Rockville’s Mayor and Council voted unanimously on June 29, 2026 to adopt a comprehensive overhaul of the city’s zoning ordinance and zoning map, capping a multi-year effort to modernize how development, housing, and business growth occur across the city. The new rules take effect August 1, 2026.

The rewrite, which implements goals from the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, is the city’s first full update to its zoning code since 2009. This followed nearly three years of drafting and public engagement, including five work sessions each with the Planning Commission and Mayor and Council and close to 300 public comments.

For the business community, the new ordinance introduces several notable changes. It streamlines the development review and subdivision process, aligning with the city’s broader FAST initiative to make permitting faster, more accountable, and more transparent. It also allows a wider range of business types in appropriate locations, eliminates or reduces minimum parking requirements, and increases allowable building heights in transit-oriented areas. These changes are expected to ease the path for new commercial investment and infill development.The ordinance also expands opportunities for “missing middle” housing types, such as multiplexes and cottage courts, supporting a broader mix of options for the local workforce.

City officials describe the update as a foundational step toward accommodating Rockville’s continued growth while keeping development rules clear, predictable, and easier to navigate for businesses and property owners alike.

More information on the adopted ordinance and map, including the full legislative text, is available at engagerockville.com/zoningrewrite.