[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6330844,"mediaKeyId","2313316-58f986aae5f9bf35c645dbe2fd4fa7e1","parentId",2313316,"title","Germantown presents concept for 55‑acre ‘Premier’ sports and recreation complex; seeks TDEC grant and private partner","audioSeconds",4355,"startMs",3010000,"endMs",7365000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2313316-58f986aae5f9bf35c645dbe2fd4fa7e1&start=3010&end=7365","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2313316-58f986aae5f9bf35c645dbe2fd4fa7e1/thumbnail_3010000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6330844/Germantown-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Germantown-presents-concept-for-55acre-Premier-sports-and-recreation-complex-seeks-TDEC-grant-and-private-partner","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330844-550b2aadb544521141ee1aa94cb6aa22/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190524&Signature=eW0oGi96u9T7CkXN0sbMSw1El1HL00ZPn6-eHWARrxWQbi0Z3b89gMEG8o38~ETkdqy0Qy~ZzwHmW-wHVvhLc9ZLHuFbvlTSOOWbIqWkYfCJgnOCEYzq-GKDX6mDE9cW9EDffxzdGbh0DJq-wazzZ1klW65tqDmijYxTfPEVT0GgbeFiIVjjevv7IXNlmnofesUdVdqiXAXG1MC0hii5WhlwQQqzEzGpsAlEEOAf65NGzr8yvRQ90tZWC759QPoZv16F45ZeMbKo2nJS3KYr5036YFfKLkEpH6zkz~bM8vkX5es6cOBJmHUM4xar8rStFIcwwDxakQBlX6Z-zVGWBA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Germantown City, MD","date","2025-02-04T00:00:00Z","article","City of Germantown staff on Feb. 4 presented a conceptual master plan and public‑engagement briefing for a proposed Premier Sports & Recreation Complex on a 55‑plus‑acre site near Winchester Road and Forest Hill‑Irene Road.

Assistant City Administrator Andy Sanders told the Planning Commission the city acquired about 46 acres for the site in 2021 and that an adjacent 6.5 acres was later added through donation. The concept presented includes multiple multipurpose synthetic turf fields, six “pee‑wee” synthetic fields, a roughly 100,000‑square‑foot indoor facility, pavilions, an elevated boardwalk through restored wetlands and roughly two miles of trail.

The city is pursuing a competitive grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and plans to request $10 million; Sanders said the city’s planned match for the grant year is about $3.3 million. Sanders said TDEC indicated that costs the city has already incurred for land acquisition, attorney and development fees may be eligible to count toward the required match. Sanders also said the city’s match could include private development dollars or donations, such as naming rights tied to the private partner.

The city solicited a private development partner through an RFP released Jan. 3; staff said they held a pre‑proposal meeting with seven respondents and that proposals are due Feb. 17. The private partner would be expected to operate portions of the complex and could provide revenue‑generating amenities such as concessions, indoor courts and event management.

Sanders highlighted stormwater and wetland work as a core component of the site concept. He said two culverts that carry runoff from the site onto the West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery property are currently undersized; staff are coordinating with the cemetery on upgrades. The plan proposes a natural‑detention feature and wetland enhancements to restore ecological function while keeping pre‑ and post‑development runoff volumes balanced.

A consultant’s pro forma cited by staff (Sports Facilities Associates) estimated annual sports‑tourism economic impact of about $30 million for the facility, a figure Sanders presented as part of a broader economic case for pursuing outside funding and a private operator to minimize local taxpayer burden.

The presentation described a three‑year performance and build timeline tied to the grant schedule: FY2026 for planning and design, FY2027 for major construction and FY2028 for finish, marketing and grand‑opening activities. Sanders said TDEC’s grant application is due April 1 and that staff are continuing stakeholder engagement and engineering design to support the grant application.

Commissioners and members of the public asked questions about trail connectivity and bike lanes, restroom and amenity placement, the potential for pickleball or tennis courts, how the project would serve older residents and whether the indoor facility could host basketball or volleyball tournaments. Sanders and staff said the indoor facility programing will be shaped in part by the private development partner and the final design and that the concept remains flexible.

Public comment included Dr. Poe Adams, who praised the concept as a regional economic asset and urged support. Commissioners generally expressed support while noting the project’s complexity, funding dependencies and the need to coordinate drainage improvements with the adjacent cemetery and to finalize development‑partner terms.

No formal action or vote was taken; staff characterized the meeting as an early public‑engagement presentation required for the TDEC application and said subsequent design work, stakeholder outreach and an RFP selection process will follow.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission\t- Feb 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a conceptual plan for a 55+‑acre Premier Sports & Recreation Complex focused on multipurpose synthetic fields, an indoor facility and wetland enhancements. The city is pursuing a $10 million TDEC grant (with a $3.3 million match) and has issued an RFP for a private development/operator partner.","taxTitle","Germantown City, Montgomery County, Maryland","taxId",27357,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6330851,"Germantown planning commission approves Starbucks drive‑through at Exeter Village with design exceptions",4723,234000,4957000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2313316-58f986aae5f9bf35c645dbe2fd4fa7e1&start=234&end=4957","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2313316-58f986aae5f9bf35c645dbe2fd4fa7e1/thumbnail_234000.jpg","/articles/6330851/Germantown-City/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Germantown-planning-commission-approves-Starbucks-drivethrough-at-Exeter-Village-with-design-exceptions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6330851-303ad5e906f156035f446edaecb2c13e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771190524&Signature=JlDQE6q0TYiQ89EpxDrBXsbXDoazrJsLUyp4B6g8GIZl1fOaPTu5TdTz35H-5aboq8i1YfeA-VMedpj95cgebcZ-Jwfjesg7nDt5IQDi~rYCOJQbYfuo4-Agsa1lhzfWWpiBRYV5mXu1ekb7uAe3j03K3Yy3eCVF9cK2~01lkVc5~QSIijJt-3NFeEj08lPpRGP8~gKCSQc~D43cnezyBX1Sxqt8QXDJXAysatWPVGkD889-lWwurSi1Zp0k4rYVT9QJoohtWyB14m7xhciSof8V4BReic~R~AmUECAjFt1otre1eduybLmifZt0wXNtCqLs2ReQq8p-L0CUM79owg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Germantown Planning Commission on Feb. 4 approved a revised final plan to add a new Starbucks drive‑through at Exeter Village Shopping Center, 2055 Exeter Road.

