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Rockville Planning Commission Diamond Terrapin Conference Room The City of Rockville Planning Commission convened in regular session in the Mayor and Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2006. | ||||||
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RECOMMENDATION TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL Map Amendment Application MAP2006-00095, Mayor and Council – to place the house at 302 Lincoln Avenue in a Historic District by rezoning the property from the R-60 (One Family Detached Residential) Zone to R-60 HD (Historic District) Zone. Ms. Christensen presented the staff report. She explained that this is an owner-designated property in Lincoln Park. Ms. Christensen explained the nomination process of the house. The house was built in 1894 and is very distinctive and there is really no house like it in Montgomery County. She said this is a typical residential property that is going to remain a residential property. The use will not change. The property is located on Lincoln Avenue and is across the street from the Reuben Hill house, another historic site; it is associated with that family. This house was built by the daughter of Reuben Hill and his wife; her name was Fannie and she married a man named George Cook. Staff believes that Mr. Cook’s father worked for the local railroad in Rockville. For that reason, there are many stylistic things on this house, which reminds one of railroad architecture, as it was done in the late nineteenth century. Ms. Christensen provided the design details of the facades of the house. The house is well over 100 years old. The house was sold in 1929 to Harry and Minnie Waters. The Waters family and their heirs, the Lewis family, have owned it to the present time. They are going into another generation and they want to restore and rehab the building and continue using it as a residential structure and for their own use. Staff heartily recommends that the Commission finds that the rezoning into a historic district will not have any impact on the Master Planning or the Neighborhood Plan of this particular area. Commissioners Holtz moved, seconded by Commissioner Medearis to recommend approval of Map Amendment Application MAP2006-00095, to the Mayor and Council per staff recommendations. The motion passed unanimously. Text Amendment Application TXT2006-00218, Mayor and Council – to remove the ability to create new residential pipestem lots from the Zoning Ordinance. Ms. Torma presented the staff report. Ms. Torma explained the configuration of pipestem lots. She said that the main portion of a pipestem lot is mostly behind other houses that surround it. This text amendment is to modify the existing lot front definition. It also recommends a new definition of a pipestem lot definition. The amendment proposes new pipestem lots will not be permitted in residential development that includes special development procedures and residential subdivisions, but it would remain and permitted in commercial and industrial subdivisions. Existing pipestem lots will be able to remain and properties that are to be abandoned could be incorporated into those lots. No new pipestem lots may be created. Commissioner Hilton pointed out compatibility issues that were indicated in the staff report. Ms. Torma explained that it pertains to a lot behind a lot that does not have a streetscape frontage. Commissioner Hilton questioned whether there are any provisions for annexed properties that came from the County that have a different rule on pipestem properties. Ms. Block explained that if it were a recorded lot pipestem, it would be valid. It would preclude an annexed property to be developed or platted to create a pipestem lot. After further discussion, Commissioner Johnson moved, seconded by Commissioner Britton to recommend approval of Text Amendment Application TXT2006-00218 to the Mayor and Council per staff recommendations. The motion passed unanimously. REVIEW AND ACTION Final Record Plat PLT2006-00456, Fallsgrove Holdings 4, LLC – for the creation of a single record lot of 7.66 acres in the Fallsgrove development located along the west side of Research Boulevard north of West Gude Drive. Ms. Hall presented the staff report. Ms. Hall stated that this property was seen on February 8 and that was approved. It was for a five-story 133,870 square foot office building on Research Boulevard, north of its intersection with West Gude Drive, in the Fallsgrove development. The property is consistent with the development approval and it is before the Commission this evening to create the lot that goes along with it. Commissioner Hilton moved, seconded by Commissioner Wiener to approve Final Record Plat PLT2006-00456, Fallsgrove Holdings 4, LLC per staff recommendations. The motion passed unanimously. Use Permit Application USE2006-00695, Montgomery County Public Schools – for the replacement of College Gardens Elementary School with a two-story, 92,761 square foot facility at 1700 Yale Place in the R-90 Zone. Mr. Chasten presented the staff report. Mr. Chasten presented the staff report. He explained that the existing elementary school was constructed in 1967. The school is one-story in height and is approximately 43,405 square feet in size. Two modular classroom buildings are located in the rear northwest corner of the site. The school has a current enrollment of 507 students and a staff of 63 employees. The school’s enrollment is projected to increase to 546 students with a staff of 66 employees when the school reopens in the fall of 2008. MCPS plans to full redevelop the school site by demolishing the existing one-story school and construct a new two-level 92,761 square foot school. When the new school is completed, it will have capacity to hold 615 students with a projected enrollment of 526 students. Mr. Chasten stated that the applicant is proposing to redevelop the subject school site and will demolish the existing elementary school and construct a new school, provide new vehicular site entrances and other associate site improvements on the property. In addition, MCPS proposes to build a two-level 92,761square foot school. A new gymnasium has been design in consultation with the City of Rockville’s Recreation and Parks Department. Other site improvements include the following: 1) expanded reconfigured staff and visitor site parking facilities, 2) relocation and construction of new site entrances on Yale Place, 3) reconfigured and expanded on-site bus loop, 4) construction of new outdoor ball fields and play areas, and 5) installation of new site landscaping and planting materials. Commissioner Hilton questioned whether there were any conditions by the Board of Appeals. Mr. Chasten replied that the conditions by the Board of Appeals are not much different from the Commission. Commissioner Ostell asked if there has been any input from the residents living near the school. Mr. Chasten replied that he has received a few calls from residents who wanted to know about the new facilities. He said that there were no objections. Mike Sprur, Architect presented the applicant’s request. Commissioner Holtz questioned when