The Rockville Chamber of Commerce sponsored and moderated a debate last week for nine Rockville City Council candidates and two candidates for mayor. The focus was almost squarely on development, a hot-button topic within the city.

The candidates debated whether the city has been left behind other places in Montgomery County in terms of the recovering economy and development. Several successful new developments have sprung up just outside of the city, including Pike & Rose in White Flint, which are believed to be drawing business away from Rockville. Rockville’s current city council has tried to loosen a restrictive policy that was inhibiting some projects because of overcrowding in schools by voting 3-2 in June to adopt more lenient Montgomery County rules.

Less restrictive policies could help spur additional development in Rockville, like the recently announced $500M mixed-use development from 1788 Holdings and Lantian Development. Four council seats and the mayoral election are up for grabs on Nov. 3. [Bethesda]