Historic District Commission
Minutes
Meeting No. 05-2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Rockville City Hall
PRESENT | |
Craig Moloney (Chair pro temp) | |
Anita Neal Powell | Janet Hunt McCool |
Jeremy Tucker | |
Staff present: Robin Ziek, Jeffrey Winstel, Cindy Kebba, Preservation Planners
I. WORKSESSION (7:00– 7:30 p.m.) Agenda review and update.
Chair pro temp Moloney opened the general meeting at 7:35 p.m. and introduced the commissioners and staff. He stated that the worksession was limited to a review of the meeting agenda.
II. COMMITTEE / ORGANIZATION REPORTS
A. Introduction of new Commissioner – Jeremy M. Tucker
Chairman Moloney welcomed Jeremy Tucker to the Historic District Commission and asked him to introduce himself. Mr. Tucker conveyed his appreciation to the staff, Commissioners and Mayor and Council for supporting his application and stated that he is a lawyer specializing in community associations and works for a law firm in Bethesda. He is a resident of the Rose Hill Falls neighborhood.
B. Peerless Rockville – Mary van Balgooy, Executive Director, gave the report.
Ms. van Balgooy reported on the Homes and Hospitality tour, stating it was a success and everyone enjoyed the eclectic mix of house, food and music, further noting that the event seemed to bring the neighbors together in a manner that everyone enjoyed. This past Monday Peerless presented their annual Preservation Awards. Ten awards, the most ever presented in 29 years, were given during the Mayor and Council meeting. On May 24, Peerless will hold an open house and clean-up session from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Frieda’s Cottage, 19 Thomas Street. Peerless’ annual meeting will take place on June 19 at the Red Brick Courthouse and will feature a presentation by Judy Christensen on Father Divine. For more information please go to the website at www.peerlessrockville.org.
C. Lincoln Park Historical Foundation – staff Ziek reported for Commissioner Neal-Powell.
Commissioner Neal-Powell will be chairing a session on African American Museums and Rosenwald schools at this month’s Preservation Maryland Conference in Hagerstown on May 30 at 2:15 p.m.
D. Public comments/Open Forum: No persons spoke.
E. Comments – Historic District Commissioners/Historic Preservation Staff
Staff Winstel mentioned that the Rockville Cemetery brochures have been printed and are available at various locations throughout the City. The 11th Annual Montgomery County Heritage Days Festival will take place June 28 and 29th, with the City of Rockville participating with Peerless Rockville and Montgomery County Historical Society and hosting events at the Beall-Dawson House on Sunday, June 29.
III. CONSENT AGENDA
Chairman Moloney moved on to the Consent Agenda and remarked that item HDC2008—00431 was being removed from the Consent Agenda because of additional information being presented to the Commission from staff regarding the landscaping and proposed exterior lighting. Chairman Moloney asked for a motion to approve the remaining Consent Agenda.
MOTION: Commissioner Hunt-McCool moved for approval of tax credit applications HDC2008-00432, HDC2008-00433, and HDC2008-00434. Commission Neal-Powell seconded.
VOTE: 4 – 0
A. HDC2008-00431
Applicant: John and Linda Firrell
Address: 314 Beall Avenue
Request : Landscaping
Chairman Moloney asked staff to summarize the additional information that was amended to the application after the staff report was sent. Staff Winstel stated that the applicant was asked to supply a letter from their arborist stating the reasoning for removing the two Leyland Cypress trees and a cut-sheet for the proposed lighting units for the new walkway in the front yard. The Arborist stated in a letter that the Leyland Cypress are extremely fast growing and were meant to provide screening when the house was constructed in 1993. The house is a modern in-fill in the Historic West Montgomery Avenue Historic District. The trees have become very large and tall and are close to the house. The Arborist recommends removing them so they do not pose a danger to the house. The applicant presented two versions of lighting they are considered for the proposed new walkway; one being a single pole light and the other being 6 small ground lights – 3 on the side walkway and 3 along the front walkway.
Commissioner Hunt-McCool stated that trees shouldn’t be destroyed if they only present a potential hazard, as opposed to an immediate hazard. Chair Moloney stated this was an important consideration and could only think of one example that would be an exception – if the tree were impacting a building foundation. Staff noted that the trees are not part of a historical landscape. Mr. Moloney asked if there were any questions on the light fixtures or any other features of the proposed work. Chair Moloney stated that he didn’t have any strong feelings about the lights – he thought a solar 25” tall light wouldn’t produce much illumination.
MOTION: Commissioner Tucker moved for approval of HDC2008-00431, including removal of the Leland Cypress, rear fence, brick barbeque, stepping stones, replacement with brick walk with solar lights, and replacement of existing rear wood stairs with wood stairs and stoop as proposed per the staff report and the additional information provided. Commissioner Hunt-McCool seconded.
