Historic District Commission Minutes

Submitted: 5/18/2000
Approved:

CITY OF ROCKVILLE

HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION

MINUTES

Tuesday, April 16, 2000

Meeting No. 4-2000

The City of Rockville Historic District Commission

convened at 7:14 p.m. at Rockville City Hall

PRESENT

Craig Moloney, Chairman

Anita Neal-Powell Beth Rodgers

Andrea Hartranft

Absent: Bruce Noble

Staff: Judith A. Christensen, Preservation Planner

Cynthia Kebba, Planner II

Chairman Moloney announced that Commissioner Bruce Noble has tendered his resignation due to job relocation to Skagway, Alaska. He noted that the HDC will miss Mr. Noble's experienced eye and observations but wish him well in his new duties and locale.

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

· Deferred

II. TAX CREDIT APPLICATIONS

I. Planner Cindy Kebba stated that she had reviewed the tax credit applications on tonights agenda for eligibility according to the Countys criteria. She will present each application and recommendation tonight. The original application files and photographs were present for HDC inspection.

1 TXC00-0156 - Alexander and Jayne Greene, 11 Laird St

Planner Kebba reported that ordinary maintenance and exterior repairs including painting, roof repairs, and tree service were eligible for tax credits. A claim for interior painting was not eligible and was removed from the total. The total amount eligible was $6,613.61.

Commissioner Hartranft moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodgers, to recommend TXC00-0156 for ordinary maintenance, exterior repairs and painting, and tree care at 11 Laird Street, but excluding interior painting, to the Montgomery County Department of Finances for disposition.

VOTE: 4-0

2. TXC00-0157 - Mr. Frank Lenihan, 16 Wall Street

Planner Kebba stated that the applicant installed a basement window in place of a plywood panel over a coal chute opening, replaced gutters with 1/2 round galvanized gutters, repaired and replaced decking and footings of the front porch and installed new exterior storm windows as well as exterior painting. All this was eligible. Mr. Lenihan also replaced four rotten windows in the rear mudroom and added a new storm door. As window and door replacement with other materials requires a permit from the HDC, this portion will have to be continued to the May HDC meeting. The electrical service to the garage is not eligible.

Commissioner Neal-Powell moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodgers, to continue application TXC00-0157 for exterior repairs and window replacement to the May meeting to receive more information.

VOTE: 4-0

3. TXC00-0158 - Robert and Judith Spalding, 307 Great Falls Road

Planner Kebba stated that the applicants repaired and painted a garage exterior, and had tree service for a 300-year-old champion black walnut tree. All items were eligible for tax credits and totaled $2,096.37.

Commissioner Hartranft moved, seconded by Commissioner Neal-Powell, to recommend TXC00-0158 for tree preservation services and exterior repairs at 307 Great Falls Road, to the Montgomery County Department of Finances for disposition.

VOTE: 4-0

4. TXC00-0159 - Arthur Rypinski and Jacquelyn Porth, 307 West Montgomery Avenue

Planner Kebba stated that the applicants requested tax credit eligibility for replacement of a deteriorating porch decking and steps, a roof hatch, facsia panels, removal of an external television aerial from the roof, and exterior painting. All items are recommended as eligible and total $12,155.

Commissioner Rodgers moved, seconded by Commissioner Hartranft, to recommend TXC00-0159 for exterior painting and repairs at 307 West Montgomery Avenue, to the Montgomery County Department of Finances for disposition.

VOTE: 4-0

III. CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

1. HDC00-0154 - Applicant: Jerusalem/ Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church

For property at 17 Wood Lane

Request: Demolition of Parsonage structure

Continued from March 21, 2000

Action: Approve or Deny

Staff liaison Christensen stated that Jerusalem/ Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church requested a continuance of this application to the next HDC meeting, as the April 18 meeting conflicts with Easter and Holy Week services.

Commissioner Neal-Powell moved, seconded by Commissioner Hartranft, to continue application HDC00-0154 for demolition of 17 Wood Lane to the next HDC meeting at the request of the applicant.

VOTE: 4-0

IV. COMMITTEE/ ORGANIZATION REPORTS

1. Lincoln Park Historical Society (LPHS)

Commissioner Neal-Powell stated that LPHS is finishing up the project , Tracking the Footprints of African Americans in Montgomery County", with a tour of the eastern part of Montgomery County and Burtonsville on May 6. The tours have been continuous since July of 1999. LPHS recently joined the State of Maryland multicultural committee for tourism. Commissioner Neal-Powell is representing Montgomery County. An article about the Tours project appeared in the March 28 Washington Post newspaper, which has drawn additional attention to the project. Commissioner Neal Powell said the project will be featured on Mosaic, a County Cable Television program, on May 10. LPHS also is partnering with the Rockville Library and Lincoln Park Community to assemble a research collection on black history with Lincoln Park as the first subject.

2. Peerless Rockville

John Hartranft, Peerless staff, said the City currently has an agreement with Peerless to collect, index, and maintain a collection of Rockville photographs and historical information. Peerless is currently working on a collections policy committee to develop a heritage resource center at the Red Brick Courthouse.

Peerless is working with the new owner of the Reed Bungalow, 549 Anderson Avenue, a 1917 Avondale model Sears bungalow to remedy years of poor maintenance and upgrade the structure while keeping its character. Up to $25,000 in a low interest loan for restoration has been offered. An external easement would be given to Peerless as part of the loan agreement.

Peerless Rockville Preservation awards will be presented at the Mayor and Council meeting on Monday, May 15. Peerless has received a number of applications.

The Annual Progressive Dinner is on May 22, featuring the Rockville Arts Place and South Van Buren Street. The theme is "Savoring Rockville" and tickets are still available.

Peerless was pleased to do a Rockville millennium discovery tour at Rockville Academy, 103 South Adams Street. It was the first time the Academy has been on tour and 15 people attended.

Finally, Mr. Hartranft said Peerless was excited to be one of three programs developed in alliance with the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The Building Museum has been operating a youth program in D.C. and in New York City and Peerless Rockville was invited to be the third location to present this project. Students are given cameras to document local sites and area character. Peerless is in the very early stages of work on this project and will update the HDC as project planning continues.

V. COMMISSION AND STAFF UPDATES

Chief Planner Bob Spalding stated that the State Highway Administration (SHA) will hold an information meeting on proposed improvements to the Rockville mixing bowl and its impacts to adjacent and nearby historic sites on Tuesday, April 25, at Richard Montgomery High School.

Chairman Moloney reported that the farmhouse at the King Farmhouse windows would be restored rather than replaced. He stated that this is an excellent example of City stewardship that should make the community proud.

The Chair also attended the Boards and Commissions work session with the Mayor and Council where he reported the current activities and goals of the HDC. At this meeting, Mayor Krasnow asked the HDC to proceed with pending historic district designations and submit them to the Mayor and Council for hearing and deliberation.

VI. ADJOURN

There being no further business to come before this meeting of the City of Rockville Historic District Commission, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted

Judy Christensen

Staff Liaison