Thrive 2050
Image: Montgomery Planning
We WON! After over three years of advocacy, it’s done. On October 26, the Montgomery County Council passed Thrive 2050, which is now the new general plan for the county. You and your neighbors have sent thousands of emails to Planning Commissioners and County Councilmembers, testified multiple times, and attended dozens of meetings. You have taken action again and again, and the County Council listened.
Thrive is an overwhelming success. It unabashedly embraces smart growth as the best way to grow to provide opportunities for everyone while fighting climate change. It envisions a network of complete communities connected by green boulevards with a range of housing opportunities for people of all backgrounds. It recommits to the county’s Agricultural Reserve and seeks to create a world-class transit system that is safe, efficient, and sustainable. With Thrive, we can all thrive in Montgomery County.
Our Partners
Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers
Not only is Thrive the right direction, but it’s popular
In a poll, 55% of likely Democratic voters expressed support for Thrive, with strongest support from Black or African Americans, people under 45, and renters. In a questionnaire, over 60% of BIPOC survey respondents said Thrive “absolutely fits” their vision for where the county should be going.
Residents also support the ideas in Thrive. In another poll, 61% of respondents supported the construction of duplexes, townhomes, and/or apartments in their own neighborhood and 76% supported redesigning roads to prioritize safety over vehicle speeds.
Why do we need a new general plan? The general plan was last comprehensively update in 1969, and our county has changed and grown a lot since then. The way we’ve grown has worsened climate change by exacerbating sprawl and entrenching existing racial and economic segregation that was created through redlining, zoning, and restrictive covenants. The county’s demographics are also significantly different than a few decades ago. Over the next 30 years, our built environment must adapt to an aging population, smaller household sizes, and increased multigenerational living.
Where we live and how we get around is core to everything — it impacts our health; social networks; and access to jobs, food, daycare, schools, and more. By adjusting how we grow to use land more efficiently and make more neighborhoods affordable to more families, we can improve sustainability, inclusivity, quality of life, and access to opportunity for everyone.
Our role: Montgomery for All first came together in 2019 to create a platform for what we wanted to see in Thrive 2050. A draft of the plan was approved by the Planning Board in April 2021. Throughout 2021 and 2022, we advocated to the County Council to maintain the Planning Board’s bold vision, while making it even stronger. After years of advocacy, Thrive 2050 passed in October 2022!
What’s next? After winning our vision in Thrive 2050, Montgomery for All’s advocacy will ensure that the general plan is implemented as rapidly, effectively, and equitably as possible. To make Thrive a reality will require changing what we allow to be built in certain places, investing more in transit and affordable housing, redesigning our roadways to be safe for all users, and much more.
Advocacy Resources
Action Alert: Email the County Council to Pass Thrive’s Vision! (Fall 2022)
Thrive 2050 Advocacy Guide for County Council Public Hearing
Video: Testimony Writing Workshop
Montgomery for All’s Thrive 2050 Platform
Background Resources
Most recent draft of Thrive: PHED Committee Draft
Participant Packet: Courageous Conversations on Housing, Land Use, and Racism
We won! Montgomery County Council passes Thrive 2050
After over three years of advocacy, it’s done. On October 26, the Montgomery County Council passed Thrive 2050, which is now the new general plan for the county.
TAKE ACTION: Tell the County Council to Pass Thrive’s Vision!
It's time for the County Council's to review and officially approve the plan this fall before the end of their term. Use this form to tell your councilmembers that you support a vision for Montgomery County that is more affordable, equitable, sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous!
All About Thrive: Part 4 - Missing Middle Housing
“Missing middle housing.” “Attainable housing.” “Multiplexes.” What does it all mean?
In short, we’re talking about different types of buildings. A building in most neighborhoods is only allowed to house one family — this is a single family home. There are other types of buildings people live in, such as townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and small multifamily buildings that contain between 5 to 12 homes.
All About Thrive: Part 3 - Housing
Thrive’s housing chapter is titled “Housing for All: More of Everything,” and approaches housing will a “both/and” mindset, rather than “either/or.”
Poll finds Thrive has majority support
A new poll from Data for Progress shows that Thrive Montgomery 2050 enjoys 55% support from residents and likely Democratic voters, with only 21% in opposition. The largest margins of support come from Black or African American residents (73%), people under 45 (62%), and renters (61%).
All About Thrive: Part 2 - Land Use and Growth
Thrive says the county should concentrate growth in downtowns, town centers, rural villages, and along major transportation corridors. They call this “compact growth,” as opposed to sprawl. Thrive says, “The intensity of development along these corridors should be aligned with the urban, suburban, and rural context and calibrated to account for existing or planned transit and other transportation infrastructure.”
All About Thrive: Part 1 - What is Thrive?
Join us for our "All About Thrive" series over the next few months to help people learn more about Thrive 2050, Montgomery County's new general plan. Through emails (not too many!), blog posts, events, and social media, we'll dig into Thrive.
Joint Statement on Office of Legislative Oversight Initial Racial Equity and Social Justice Review of Thrive 2050
The Coalition for Smarter Growth, Montgomery for All, Audubon Naturalist Society, Montgomery Housing Alliance, and Washington Area Bicyclist Association respond to the County Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight initial racial equity and social justice review of Thrive 2050
Letter from 13 organizations asks Council President Albornoz to move forward on Thrive 2050
The thirteen undersigned organizations urge Council President Albornoz to expeditiously schedule work sessions and a vote on Thrive Montgomery 2050 to follow the regional citizens advisory board listening sessions and conclude prior to the County Council’s work on the operating budget.
Take Action: Support Thrive 2050!
Take action here! Use the form to tell your councilmembers that you support a vision for Montgomery County that is more affordable, equitable, sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous!
Regional Citizens Advisory Boards meet to discuss Thrive this month
Council President Albornoz has delayed further Council consideration of Thrive in order to solicit additional feedback from the regional Citizens Advisory Boards (CABs). The East County and Silver Spring CAB meetings were held previously in the month, but Mid-County, Upcounty, and Western Montgomery County have upcoming meetings.
County Council listening sessions show majority support Thrive
The County Council has held two listening sessions on Thrive 2050, in addition to the two public hearings held last summer. Over the course of the two listening sessions — held November 30 and December 14 — there were 85 speakers, 48 of whom testified in support of Thrive.
Thrive 2050 Approved by County Council PHED Committee Unanimously
The County Council’s Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee has approved a new draft of Thrive 2050 in a unanimous vote. The PHED draft of Thrive is available to read here.
Thrive 2050 Fact Sheet
We partnered with several organizations to bring you a fact sheet that addresses some of the top concerns regarding Thrive 2050. View the fact sheet here: bit.ly/thrive-facts