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CITY OF ROCKVILLE
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES
Tuesday, November 16, 1999
Meeting No. 11-99
The City of Rockville Historic District Commission
convened at 7:10 p.m. at Rockville City Hall.
PRESENT
Craig Moloney, Chairman
Anita Neal-Powell Bruce Noble
Andrea Hartranft
Staff: Judith A. Christensen, Preservation Planner
Marian Staye, Planner III
1. October 19, 1999 (Meeting No. 10-99)
Commissioner Noble moved, seconded by Commissioner Hartranft, to approve the HDC minutes of October 19, 1999 as submitted.
VOTE: 3-0 (Commissioner Neal-Powell not present)
Gwen Wright introduced herself as the Historic Preservation Coordinator for Montgomery County and said that she was representing MAHDC, which is a statewide organization of HDC staff and commissioners focused on sharing information and solving common problems. Her presentation familiarized the Commission with MAHDC resources and identified areas that need study. One recent project is the compilation of a statewide preservation database that will be available in the near future. The Maryland Historic Preservation Commission Handbook presents answers to common questions and problems, presents basic preservation law, and provides legislative and procedural models to adapt to local needs. A historic preservation Tax Credit Manual is also available. The newest document is an Economic Study of Historic Districts prepared by a financial analysis firm of six long-established historic districts, both urban and suburban, to determine if historic designation has a positive or negative economic effect.
The results showed that during the 22-year study period, historic district properties appreciated in value approximately 29% faster than similar undesignated properties in the same area. Other MAHDC information includes a video and a renovator's roundtable presentation on maintenance.
Commission suggestions on areas of common concern were alleviating the high cost of preserving or restoring with in-kind materials, such as slate or tin roofs, and window replacement. Other needs were successful programs to dispel negative perceptions of historic districts and publicize advantages of becoming part of or forming a new district. The HDC wanted to hear proven ways to work within the community to promote historic preservation in designated and undesignated areas. Commissioner Neal- Powell suggested that Rockville should survey residents on their knowledge of historic districts and solicit questions for staff to address.
As to Rockville HDC's accomplishments, Commissioners cited the interpretive plaque program, historic district signage, the HDC newsletter, the HDC web site and planned publications and tourism efforts.
1. HDC99-0151 - Applicant: Tammy Konisky and Kim Thompson
314 Beall Avenue
Request: Construction of 2-car garage
Action: Approve or Deny
Staff liaison Christensen said notice of the request had been mailed to all adjacent property owners within 400 feet of the address as well as other interested parties, and the agenda had been posted on the City Internet site. She summarized the staff report that characterized the property as a 1993-94 non-contributing house built on a former rear yard of a house on Forest Avenue. The house fronts on Beall Avenue, which is not a designated streetscape. A garage sited in the rear yard was included in the original 1993 approved plan, but the applicants requested a side yard setback variance of eight feet to build a semi-detached garage connected by a covered breezeway to the house. The Board of Appeals approved a three-foot variance, which necessitated a change in the garage design and plans. Staff recommended a conditioned approval, finding the proposed garage compatible in character, mass, and materials with the existing house and Beall Avenue streetscape, and having no adverse impact to the historic district streetscape or resources. Suggested conditions pertained to code and safety compliance and visually breaking up the mass of the 16-foot wide overhead garage door on the front facade.
Applicant Kim Thompson noted that although the present garage is listed as 28-feet by 24-feet, the original plan was a 24-foot by 24-foot garage with an open breezeway connecting it to the existing side entrance stoop to the house. The side door and stoop have been incorporated into the garage in this design. The central air conditioning unit will be moved outside the enclosed garage. Ms. Thompson said the house had an existing asphalt driveway terminating at the side of the house. If the garage was built in the rear yard, all of the remaining mature trees in the rear would be removed, most of the side yard would be asphalt driveway, and very little open space would remain in the rear. She noted that the house had a deep front setback to conform to the existing setbacks on the street, but had only a 25-foot deep rear yard.
Chairman Moloney said that the double garage door and pedestrian entry door on the garage front elevation does not compliment the rhythm and pattern of the existing house windows and doors. He proposed recessing the "breezeway" area containing the pedestrian door about three feet from the garage front and perhaps lowering the roofline in this area to break up the mass. He also suggested looking at garage door designs that create the effect of two doors, or the use of two doors. Commenting on the unrelieved side façade, he asked if a window or other detail had been considered and if the rear elevation also was unrelieved.
Commissioner Hartranft concurred, noting that the standing seam porch roof could be wrapped around the side over this area to connect it more to the house than garage. She noted that she drove through the neighborhood and found one other attached garage on Beall in this block and a colonial style two-car garage door on Anderson that was more in character with the house.
