About Bowie Mill

Bowie Mill

The Bowie Mill Development Team was tasked with an interesting set of challenges when they submitted their proposal to Montgomery County in 2007 to develop 32 acres in Olney, Maryland. Their team needed to create an attractive community that complimented the natural assets of the land as well as the surrounding neighborhood. The development needed to provide much needed affordable and workforce housing for nurses, firefighters, police and other hard working families. Equally important was the need to build and sustain a strong sense of community among the new residents and to incorporate the new community into the existing neighborhood. The result is the new Bowie Mill community, providing affordable home ownership opportunities.

Description of the Community

The Bowie Mill community is proposed to consist of 114 for-sale homes on 32 acres in Olney. The essence of the plan is to create a community fabric through the use of numerous neighborhood nodes or center points. These nodes will serve as gathering places and they will take various forms. The Bowie Mill community will have active recreation for various age groups, an extensive walking trail system, and multiple seating and visiting areas. Additionally, there will be interconnectivity with the existing neighborhood by extending pathways through and near the project.

A majority of the homes are proposed to be located in the larger center and eastern area of the community. Only single family homes will be built along the border of this area, which is consistent with the adjacent neighborhood.

In the interior, there will be a mixture of single family detached and attached homes with the utilization of alley access in some areas to improve the neighborhood feel of the community. Homes in this section will be at least 300 feet from Bowie Mill Road and will be located on the far side of the protected and reforested stream valley buffer.

A small portion (twenty-seven) of the homes will be located in the northwest corner of the site, near Bowie Mill Road. The two community areas will be connected to each other and the adjacent neighborhoods through the construction of new sidewalks and trails, including the completion of an existing path system that is part of the adjacent neighborhood.

Environmental Preservation and Enhancement

The large stream valley area will be a central feature of the community. Extensive efforts will be made to protect and enhance this natural asset. Montgomery County Forest Conservation Law requires that 1 acres of trees be planted but the Bowie Mill plan will reforest an additional 3 acres to enhance the stream valley utilizing volunteers from the Montgomery County Community Services Projects program. The trail system through the buffer will connect the two neighborhoods of the community. Much of the stream valley perimeter will be open and visible to the entire community, not hidden and inaccessible behind houses.

The site is being designed and will be developed in accordance with the new storm management standards. The new requirements are much more stringent than the standards under which neighboring communities were developed.

Recreation

Environmental and Recreational Opportunities

The site will offer a variety of recreation activities including a half basketball court, open play areas and tot lots.

The site plan capitalizes on the natural assets of the property. It features extensive open space, landscaping and reforestation. The pedestrian walking paths will complement the stream valley area and allow it to be open and visible to the entire community, not hidden and inaccessible behind houses.

The plan provides the connecting links for the pathway constructed in the adjacent neighborhood. The plan also links external sidewalks to improve access amongst and throughout the existing community to schools, parks, and public transportation. The open space in the Bowie Mill community has been strategically located to be along the interconnecting path so that both the new and existing residents can enjoy the feeling of open space as they walk through the neighborhood.

Household Income Information

Bowie Mill

40% of the homes will be offered at market rate pricing.

30% of the homes will be Workforce Housing with family incomes up to $123,000. Workforce Housing will be priced from $231,000 to $361,100.

30% of the homes will be MPDU (Moderately Priced Dwelling Units) up to family income of $72,000 (for family of 4). MPDU pricing will be based on Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs guidelines at time of offering.

Housing Types

The Bowie Mill Development Team is proposing 114 homes with a mixture of detached and attached housing.
      37 Detached homes with front garages
      20 Detached homes with rear garages
      12 Town homes with garages (front and rear)
      45 Town homes with surface parking