Comprehensive Map Amendment FAQs

For a full list of FAQs, including questions and answers related to the ongoing associated Zoning Ordinance Rewrite, and to “subscribe” for project updates, visit engagerockville.com/zoningrewrite

A Comprehensive Map Amendment (CMA) is a legislative process that changes to the city’s official zoning map to better reflect community needs and land use goals. A CMA alters the zoning classifications (or “rezones”) properties within a jurisdiction. In Rockville, only some of the city’s properties are recommended to be rezoned, while many of the properties will be recommended to retain the same zoning they already have so the existing zoning will be confirmed. The CMA will help to align the city’s zoning with the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

A new zoning map will be adopted – but not until it has gone through a public review process, along with the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite. For more information on the process and how to be involved, see the question, “How do I get involved in the Comprehensive Map Amendment process?”

Comprehensively amending the city’s zoning map will help to align the city’s zoning with the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan and make it simpler to administer the city’s zoning ordinance. A limited number of rezonings are recommended for one of two reasons:

1. The Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan recommends a change in land use for the property, which also requires a change to the zone that applies to a property. During the preparation of the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, all properties in the City were reviewed and considered for future zoning changes to reflect changing community needs and allow for desired land uses. Properties that were determined to be appropriate for such zoning changes were identified in the Plan. However, because the Plan is a guiding policy document and not a legal mechanism, it recommended and did not implement the recommended changes in zone. These recommended rezonings have already been vetted with the community through the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan process; now, the CMA will legally implement these recommendations. 
2. City staff and their consultants recommend consolidating two zones into one. In limited cases, city staff is recommending to consolidate one zone with another. This is intended to eliminate redundancy and make it simpler to understand and administer the city’s zoning ordinance. In these instances where a zone is going away, the properties that are currently within that zone will be recommended for rezoning to another zone. 

3) Does the Comprehensive Map Amendment affect what individuals can do with their property?

The Comprehensive Map Amendment (CMA) will change the city’s official zoning map. Zoning regulates what structures and land are used for, where a structure may be located on a lot, and how big structures can be. It also regulates other elements of site development, such as forest and tree preservation, accessory structures, parking, and the processes by which new development can be approved.

The CMA will not prevent an owner from exercising their rights to use and enjoy their property; however, if a rezoning is recommended for your property, that could impact the type of uses that are allowed, as well as how the site can be developed in the future. 

No, the city is not taking any properties; and the city also is not exercising eminent domain. The Comprehensive Map Amendment will not result in any changes in property ownership or directly impact property ownership in any way. 

No, the Comprehensive Map Amendment will not change the school(s) your child currently attends or is planned to attend in the future. The City of Rockville’s land use zoning does not impact the school attendance clusters defined by Montgomery County Public Schools.

No, the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite and Comprehensive Map Amendment does not impact elections or election processes. The City of Rockville’s land use zoning does not impact elections and election processes as administered by the City Clerk’s office in accordance with State and local law.

The CMA is a legislative process. The Mayor and Council of the City of Rockville must make the final decision to approve, alter, or deny any of the changes recommended by the Comprehensive Map Amendment. Until the Mayor and Council make a decision to approve the changes proposed by the CMA, these changes will not take effect.

Although other boards and commissions, such as the city’s Planning Commission, may review and make recommendations for the CMA, only the Mayor and Council has the authority to enact an ordinance implementing the changes proposed by the CMA.

There will be many opportunities for property owners to engage with the city throughout the process before the CMA is considered by the Mayor and Council for final approval.

Before the new zoning map is adopted, city staff will host workshops for the general public and present recommendations to the Planning Commission and Mayor and Council. There will be a public hearing with associated comment period that will provide a platform for community members to voice their opinions and ask questions. The public hearing will occur during the “Adoption” portion of the process, which is planned to occur from summer 2025 to spring 2026. 

The CMA is proceeding on the same timeline as the Zoning Ordinance Rewrite.