Washington Grove City Zoning Code

For the purposes of this Article, the following zoning districts, or zones, are established. Each zone is identified by a symbol, for use on the zoning maps, and by a descriptive title. The symbols, the titles, and the sequence in which the zones are arranged in this list or elsewhere in the Article are not intended to establish or imply any rank or succession among the zones nor any superiority or precedence of any zone over any other.

A. In this section, “Restrictive Covenants” means a set of three restrictive covenants imposed on property by the Town (or its predecessor in title, the Washington Grove Association of the District of Columbia and Maryland) by way of a deed that includes:
(1) building cost restrictions;
(2) mercantile/manufacturing/mechanical use restrictions; and
(3) racially-based restrictions on who may own an interest in property.

B. The Restrictive Covenants are terminated.

C. The Mayor of the Town is hereby authorized, at the request of an owner of property burdened by the Restrictive Covenants, to execute on behalf of the Town a legal instrument suitable for recordation in the land records of Montgomery County if the instrument:
(1) reflects the Town’s termination of the Restrictive Covenants; and
(2) is prepared by and recorded in the land records at the owners’ expense.

2.111 In each zone any tract of land and any building or other structure may be used for any purpose permitted for the zone as set forth in Sections 7.2, 8.2, 8.21, and 10.21 of this Article in which such building, structure, or tract of land is located, and for no other purpose except as specified in Section 5. Any use which is not specifically indicated as being permitted in a zone is prohibited. Each proposed use for construction, alteration or addition to any building must conform to all regulations for the zone, and to all other applicable regulations of this Article and other applicable laws.

2.112 Every building hereafter erected shall be located on a lot as defined in Section 4.2.

2.113 Not more than one main building consisting of one dwelling unit shall be located on any one lot.

No building or structure shall be erected, moved or structurally altered to exceed in height the limit designated for the zone as set forth in Section 9 of this Article in which such building or structure is located, except as otherwise provided in Section 3.31.

2.131 No building or structure shall be erected, moved or structurally altered, nor shall any open space be encroached upon or reduced in any manner, except in conformity with the regulations designated herein for the zone as set forth in Section 9 of this Article in which such building or open space is located.

2.132 No yard or other open space allocated to any building for the purpose of complying with the provisions of this Article shall, by virtue of subdivision of land, change of ownership, or for any other reason, be considered as a yard or open space for any other building; and no yard or other open space on one lot shall be considered as a yard or open space for a building on any other lot.

2.133 No lot shall be divided into two or more lots or portions of lots in such manner as to cause any building to be in violation of any of the regulations of the zone in which it is located. Whenever a lot containing one or more buildings is subdivided or re subdivided, the portion on which the building or buildings stand shall be recorded as one or more lots of sufficient size and dimensions to satisfy the requirements of the zone in which the land is located.

2.134 All yards and courts required by this Article shall be open and unobstructed to the sky, except as otherwise provided in Section 3.32.

FR Zone

RR 1 Residential, One Family, Detached
RR 2 Residential, One Family, Detached
RR-3 Residential, One Family, Detached
RR-4 Residential, One Family, Detached

C L Zone (Local Commercial)

The location and boundaries of zones established by this Article are shown on a Plat recorded among the Land Records of Montgomery County, Maryland, entitled “Corporate Limits and Zoning Map of the Town of Washington Grove, Maryland”, signed by the Mayor of the Town, which plat and or map is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Article.

Information copies of the Zoning Map should be made available for inspection and reference by the public. [Note that the current information copy is here (PDF)]

Whenever changes are made in zone boundaries or other matter portrayed on the Zoning Map, in accordance with the provisions of Section 13, they should be promptly indicated on each of the information copies.

Regardless of the indications appearing on the information copy or any other copy or purported copy of the Zoning Map which may be made from time to time, the final authority as to the current status of any land is the set of maps referred to in Section 2.31 together with any subsequent amendments applicable to such land.