Friendship Heights Sector Plan Committee

Chevy Chase Village Ad Hoc Friendship Heights Sector Plan Committee Meeting Minutes of Meeting Friday, November 14, 2025 @ 1:30 PM The Ad Hoc Friendship Heights Sector Plan Committee (“Committee”) met on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at 8:00 pm (at Village Hall). The Committee members in attendance were Jonathan Halperin (Chair), Allison DiGiovanni, and William Van Horne. The Committee discussed and held over approval of minutes from its November 5 meeting. A Committee member will plan to attend the Tuesday, November 18 webinar on the Friendship Heights Sector Plan. Montgomery Planning and Montgomery Parks staff will present a summary of feedback received from community engagement, which began in November 2024. On Thursday, November 20, Planning and Parks staff will brief the Planning Board with a similar presentation summarizing engagement feedback and takeaways. The Committee noted that on Monday, November 10 the Village of Friendship Heights sent a letter to the Montgomery County Planning Department with their recommendations for new amenities to be included in the updated Friendship Heights Sector Plan. Recommendations included a public library and performing arts center; a public park with children’s play areas and dog parks; and an aquatic center and tennis complex. The Committee discussed conducting a more extensive survey to solicit input from residents on what they would like Friendship Heights to look like in the future, using pictures and/or text. The survey could occur in early January 2026, with the use of an e-mail blast to residents and then mail stuffers in homes that did not participate in the digital survey. Survey questions could solicit input on issues such as: density; residential housing; commercial properties; public spaces and parks; retail establishments; transportation; and lodging. The committee discussed the importance of presenting either or both text and pictures in ways that both encourage participation and avoid false promises of what might be possible. Given the tight timeframe to organize, conduct, and analyze a new survey, the Committee will now endeavor to meet on a weekly basis going forward. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2:45 pm. 1