Development Review Process

The City of Rockville’s review process of proposed developments ensures they comply with the city’s regulations, including those for land uses, engineering, utilities, transportation, stormwater management, tree preservation, adequate facilities, and public art.

The process is intended to help ensure the health and welfare of residents and achieve high-quality development that complies with the design regulations of the Rockville City Code and addresses the needs of the surrounding community. These procedures govern all development projects, except single-unit, detached residences. The Citizen’s Guide to Development Review provides an overview of this process, and additional information can be found in the Development Review Procedures Manual.

Developers should visit the Apply for Planning, Forestry, or Historic District Review page to find the relevant applications for their projects. Use our address finder at rockvillemd.gov/services to determine if the property is within Rockville city limits. If the property is not within city limits, but is located within the city’s maximum expansion limits, the developer can apply for an annexation petition.

Phases

The development review process includes four phases: pre-submission, application, public meeting, and decision. As outlined in the Zoning Ordinance, city staff review applications for compliance, and surrounding neighborhoods, property owners, and businesses review and comment on proposed plans.

Review Levels

The Zoning Ordinance outlines three levels of development review based on the project’s size and potential impact. Each project is assigned points based on acreage, number of dwelling units, square footage of non-residential space, residential area impact, and traffic impact. Depending on the number of points earned, or the specific type of project, a project will require one of the following levels of review:

• Site Plan Level 1: Review by the chief of zoning.
• Site Plan Level 2: Review and final action by the Planning Commission at one meeting.
• Project Plan: Review and recommendation by the Planning Commission and review and final action by the Mayor and Council.

Meetings in Application Phases

The development review process requires that neighborhood area meetings be conducted for certain types of development applications. The post-application area meeting allows for a neighborhood to review formal application materials submitted to the city and provide feedback to the applicant team.

City staff attend post-application area meetings to respond to questions about the application review process and timing. Upcoming meetings are listed on individual Development Watch project pages or on the city calendar. View instructions on how to attend virtual meetings.

The Development Review Committee (DRC) is comprised of representatives from city departments with expertise in planning, zoning, forestry, transportation, stormwater management, utilities, housing, recreation and park facilities, and more. During DRC meetings, members provide comments to project applicants related to compliance with applicable codes and requirements. Members of the public are welcome to attend and view DRC meetings, however these meetings are not public hearings, and there is no public participation.

Public Meeting Phase

Community members can get involved by attending public meetings held by the city’s Mayor and Council, Planning Commission, Historic District Commission, and Board of Appeals to learn more, ask questions, and express opinions about potential projects. Visit the Development Watch page for status updates on major development projects in the city.

Application Requirements

All general planning, forestry, and Historic District Commission applications must be submitted online through MGO Connect (MGOC). Emailed applications for items such as site plans, project plans, plats, special exceptions, variances, historic preservation, and others, will no longer be accepted. 

MGO Connect features a customer dashboard that allows for online payment as well as convenient tracking of projects through the process. New users can create an account by visiting rockvillemd.gov/mgoconnect and clicking “New Account” in the top menu bar.

More information about application requirements can be found on the Apply for Planning, Forestry, or Historic District Review page.

Additional Requirements

Each new development in Rockville must meet additional requirements, including for adequate public facilities, transportation, forest and tree preservation, and publicly accessible art.

Adequate Public Facilities Standards

New developments are required to perform studies to determine if the capacity of certain public facilities could accommodate new development and redevelopment.

Comprehensive Transportation Review

The Comprehensive Transportation Review provides technical guidelines to analyze and report the effects of new development on transportation facilities.

Forest and Tree Preservation

The preservation of Rockville’s urban forests should be considered at the earliest stages of development.

Publicly Accessible Art in Private Development Program

Most private development projects within the city must include an expenditure for a publicly accessible art project.