Damascus Residents for Responsible Development is a citizen group of people who live or own property in Damascus and want to stay engaged in how our town grows.
We are not opposed to development in Damascus. We recognize that smart growth can bring needed housing, services, and economic opportunity. What we ask for is development that aligns with the master plan, reflects the real needs of our community, and prioritizes safety, quality, and long-term sustainability. We support responsible development because growth, when done thoughtfully, strengthens a community rather than strains it.
Density should follow the master plan's guidance, not the zoning ceiling. The town center's 15 to 20 units-per-acre guidance exists so growth fits the town. A project at 36 units an acre on usable land is not what the plan envisioned for that ground.
Buildings should be town-scale, oriented toward streets, and compatible in scale, height, and proportion with adjoining neighborhoods. A suburban apartment bar with its parking lot facing the main road does not meet the plan's design expectations.
Schools, roads, transit, and stormwater must be able to absorb growth before it is approved. An elementary school at 126 percent of capacity, a weekday-only bus, and one curb cut onto a 22,000-vehicle road are facts a plan has to answer.
Applications should be accurate and complete: one unit count, one owner, correct categories, signed forms. A file that contradicts itself on who is applying and what is proposed cannot be the basis for a decision that reshapes a neighborhood.
Review should happen in the open, with agency corrections answered and the record complete. Nine months, two extensions, and zero revised plans is not a process working as intended. The public deserves a file it can read and a timeline it can follow.
Responsible development means buildings constructed to high standards, infrastructure that can support growth, and decision-making guided by transparency. Done right, development enhances Damascus while preserving the character, safety, and livability residents value.
The Planning Board will decide the fate of the 107-unit proposal by January 28, 2027. The strongest thing any resident can do is show up informed. Here is how.
The Burdette cases are Preliminary Plan 120260020, Site Plan 820260020, and Forest Conservation Plan F20250430. Board agendas and staff reports are posted at montgomeryplanning.org. When the hearing is scheduled, your presence and testimony matter.
Most of Damascus has never seen the filings. Share the case and the investigation with neighbors, community groups, and anyone who drives Ridge Road.
Find meeting announcements and contact Damascus Residents for Responsible Development at the group's website: damascusfrd.wixsite.com/damascusfrd.