens to participate in government decisions, including volunteer service on boards, committees, commissions, and task forces. Citizen interest in local issues is widespread, and there is a high level of participation in community organizations and local government across all segments of the population. Citizens feel generally positive about, and are supportive of, the City government. The City uses all effective means to keep citizens informed of City activities, projects, policies, and issues. Citizens are encouraged to communicate their concerns and ideas and have confidence that they are being heard. Citizens from all walks of life, both new and long-time residents, enjoy access to a wide variety of effective ways to participate in and communicate with City government. Periodic surveys and other feedback mechanisms indicate that citizens feel they are well informed about and involved with their City government, including its Mayor and Council Members and staff. The leaders in the City’s neighborhood, homeowner and civic associations represent their communities effectively. They aim to further both the interests of their members and the common good of the community as a whole. The business community is also strongly civic-minded and actively involved in local government for the betterment of the community. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
The quality of a city's built environment is fundamental to the community's overall quality of life. Rockville has become a model for other communities in terms of the quality of its development. This has been achieved by holding development and redevelopment projects to high standards that are codified in the city’s innovative zoning ordinance and other land use regulations. New development exhibits more strongly than ever Rockville’s high standards. The areas within walking distance of the Rockville and Twinbrook Metro stations now offer residents and visitors the ultimate urban village experience, characterized by the following:
The momentum generated by the successful redevelopment of Town Center and Twinbrook Commons has stimulated the transformation of the entire length of Rockville Pike/355. Once a stark street lined with strip centers, big box stores, and immense surface parking lots, the Pike is becoming a handsome boulevard flanked by well designed and attractive commercial, office, and mixed-use redevelopment. It is enhanced with appealing streetscapes, parks and other green space, and safe and inviting pedestrian connections. Rockville is a leader in environmentally sustainable development that protects and enhances our community’s quality of life, and will continue to do so for future generations. Rockville residents, its local government, and the business community foster and apply sound environmental practices. High technology, energy conservation, and recycling are employed appropriately at every opportunity. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
Growth is sustainable only when there is sufficient infrastructure to support it. The requisite physical infrastructure of major utilities, transportation systems, schools, and many other facilities has been provided and maintained by a multitude of public and private entities. Even with high growth, public and private interests work in cooperative partnership. Plans and activities have been well coordinated both regionally and locally to ensure adequate infrastructure capacity exists presently, future infrastructure will be in place at the time it is needed, and all facilities are fully operational and maintained in excellent condition. Rockville values and actively welcomes revitalization of the existing community, but growth has only been permitted where and when there has been adequate school and traffic capacity. Much of Rockville’s through traffic is now on alternate routes such as the InterCounty Connector, Montrose Parkway, and Gude Drive. As growth has occurred in Rockville, the school capacity needed to support the new development and redevelopment has taken place. For its part, the City’s sidewalks and streets and intersections, water and sewer lines, street lighting, public buildings, and parks have caught up with and now keep pace with the community’s needs, and are maintained in excellent condition. The City is also strongly attentive to ensuring adequate infrastructure capacity will exist in the future to serve a growing community, and will be in place at the time it is needed. The City’s growth policies and strategies grasp fully the close interrelationships among land use, quality planning, private investment, economic development, fiscal policy, municipal infrastructure and services, environmental quality, and the City’s financial solvency. Policies and strategies also reflect a strong regional perspective and commitment. Rockville continues to play a leadership role in cooperating with and resolving issues with its partners. The City takes an active part in various alliances with other municipalities, Montgomery County, educational institutions, and the State of Maryland. These alliances focus most strongly on reducing peak hour traffic volumes, increasing transit accessibility and use, and ensuring schools are not overcrowded. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
Only a fiscally strong City government can maintain the public infrastructure and provide the variety of high quality municipal services required to sustain a superior quality of life for the community, and can do so despite local and regional financial disruptions, and other changes that place on it new demands. Rockville generates sufficient revenues to meet expenditures necessary to provide services required for the health, safety, and welfare of the community, and that our citizens desire. The City does not incur deficits, maintains General Fund cash reserves of at least 15%, and exhibits long-run solvency. Rockville's responsible past investments have garnered exceptional returns, which are reinforced by consistent sound fiscal policies and practices that ensure its ability to pay for all the costs of doing business well into the future. Economic development is focused on maintaining a diversified, balanced, and growing tax base that does not overburden homeowners. The public’s investment in Town Square has successfully stimulated the redevelopment and rejuvenation of the entire 60-acre Town Center, as well as other area of the City, without incurring new public debt. Developers contribute the full cost of infrastructure needed to support their projects, and Montgomery County is a full investment partner in the redevelopment and revitalization of the City. The City provides a full range of municipal services and facilities that are cost-effective, efficient, and well received by its citizens. The City government spends taxpayers’ dollars thoughtfully and is recognized widely as a good and responsible steward of the public’s resources. All City enterprise funds are strong and self-supporting, and a strong, diverse, and growing tax base sustains the General Fund. 2006-08 Vision Priorities:
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