Montco 2040 Comprehensive Plan

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Montgomery County adopted amendments to its new comprehensive plan, Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, on July 15, 2021. This nationally awarded plan focuses on the future of Montgomery County until the year 2040. The plan, which contains goals and a future land use plan, guides overall growth and development in the county.

Montco 2040: A Shared Vision provides an overall framework for local municipal plans and provides guidance on issues that transcend local boundaries, such as highways, public transportation, flooding, trails, growth trends, redevelopment trends, shopping needs, impact of large developments, overall housing needs, natural systems, and economic growth.

The most crucial element in creating the plan was public input. Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, which took approximately two years to complete, involved extensive outreach to citizens, businesses, organizations, community leaders, and municipal officials. These efforts included eight public meetings, presentations to interested groups, a survey completed by over 2,500 residents, a dynamic Website, videos, a webinar for municipal officials, a photo contest, wide distribution of draft plan versions, and a public hearing on the final draft plan.

The plan was also guided by a diverse 28-member steering committee, whose members invested a significant amount of time and contributed invaluable insight. The county and steering committee listened closely to the residents of Montgomery County in preparing the plan, which contains three major themes: Connected Communities, Sustainable Places, and Vibrant Economy.

Plan Update

Amendments to the plan were adopted in 2021. These amendments were minor and consisted primarily of map changes, with some updated text throughout—a result of local policy changes, transportation projects that have been completed, initiatives that started as a result of Montco 2040, and countywide development trends. There are no county policy changes. These amendments included:

  • Updates to our Development Potential and Future Land Use Plans
  • Updates to our Sewer Service Area and Water Service Area maps
  • Maps of the county’s proposed trail network, programmed transportation projects, and vision transportation projects


Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program

On March 3, 2016, the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners announced the Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program. The program is intended to assist municipalities in making targeted physical improvements that achieve real progress toward the goals listed in the themes of the comprehensive plan. In addition to this new grant program, the MCPC has been tracking Montco 2040’s implementation progress and is looking forward to the continual advancement of the comprehensive plan goals. Including the 2023 cycle, the grant program has awarded over $15.2 million to 127 grants in 53 municipalities in Montgomery County.

For additional information on Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, contact Anne Leavitt-Gruberger at 610-278-3727. 

Montco 2040 Implementation Updates