Submitted: May 7, 2002
Approved: ___________

CITY OF ROCKVILLE
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION
MINUTES

Tuesday, April 16, 2002
Meeting No. 04-2002

The City of Rockville Historic District Commission convened in regular session
in the Boards and Commissions Room,
Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Avenue, at 7:08 PM

PRESENT
Elizabeth Rodgers, Chair
Andrea Hartranft             Craig Moloney
Anita Neal-Powell             Jeff Broadhurst

Staff: Judy Christensen, Preservation Planner; Cindy Kebba, Planner II

I. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

March 19, 2002 (Meeting No. 03-2002)

Commissioner Neal-Powell asked staff to include additional discussion from her Lincoln Park Historical Society report. Commissioner Rodgers asked that the Pskowski name be added to the list of persons associated with the house who influenced society under historical and cultural significance on page 2.

MOTION: Commissioner Broadhurst moved to approve the minutes of March 19, 2002 as amended. Commissioner Hartranft seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

II. EVALUATION FOR HISTORICAL, ARCHITECTURAL OR CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

325 Lincoln Avenue

Planner Christensen stated that this house is being evaluated for historical, architectural or cultural significance as a single site historic district, or landmark, rather than as a contributing resource to a larger historic district. Single site historic districts are held to a higher standard than are contributing resources included within a multi-site district. Ms. Christensen presented the consultant's report which was written by Gail Littlefield. She showed the location of the property in Lincoln Park and photographs of it. She explained that this is a vernacular house, probably built by a local house carpenter c.1922. It is one of the oldest houses in Lincoln Park and was owned by Mortimer and Bessie Warren for 70 years, from 1923 to 1993. The exterior is substantially intact but, according to the owner, the interior has been changed. It is a small, cross-gable, two-bay, two-story structure covered in white stucco.

Ms. Christensen explained that the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue is William Wallace Welsh's original 1891 subdivision of Lincoln Park. Welsh first named it "Congo Park". This name was crossed out on the plat and changed to Lincoln Park a year later. It was one of the first real estate ventures in Montgomery County targeted at black home buyers. In that sense, Lincoln Park differs from other early black settlements which resulted from gifts of land to, or purchases of land by, freed slaves. William Welsh purchased 8.06 acres in 1891 and another 7.1 acres in 1892. After the land was subdivided, Welsh built 30 houses, including some rental units that he owned. Thirteen of these original structures remain, including 325 Lincoln Avenue.

Welsh's widow, Margaret A. C. Welsh, sold Lot 9, block 1 to Mortimer Warren. The house may have been built by Barney Welsh, son of William and Margaret Welsh, c.1922. There are two almost identical houses in the 300 block of Lincoln Avenue including #324 across the street and #319, a few houses to the west of the subject. The house was later transferred from John T. Bell, Trustee, to Bessie Warren, Mortimer's widow, and Leonard Garner, her grandson. Leonard Garner was one of the first black deputy sheriffs in Montgomery County. Bessie Warren moved in with Garner and his family in her later years and the house at 325 Lincoln Avenue was rented out. The house stayed in the Garner family until it was sold to the current owner, Miriam Bowden in 1993. Ms. Bowden vacated the house about a year ago after construction of an addition was halted when the contractor unexpectedly left the job. Ms. Bowden has since applied with the county's Housing Opportunities Commission to build a new house in this location which would necessitate demolishing the existing house.

John Fiedler, Section Chief, Division of Housing and Code Enforcement of the Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs, explained how the county's housing replacement program works. He said that the county participates in 90 to 100 rehabilitation projects each year but only 6 to 8 housing replacement projects. The City of Rockville has its own rehab program but does not have a housing replacement program. Applicants for replacement within the city limits must go through the county. Replacements are done when the extent of rehab required is considered uneconomical.

The county approved and settled on a loan for the replacement, and then entered a legal contract with the general contractor, J.L. Matthews, on February 15, 2002. Mr. Fiedler asked that the historic evaluation process be expedited because they are already behind schedule.

Commissioner Rodgers asked if other funds could be used if rehabilitation of the house were considered and Commissioner Hartranft asked if a joint funding process could be achieved. Mr. Fiedler replied that there were no other funds available for rehab. He said that county funding for rehab projects and replacement homes come out of two different accounts.

Commissioner Powell asked if the house was beyond repair. Mr. Fiedler said that the house has been vacant for over a year. It has been vandalized and can not be rehabilitated, in his opinion. The house had been inspected by an engineer who found problems with the foundation. He said the engineer reported his findings to the loan committee but Mr. Fiedler was not aware of any written report.