The vote was 6–2 to approve the 2,450‑square‑foot outbuilding, a requested parking reduction for the overall shopping center and five justified design alternatives under the city’s smart‑code overlay. Chairman John McCreery presided over the meeting; Commissioner Bacon made the motion to approve.

The vote matters because the project is proposed under the city’s Urban Center T5 overlay (the “smart code”) even though the existing center remains zoned SC‑1 (shopping center). Staff said redevelopment must comply with the overlying T5 rules and that Starbucks’ plan requires exceptions where strict code standards do not fit the context.

Planning manager Ms. Goroleski told the commission the building will occupy a former parking area and that the applicant is asking for roughly an eight‑space parking reduction for the center. She said the Starbucks itself is designed at about 2,400–2,450 square feet and will include a drive‑through queuing lane that the applicant’s materials show can hold about 16 vehicles in a stack.

Adam Lightman, who identified himself as the shopping‑center owner, said the tenant and owner had evaluated alternatives for sidewalks and switchbacks but found the cost prohibitive. “It was approximately a hundred thousand dollars, depending on retaining walls,” Lightman said of the pedestrian‑access options he described as deal‑killers for the project’s budget.

Matthew Langham, the site civil engineer with Kimley‑Horn and Associates, said the company verified the store‑design team’s queuing assumptions in coordination with Starbucks. “For this site…16 that they’re expecting,” Langham said when asked about the stack length the tenant anticipates during peak hours. He also described the order‑point location: “the order point at the seventh car,” which the applicant and engineer said is Starbucks’ standard for efficient throughput.

Commissioners and staff focused much of the discussion on three topics: (1) pedestrian access from Exeter Road and the existing sidewalk to the proposed storefront (the smart‑code intent is to provide frontage access to the street); (2) whether drive‑through queuing could spill into the center’s internal access aisles or onto Exeter; and (3) site grade and visibility. Staff said there is about a 7–8‑foot grade difference between Exeter Road and the proposed building footprint and that an existing landscaped berm will screen some views from the street.

Police and engineering comments were discussed but, according to the record, some questions about vehicle sightlines and safety remained unresolved and were to be addressed by the applicant’s engineer as the design advances. Staff told the commission that, if approved, the project would next go to the Design Review Commission and then to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen before construction‑plan review.

The approved justifiable design alternatives (JDAs) addressed five areas that staff said do not fit the strict code interpretation in this context: principal building entrance orientation (fronting the interior shopping center rather than Exeter Road), facade transparency (opaque spandrel glass permitted along frontage because of back‑of‑house uses), the conditional nature of the drive‑through, an outbuilding setback reduction (code requires 40 feet; proposed setback is roughly 20 feet), and modification of the street‑screen requirement because a landscape berm and grade change provide screening. The commission’s approval authorized those exceptions as part of the final plan.

The formal action listed in the record: motion to approve a revised final plan, Phase 4 (Exeter Village/Farmington Shopping Center) for a new outbuilding Starbucks (approx. 2,450 sq ft), a parking reduction for the overall center, and the five requested JDAs, “subject to the conditions, general requirements, tax comments listed above, and the plans and documents submitted with the application.” Commissioner Bacon moved the motion; a second was recorded as “not specified” in the meeting minutes. Roll‑call votes recorded in the meeting transcript were: Clark (yes), Sisson (yes), Bacon (yes), Levy (yes), Sloan (yes), Jacobs (no), Alderman Salvaggio (no), Chairman McCreery (yes). Tally: yes 6, no 2.

Commissioners who voted no cited pedestrian‑access and public‑safety concerns related to sightlines and the drive‑through stacking; those voting yes said staff and the applicant had studied several alternatives and that the proposed design fit the site context and smart‑growth goals for the area.

Next steps: the applicant will proceed to Design Review Commission and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for additional approvals and construction‑plan review. Staff and the applicant must provide the additional engineering detail referenced in staff comments ahead of BMA review.

Votes at a glance

• Revised final plan to add a Starbucks outbuilding (approx. 2,450 sq ft), parking reduction for Exeter Village Shopping Center, and five JDAs — Approved, 6–2 (mover: Commissioner Bacon; second: not specified).","The commission approved a revised final plan to add a roughly 2,450‑square‑foot Starbucks with a drive‑through at Exeter Village Shopping Center, granting five justified design alternatives and a parking reduction. Commissioners debated pedestrian access, drive‑through queuing and site grading before a 6–2 vote.","actionData","errors"]

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Germantown presents concept for 55‑acre ‘Premier’ sports and recreation complex; seeks TDEC grant and private partner

Germantown planning commission approves Starbucks drive‑through at Exeter Village with design exceptions