Ms. Koniski said that side windows were not considered for security reasons. She said they had consulted neighbors who would view the garage and had agreed to install ivy or trellised roses or other landscape material to break up the wall mass. She stated that the rear elevation would probably have a pedestrian door, but was otherwise plain. Commissioner Noble noted that the rear elevation was not visible to adjacent properties and should not be a concern. Ms. Koniski and Ms. Thompson accepted Chairman Moloney's suggestion to recess the breezeway, noting that this change would also eliminate the need to move the air conditioning unit.
Commissioner Hartranft moved, seconded by Commissioner Neal-Powell, to approve HDC99-0151 for a new two-car garage at 314 Beall Avenue as presented with the following conditions:
VOTE: 4-0
2. HDC99-0152 - Applicant: Adams Center Partnership
25 Wood Lane
Remove 7 trees, add 4 parking spaces
Action: Approve or Deny
Staff liaison Christensen said notice of the request had been mailed to all adjacent property owners within 400 feet of the address as well as other interested parties, and the agenda had been posted on the City Internet site. The subject property is a non-contributing resource; a four building transitional office complex built in 1977.
The office complex fronts on Wood Lane in the West Montgomery Historic District and is adjacent to the Jerusalem Methodist Church, a contributing historic resource. The proposal is to remove six pine trees and one locust tree at the rear boundary line of the property and add four additional parking spaces to the existing lot. The area of increased parking abuts a vacant O-2 parcel to the north and Jerusalem Methodist Church to the east. A new single family residential development is west of the complex, and O-2 use confronts across Wood Lane. Additional single family residential properties adjoin the rear boundary north of the office complex buildings, but these residences do not adjoin the parking area. Six replacement red maple trees will be put along the west and north boundaries between the complex and the residential area. A 38-inch tall hedge separates the parking lot from the Jerusalem Church property. A stockade fence is required by code to screen the relocated dumpster.
In answer to Commission questions, Adams Law Center complex representative John DuFief said the four additional spaces had received a use permit amendment a year ago and the lot was now near capacity. An informal parking agreement allows Jerusalem Methodist Church members to use the lot on Sundays and evenings, but occasionally business meetings or funeral parking causes lot overflow. He said the lot was originally built to minimum requirements and the pine tree area attracted vagrants, which made office employees uncomfortable when exiting the buildings to their cars late at night. He stated that he would extend the existing hedge around the rear boundary, as possible, and install the lowest dumpster stockade style screening fence permitted by code.
Commissioner Neal-Powell moved, seconded by Commissioner Noble, to approve HDC99-0152 to remove seven trees and add four additional parking spaces to the existing rear parking area at 25-29 Wood Lane with the following conditions:
VOTE: 4-0
Handicapped ramps and sidewalks at Glenview Mansion - Craig Moloney
Chairman Moloney presented a drawing of existing sidewalk conditions at Glenview Mansion, noting that several walkway steps had been originally installed where grading would have produced an obstacle-free walkway. The proposed plan replaces the existing four-foot wide concrete walkway in front of the Mansion with a six-foot flagstone walkway with a landing at the roadway. Steps to the garden-side Mansion entrance and to the cottage will be eliminated and grading will be substituted. The existing ramp built over exterior stairs to the garden porch entrance will be removed and an "L" shaped handicapped flagstone ramp with a landing will be constructed to access the side entrance. The termination point of the flagstone walk to the cottage has not been determined, as the concrete sidewalk continues to the playing fields. The stairs to the parking lot and walkways along the entrance driveway are not included in this project. The HDC recommended that the walkways proceed as planned and that the flagstone walkway extend around the corner of the cottage.
-Marian Staye- Planner III in charge of Master Plan Update
Planner Marian Staye presented the existing goals and objectives in the Historic Preservation Chapter of the 1993 Master Plan and referred to the list of topics suggested at the October meeting. Additional suggestions were: list the historic structures; explore offering historic house markers; include a streetscape plan for the historic districts to distinguish them; develop a review procedure for changes to abutting properties near historic districts to identify any potential adverse impacts; list historic resources on city owned parks and properties; and inventory vacant property that contributes to district character. Editing suggestions were offered.
It was decided that staff would work on individual chapter sections and submit them to the HDC for discussion.
Ms. Christensen said the Wootton's Mill book, the archeological investigation of the ruins of Wootton's Mill, and a design for an interpretive park project are underway. The next Certified Local Government Subgrant proposal is due December 10, 1999. Suggestions will be circulated to the HDC prior to submission.
Commissioner Neal-Powell
said their project, "Tracking the Footprints of African Americans in Montgomery
County", completed the tour schedule and was very productive.
John Hartranft reported that Peerless Rockville will present a new history of Montrose School and dedicate a plaque commemorating teachers on Saturday, December 11 at 10 A.M.
Staff said the Montgomery County Board of Education facilities division had issued a request for proposals (RFP) for development of the Carver site. However, no rezoning requests have been discussed.
The City of Rockville Historic District Commission meeting of November 16, 1999 was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Judy Christensen
HDC Staff Liaison