Commissioner Rodgers asked if a replacement house would have to be in the same location as the existing house. Mr. Fiedler responded that it would in this case because of the scarcity of land in the area, but in some upcounty areas where there is more land it is possible to build a new house, move the resident, and then demolish the old house.

Commissioner Moloney asked Mr. Fiedler if he had experience working with historic properties. Mr. Fiedler replied that he had been involved in some modifications of some historic properties, including lead paint assessment and group home rehabilitation. He said he had worked with the MHT on a historic property in Silver Spring, Blair Gardens. He said that historical issues had not come up previously when a large addition was proposed. Mr. Fiedler showed photographs of the house and explained them to the HDC members.

Miriam Bowden, current owner of 325 Lincoln Avenue, said that she lived in the house from 1993 until June 2000 and has been paying the mortgage and taxes on it throughout her ownership. She had hired a contractor to build a major addition a few years ago but the contractor took her money and disappeared after gutting the interior and starting construction of the new foundation. She stated that she had checked with the City's Inspection Services Department prior to starting the addition and was given approval. She said that nobody ever mentioned that the property might have historic or architectural significance or that any other approvals were needed. Upon inspection of the new foundation, the Inspection Services Department did not give approval to attach the addition to the old house because of the poor condition of the existing structure. Ms. Bowden said the house was in deteriorated condition and she did not want to put any more money into it. She has removed many of the appliances, kitchen cabinets, wood flooring. She applied to the county's housing replacement program and was accepted. The plans for the new house place it several feet further back on the lot. The house will be a modest Cape Cod style which will fit in well with the neighborhood. Ms. Bowden plans to live in the new house.

Michael Lewis, a son in one of the families that rented the house when it was owned by the Garner family, attended the HDC meeting and said he remembered the house fondly from his childhood and would prefer to preserve it, but he understood the current owner's reasons for wanting to demolish it.

Ken Freeburn, an associate with J.L. Matthews Co., stated that his company has been involved with this project for more than a year. His company has worked on seven similar projects in Montgomery County through Mr. Fidler's program. An architect has already designed the new replacement house and they have incurred engineering costs. Much time and money has already been invested in the project. He said that it is very important that the project not be delayed any further in order to hold onto his sub-contracts which have expiration dates.

Mr. Freeburn said that his superintendent told him that the house is in poor shape, including the foundation. He said that he had also called the City about potential issues before starting the job.

Staff reiterated that this evaluation is for a single site historic district. The property must meet more stringent criteria to qualify as a landmark versus a contributing resource to a multi-site historic district. Members of the HDC and the owner agreed to meet at the house on Friday, April 19 to inspect it and evaluate the house's condition.

MOTION: Commissioner Moloney moved to keep the record open on the evaluation for historical, architectural or cultural significance for 325 Lincoln Avenue until the close of business on April 26, 2002. Commissioner Neal-Powell seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

III. APPLICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

A. HDC02-0214

Applicant: Thomas Dickerson
Address: 12 Wall Street
Request: Garage extension
Action: Approve, approve with conditions, or deny

Planner Kebba presented the staff report and showed the location of the property and photographs of the house, garage and yard. She said that the house faces west on Wall Street and is a contributing resource to the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District. The frame German-sided front-gable garage is stuccoed like the house and has a composition roof.

The owner, Mr. Dickerson, submitted a Certificate of Approval application to extend the garage 18 feet toward the rear of the property. At the meeting he said he would like to extend it further toward the rear setback. Staff said that they would provide zoning regulations to him to be sure that he did not exceed the lot coverage allowed in the R-90 zone.

Staff stated that the applicant had not submitted proposed materials for the siding and roof and had not indicated the specifications of the doors and windows. Staff said that the materials used on the extension should match as closely as possible the materials on the existing garage.

Mr. Dickerson explained that he planned to match the roof shingles but he wanted to use vinyl siding since the new garage addition would not be visible from the right-of-way and because it is new construction rather than replacement of another material on a historic structure. He explained the window and door configuration. There will be no windows on the back of the garage (east side) or on the south side. There will be a workshop door on the east side. There will be French double doors on the north side facing the house with one window on either side of the doors.

