The Montgomery County Planning Board unanimously named Shawn Bartley its new vice chair on Thursday, Sept. 10, elevating a board member who has reviewed several major land-use plans, including the Bethesda Downtown Plan.

Bartley, a practicing attorney and founder of Shawn D. Bartley and Associates, LLC, has served on the board since March 2023. He succeeds Josh Linden, who held the vice chair post since October 2025. Linden will remain on the board.

Bartley's one-year term means he will step in for Chair Artie Harris when Harris is absent, overseeing meetings and other board business.

The appointment comes as the board reviews a significant redevelopment proposal in downtown Bethesda. At the same Sept. 10 meeting, the board considered a proposal at 4719 Hampden Lane to replace two vacant office buildings with up to 250 apartments.

The project would include a minimum of 17.6% moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs). Staff recommended approval with conditions. The proposal falls under the 2025 Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan Amendment.

Since joining the board, Bartley has reviewed and voted on a range of countywide plans. Those include the Bethesda Downtown Plan Minor Master Plan, the University Boulevard Corridor Plan, the Clarksburg Gateway Sector Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan and the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan. He also weighed in on updates to the county's Growth and Infrastructure Policy.

The County Council reappointed Bartley in May 2024 to a full four-year term after he completed a partial term. He is also a member of the Maryland Board of Education.

Before joining the Planning Board, Bartley served as chairman of the Montgomery Collaboration for Children, Youth and Families and sat on the board of the Primary Care Coalition and The Shepherd's Table in Silver Spring.

"Rotating Vice Chairs strengthens the Planning Board by sharing leadership responsibilities and fostering diverse viewpoints," Harris said in a statement from the Planning Board. He called Bartley "a steady and constructive voice" on the board and thanked Linden for his service.

Bartley said he is committed to ensuring the county's planning decisions reflect the needs of current and future residents while promoting housing choice and balancing growth with equitable opportunities.

The board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), meets weekly on Thursdays.