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. 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.  

In many ways, this journey has been about the friends we’ve made along the way. To help advocate for a strong general plan, smart growth leaders around the county came together to form Montgomery for All and a platform for the new general plan. Montgomery for All has grown into an organization of over 100 members passionate about making their neighborhoods more welcoming, affordable, and sustainable. This community-led branch of the Coalition for Smarter Growth will continue moving forward smart growth and implementing Thrive’s ambitious vision. If you are not already a member of Montgomery for All, you can become one today.

Thank you for your time, energy, and advocacy to make a strong, urbanist Thrive 2050 a reality. We plan to work tirelessly with you and our partner organizations to bring Thrive’s vision to life. Just this next year will include the Silver Spring Communities Plan, University Boulevard Master Plan, and more, along with a new County Council. Your support is critical — we couldn’t do this work without you.