Commissioner Broadhurst said that extruding the existing form of the garage is appropriate but he felt that vinyl is an unfortunate choice of siding material. Commissioner Hartranft said that if the lot behind Mr. Dickerson is ever developed, the garage extension would be visible to that neighbor and the materials would matter more. Mr. Dickerson explained that the lot is owned by his neighbor, Dr. Rosenberger, and it is very unlikely that anything will be built directly behind the garage.

Commissioner Moloney asked Mr. Dickerson if he planned to match the trim casing around the windows and Mr. Dickerson replied that he did.

MOTION: Commissioner Moloney moved to approve application HDC02-0214 to extend the garage toward the rear yard with the following conditions:

• Double French doors will be installed on the north side;
  
• The roof will match that of the existing garage in materials, slope, shape and pitch;
  
• The windows will be six over one, double hung with the same casing trim as on the existing windows;
  
• The vinyl German siding will match the color of the existing garage.
  

Commissioner Hartranft seconded the motion.

VOTE: 5-0

B. HDC02-0217

Applicant: Aaron Fein
Address: 200 West Jefferson Street
Request: Remove gutters, install French drains
Action: Approve, approve with conditions, or deny

Planner Kebba stated that this residence is located at the junction of West Jefferson Street and South Van Buren, a few yards southeast of Falls Road. It is a large three-bay by three bay frame house that was built in 1892. The owner requests a Certificate of Approval to remove the second-story gutters and install French drains along the left and right sides of the house, under the drip line of the roof. Gutters would remain on the rear addition and side porch. Planner Kebba stated that the owner claims that the gutters detract from the appearance of the house because they are oversized and project out abnormally. Decorative molding on the fascia boards make it necessary to hang the gutters from roof mounted hangers. The gutters tend to sag and bend as the hangers age and break. They are difficult to maintain because of the height of the roof. The gutters have caused damage to the wood behind them. The owner's proposed solution is to remove the second story gutters and install French drains along either side of the house under the drip line of the roof to carry water downhill toward the back of the house.

Planner Kebba stated that staff agrees that removing the existing gutters would improve the appearance of the house, particularly on the east and north facades, which are most visible from the right-of-way. The existing hangers and gutters are unattractive and inefficient. It appears that the gutter on the front elevation could be removed without replacement as the short roof projection beneath the gable was probably designed to direct water away from the house without a gutter. However, staff has some concerns about the proposed solution of removing all of the second story gutters and recommends consideration of alternative solutions to the problem.

Mr. Fein reiterated the problems he has had with the gutters and said that he was not sure what type of system was originally there.

Commissioner Broadhurst said that he was concerned that water draining from the roof to the French drains would be misdirected by wind and other conditions and water would contact the house. He said that there are better alternatives to the gutter straps over the tops of the shingles. Gutter straps are available that allow for trim projection and the types of problems that Mr. Fein was describing. He agreed that it would be appropriate to remove the front gutter since there is not much water drainage off the short roof. Commissioner Broadhurst also said that a trenched drain is not a bad idea but it is not a total solution.

Commissioner Moloney said that the house may have had half-round gutters with different configurations for the hangers. He thinks that there is a gutter system with downspouts that will work well with this house despite the problems the owner is currently encountering.

The Applicant indicated that he will look further into replacing the gutters. Staff stated that a Certificate of Approval is not necessary in this case for either replacement of the gutters or for the installation of French drains. Therefore no motion was made to approve or deny this application.

IV. APPLICATIONS FOR MONTGOMERY COUNTY TAX CREDITS

A. TXC02-0215

Applicant: Bruce Plunkett & Jeanne O'Meara
Address: 419 West Montgomery Avenue
Request: Tax credit eligibility determination

Staff stated that Mr. Plunkett and Ms. O'Meara request tax credit eligibility determination for exterior painting and termite prevention. This work is fully eligible and receipts total $6,550.28.

MOTION: Commissioner Moloney moved to recommend that application TXC02-0215 be forwarded to the Montgomery County Department of Finance for tax credit disposition, finding that the painting and termite prevention meet the criteria for the Montgomery County tax credit. Commissioner Broadhurst seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

B. TXC02-0216

Applicant: Edward Conway
Address: 26 Wall Street
Request: Tax credit eligibility determination

Staff stated that Mr. Conway requests tax credit eligibility determination for exterior painting and repairs. Staff reported that all items are eligible and receipts total $5,992.69.