VOTE: 4-0
IV. CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
A. HDC2006-00362B
Applicant: Catherine McAlpine Eig
Address: 315 Baltimore Road
Request : Modify plan for addition
Staff Robin Ziek presented the minor changes that are requested for this amendment to the previously approved application HDC2006-00362A. The applicant wishes to install window wells in the basement so that she can have bedrooms on that level. The Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) asked that the height of the new addition be reduced in its review of the rehab/addition project for tax credits. Extra bedrooms are therefore going to be located in the basement instead of the attic, as had been previously proposed by the HDC. The basement is totally below ground. Window wells will be built as extensions of the foundation to allow legally required egress and natural light. Foundation plantings and planters will obscure the window wells and prevent people from falling into the wells. Ms. Ziek noted that the applicant was present and that she is concurrently seeking final approval for this modification from the state. She also noted that 1/1 windows had been approved for the addition and were still preferred by staff but she asked that the Commission consider allowing 4/1 windows as an option if that is the configuration required by the state.
The applicant agreed with the content of the staff report, noting her personal preference for 4/1 windows but saying she would go with the choice of the HDC and the state.
Commissioner Moloney strongly favored the 1/1 windows for the addition. He asked if the window wells would project above grade. The applicant responded that grading would be required with the project and they would try to make sure that the wells do not project significantly above the new grade but that engineering studies have not yet been done to determine the new grading. The planters and landscaping will hide any projection above grade.
MOTION: Commissioner Hunt-McCool moved to close the public hearing on HDC 20086-00362B. Commissioner Tucker seconded the motion.
VOTE: 4-0
Discussion: Commissioner Tucker asked if the foundation on the original house would also be painted to match the foundation on the new addition. The applicant replied that the entire house would likely be re-painted after the addition is built.
MOTION: Commissioner Hunt-McCool moved to approve HDC2006-00362B with the condition that the windows in the addition be 1/1 configuration unless the state requires 4/1 windows, in which case staff may approve the change to 4/1. Commissioner Tucker seconded the motion.
VOTE: 4-0
V. DISCUSSION/UPDATES
A. APA Conference Summary
Staff Kebba said that several members of the City’s planning department attended the Las Vegas conference April 27-May 1. She attended several sessions on transportation planning and one on mansionization, in addition to an all-day tour of historic sites and a session on signage as a cultural amenity in Las Vegas. The tour included the “boneyard” where historic neon signage is preserved by a non-profit organization, and two dude ranches that were used for a time as a place to wait out the 6-week residency requirement to obtain a Nevada divorce.
Staff Winstel reported that he attended the urban design and preservation track, the American Planning Association combining these fields under one Division. He summarized various session attended on New Urbanism, Trends in Adaptive Reuse, Landscape Infrastructure, the role of Urban Design in Planning and Urban Design and Heritage Tourism in Transit Oriented Development.
B. MD. State Preservation Conference
Staff Winstel noted that all the Commissioners present will be attending the conference in Hagerstown, May 29 and 30, repeating that Commissioner Neal-Powell will be chairing a session and adding that he will be participating in a Mock Historic District Commission meeting. Staff Kebba will also be attending.
C. Rockville Heights Historic District schedule
Staff Kebba stated that there needs to be a survey done to determine the legal boundary for the proposed historic district. The earliest this recommendation will go to the Planning Commission is May 28. She will keep commissioners informed as to the schedule.
D. Twinbrook Neighborhood Plan
Staff Kebba reported that the Planning Commission is expected to approve the Draft Twinbrook Plan, as revised per its instructions, on June 11. The draft plan will then be transmitted to the Mayor and Council to be followed with more public hearings.
E. African American Heritage Walking Tour Interpretive Exhibit Panels
Staff Winstel thanked the commission for reviewing the proposed text for the exhibit panels and asked the Commission to provide comments on the mock-up design for the Hebron House and Print Shop exhibit panels. Commissioners expressed some concern regarding the number of images or photos on the panel thinking it might be confusing. Staff Winstel stated that the graphic designer chose this approach because the available images were not of good quality and if enlarged, the quality of the image would be sacrificed. The approach of ghosting the other images – those not of the site being described – would create some cohesion and make the most of the available image quality. Commissioners asked if staff could find some additional images adding the names of a few sources. Staff agreed to explore this but noted that the money for the fabrication had to be obligated this fiscal year and exhibit panels should relate to the 2003 African American Heritage Walking Tour brochure. A suggestion was made to include a map of the sites in the panels in case people didn’t have the brochure. Additional designs will be sent to the Commission for comment.
F. 2008 Montgomery County Tax Credit summary
Staff Kebba reported that $224,302.10 of eligible work was submitted in 16 applications for the county tax credit this year. This equates to a total of $22,430 in reduced property taxes for these historic property owners. She encouraged all historic property owners in the City to take advantage of this program. Applications are reviewed between January 1 and April 1 each year for work that was completed during the prior calendar year.
VI. MINUTES
HDC Meeting 4-08, April 17, 2008. Approval of the minutes was postponed to the next meeting as only two of the commissioners present were present at the April meeting.
VII. ADJOURN
The HDC adjourned at 8:35 p.m.