The Surrounding Community
Below you can find out more on the greater community Somerset belongs to including information on just some of our neighboring communities & our work within that greater community.The Town of Somerset is fortunate to not only have a wonderful community of Somerset residents but also belong to an amazing surrounding community of both incorporated & unincorporated communities. Somerset works to cultivate great relations with all our neighbors including not only these communities but also the County. One way this can be seen is through our participation on community groups such as the Montgomery County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League or the Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights. In addition, the Town of Somerset has played an active role in the surrounding community such as through our input on Thrive Montgomery 2050, the County's comprehensive plan, & nearby development.
NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES
To the North of Somerset is the Village of Drummond
The Village of Drummond was established in 1916 as a self-governing special taxing district located in Montgomery County, Maryland. They are a small, 43-home community. Drummond is located off of Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, a 12-minute walk north of Friendship Heights and the District of Columbia border, & a 20-minute walk south of downtown Bethesda, Maryland. A three-member Citizens’ Committee, composed of Mayor, Secretary, & Treasurer, governs the Village & is elected annually by Village residents.
More information on the Village of Drummond can be found on their website here.
To the South of Somerset is the Village of Friendship Heights
The Village of Friendship Heights is a vibrant unincorporated community with much to offer its residents, businesses, & guests. The Village prides itself on one of its greatest assets – their location. Just seconds from the border of Washington, DC, the Village provides easy access to everything going on in DC. Location, accessibility, & a progressive attitude are just a few of the valuable qualities that make the Village of Friendship Heights a great place to live, work, & visit. The Village is devoted to offering exceptional services to all of its residents. They are dedicated to providing their residents & guests with the best environment possible to live & do business.
The Village of Friendship Heights has a council-manager form of government where the elected Council sets policies & the council-appointed Village Manager administers them. The Village Council includes seven volunteer members elected by registered voters in the Village to serve two-year terms. The Council selects its own officers: Mayor, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, & Parliamentarian.
More information on the Village of Friendship Heights can be found on their website here.
To the East of Somerset is Chevy Chase Village
Created in 1890 & incorporated in 1951, Chevy Chase Village is an historic community of 720 homes on just under half a square mile in the southern section of Montgomery County, Maryland. The original streetcar suburb to the Nation’s Capital, Chevy Chase Village borders the District of Columbia. The Village’s tree-lined streets, brick sidewalks, open parks, & centrally located Village Hall combine with walking-distance access to public transportation, shopping, restaurants, & theaters to offer the best of urban & suburban living. their small-town residential character encourages civic & social engagement, while their municipal government provides first-rate administrative, police, & public works services.
More information on Chevy Chase Village can be found on their website here.
To the West of Somerset is the Kenwood neighborhood of Bethesda
Bethesda is an unincorporated community. It is located just northwest of Washington, DC. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House, which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda. The National Institutes of Health's main campus & the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center are in Bethesda, in addition to a number of corporate & government headquarters. Bethesda is known as the go-to place for ethnic restaurants, great shopping, & trendy hot spots. Bethesda’s Arts & Entertainment District is brimming with inspiring artists & art venues, like the Strathmore, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Club; art events, unique galleries, & public art fill the streets.
Established by Montgomery County in 1994, the Bethesda Urban Partnership, Inc. (BUP) is a downtown management organization that maintains & markets downtown Bethesda. The organization was developed to promote downtown Bethesda as a desirable place to live, work & visit as well as foster a community that features restaurants, retailers, arts venues, & more.
More information on Bethesda & the Bethesda Urban Partnership can be found on their website here.
THRIVE MONTGOMERY 2050
Thrive Montgomery 2050 is a framework to guide land use planning for housing, economic development, equity, transportation, environmental sustainability, & more for the next three decades in Montgomery County. The broader purpose of Thrive Montgomery 2050 is to guide the development of our communities in the face of change—it will help the County respond to the economic, social, & environmental opportunities & challenges that we face today & issues that will emerge over the coming decades.
More information on Thrive Montgomery 2050 can be found on the Montgomery County Council website here & the Montgomery County Planning website here. Somerset actions relating to Thrive Montgomery 2050 can be found further below.
NEARBY DEVELOPMENT
Somerset is located in a dynamic area consisting of urban centers with suburban areas clustered around them in bustling Montgomery County close to the border of our nation's capital, Washington, DC. Due to this, development is likely to pop-up that Somerset has an interest. Two examples of this are the River Road-Westbard Sector Plan & the Downtown Bethesda Sector Plan. Information on these plans can be found on the Montgomery County Planning website here (for the River Road-Westbard Plan) & here (for the Downtown Bethesda Plan). Somerset actions relating to these plans can be found below.