MOTION: Commissioner Hartranft moved to recommend that application TXC02-0216 be forwarded to the Montgomery County Department of Finance for tax credit disposition, finding that the work meets the criteria for the Montgomery County tax credit. Commissioner Powell seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

C. TXC02-0218

Applicant: Mark & Celeste Goldsborough
Address: 22 Wall Street
Request: Tax credit eligibility determination

Staff stated that Mr. and Mrs. Goldsborough request tax credit eligibility determination for exterior painting and repairs, new exterior lighting, removal of chain link fencing, and installation of a picket fence. The new fence, new electrical fixtures, and walkway pavers are not eligible for the tax credit. Improvements to the front door and side lights are eligible. Removal of the chain link fence qualifies as a streetscape improvement and is considered to be eligible for the tax credit. Eligible receipts total $1,278.60.

MOTION: Commissioner Powell moved to recommend that application TXC02-0216 be forwarded to the Montgomery County Department of Finance for tax credit disposition, finding that the work meets the criteria for the Montgomery County tax credit. Commissioner Moloney seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

ROCKVILLE ACADEMY STEPS (Not on agenda)

Dr. Halpern, the owner of the Rockville Academy at 103 South Adams Street, requested a courtesy review at the meeting to discuss replacement of the front steps to the building. Dr. Halpern said that he did not want to submit an application before getting advice from the HDC. He said that the front steps are approximately 8 feet wide and they warp over time because of the length of the boards. He has put in extra stringers but they are still uneven. The bottom step is twisted and cracked and is a particular safety hazard. The stairs are open and a thin layer of ice forms on the treads on winter mornings when the temperature hovers near freezing. The ice is not always noticeable and Dr. Halpern is concerned about his patients and other visitors slipping on the steps.

Dr. Halpern said that his objectives are to beautify the building, make access to it safer, and respect its historic elements. He said that a more substantial material, such as concrete, brick or stone would be more solid and would work better than wood boards.

Commissioner Broadhurst stated that stone or brick would be good choices since the building is brick and it has a stone foundation. He said that the landing should be the same material as the steps. He said that brick steps would look similar to what is there because the wood steps are now painted a brick red color to match the building. He suggested that attention should be given to the detailing of the brick and how it meets the structure. He said that the lattice sides could be replaced with a wall of brick, possibly with some relief detail to open it up. Commissioner Rodgers suggested that Dr. Halpern look at the steps at the Beall-Dawson house.

V. ONE YEAR EXTENSION REQUEST FOR CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

Staff received a letter dated March 28, 2002 from Jacob Lenihan requesting a second one-year time extension to complete construction of a garage at his residence at 309 Potomac Street (HDC99-0147). Mr. Lenihan has not changed the plans or materials for the garage. Staff recommended approval of this final one-year time extension.

MOTION: Commissioner Hartranft moved to approve a second one-year time extension for HDC99-0147, construction of a garage at 309 Potomac Street. Commissioner Broadhurst seconded the motion.
VOTE: 5-0

VI. DISCUSSION /UPDATES

Jerusalem Church - The Trustees have agreed to keep and renovate the front of the parsonage. Staff submitted a $5,000 grant request to Preservation Maryland for stabilizing the parsonage building.

Design Guidelines - Planner Christensen said that the HDC and staff will need to work with the cemetery board to create design guidelines for Rockville Cemetery. The guidelines will identify significant elements, including trees. The guidelines will be adopted by both the HDC and the Mayor and Council.

Stepping Stones - The MHT sent a letter outlining its recommendations regarding the windows and other exterior repairs at 1070 Copperstone Court to Tina McKendree, Executive Director of Stepping Stones Shelter, with copies to HDC staff and Alan Hepler. Copies of this letter were distributed to the HDC.

VII. COMMITTEE/ ORGANIZATION REPORTS

Lincoln Park Historical Society – Anita Powell, President of the Lincoln Park Historical Society, attended the county budget hearings. Steven Spurlock mentioned the map of African-American historic sites twice in his testimony. The map was partly funded by MNCPPC and he used it as an example of the type of worthwhile projects that this funding has been used for and why it needs to be continued. LPHS is planning a bus tour on Saturday and a Gospel Fest on Sunday to celebrate Montgomery County History Day.

Peerless Rockville – No report. Flyers were distributed for a Peerless-sponsored presentation by Sandra Maclean Clunies on General Richard Montgomery and Thomas Sprigg Wootton April 23, 2002, and for a Rockville Cemetery Association community meeting on April 18, 2002.

VIII. ADJOURN

The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
HDC staff liaisons
Judy Christensen and Cindy Kebba