construction would begin. Mr. Spur replied that construction would begin pending final Council action on the budget. He will know in May 2006. Commissioner Ostell inquired whether MCPS discussed plans with adjacent neighbors and their concerns. Mr. Spur replied that they met with the residents who would be affected by the construction and discussed the plans. He noted that the residents adjacent to the site wanted additional landscaping and screening from the school. Commissioner Ostell asked Mr. Sprur if he would have concern if the Commission included a phrase about landscaping in the recommendations. Mr. Sprur replied that he would have no problem. Commissioner Britton asked why the applicant did not want to underground the transformers. Mr. Rakesh Bagai, Division of Construction (MCPS) explained the reason for installing the transformers aboveground. He explained that they want the transformer aboveground for maintenance purposes. Commissioner Ostell questioned that some schools have a waiver and some do not. Mr. Chasten replied that it is based on physical location. Mr. Chasten stated that this site is small and based on the tightness of the site, undergrounding would be difficult. He said that based on relationship of the vaults and the building; there would be additional cost of putting the transformers underground. Mr. Bagai pointed out that to have the transformers underground would affect the new chiller and emergency transformer and they would have to expand the wall. Commissioner Ostell asked for good cause to persuade the Commission to approve the waiver request. Mr. Bagai replied that that would be the site size because once they install a chiller and the generator; it would take up additional space. Mr. Chasten said that undergrounding would force the shifting of the sidewalk and other things. Commissioner Britton stated that, in his mind, the default option is plan according to the law, that is give the Commission plans where MCPS plans to underground the electrical equipment and then they should figures out the alternative, if they want a waiver. He said he was speaking generally. Commissioner Britton pointed out that there is a total lack of information about the real need for the waiver. He noted that there is massive area on this entire site and he realizes they cannot put a transformer just anywhere, but there is not good cause shown tonight. Mr. Sprur further explained why they are asking for a waiver. Commissioner Medearis asked for a review about the issues surrounding the stormwater management concept approval. She said it seems to some assumption that the City is going to provide a regional stormwater management facility and that College Gardens Elementary School does not need to provide anything site specifically. Lise Soukup, explained that she is working on the stormwater management concept for this project. Ms. Soukup explained that they have set this up so the school site would be able to have stormwater management independently in an on-site stormwater facility. Ms. Soukup stated that she has worked with the school to go with that concept as the first shot. The school has provided for an on-site stormwater quality device that would stay there, regardless of what happens at College Gardens Park. In addition, the stormwater management quantity facility is currently being designed for an on-site underground pipe storage, which would work fine if the school goes ahead with that selection. Ms. Soukup stated that the City is currently working with the College Gardens community to investigate the possibility of a moderately sized stormwater management pond in College Gardens Park. She noted that the City will not know if this will work until summer. The City has suggested that the school go ahead with the on-site design and then while the school is under construction and before the on-site stormwater facility is built, the City might find that the school would want to have a regional pond, and since this site is next door, the water will come through a storm drain pipe directly past the pond. If there is a regional facility there, it would probably make more sense to put the school’s water in the pond for quantity, only. In response to Commissioner Medearis, Ms. Soukup explained that the school would have an on-site sediment trap for sediment control during construction. Burt Hall stated that they have met three or 4 times with the designers from MCPS. The plan is the City has a softball field with the home field backing up to College Parkway that extends out onto the school property and then there is an overlapping soccer field as well and none of that would be disturbed by the plans that have been drawn up for the elementary school. MCPS came to the City and asked if the City would want to continue with the relationship. Therefore, a new softball field will be constructed with the home plate up near the school facing out toward College Parkway. Therefore, that softball field would overlap onto the City’s property and the City’s softball field, if it remains, would continue to overlap onto the school property and the soccer field would not be disturbed. The City’s requirement of this was that MCPS not consider building any hard surface or structures in that section of the school grounds that would break up those uses. Mary Fertig with Apex Engineering explained stormwater management on surrounding properties. The following citizens testified: Sandra Schwartz said she owns property at the corner of Tulane Place and Auburn. She said she cannot really tell where the traffic patterns are going to be. She said that people are dropping their children off and picking them up at Tulane Place and she would like to know if that street would be opened up to more parking or drive-through. Mr. Chasten stated that there would be no vehicular access from Tulane Place onto the new school site. Ed Kimble, 803 Tulane Place said he volunteers at the school. He noted that the school has a Chinese Emersion program and now the school is anticipating 40 more children each year and he feels that 40 new children each year is not good. It needs to be looked at. Mr. Sprur explained that every year a new class comes in an old class graduates. Commissioner Johnson moved, seconded by Commissioner Hilton to approve Use Permit Application USE2006-00695, Montgomery County Public Schools per staff recommendations. The motion passed unanimously. Waiver of the Underground Transformer Requirement Commissioner Johnson moved, seconded by Commissioner Holtz to deny the waiver application because there was no good cause shown. The motion passed on a vote of 6-1 with Commissioner Medearis voting nay. Waiver Request, Orteck International c/o Diane Wulepski and Sonny Veen – request for a waiver of the requirement that transformers be located underground at 706 Rockville Pike in the RPC (Rockville Pike Commercial) Zone. Mr. Chasten presented the staff report. Mr. Chasten stated that the applicant is requesting approval for a waiver. He explained the background of application. He said there are site constraints such as foundation problems and the loss of parking spaces if the transformer were to be installed underground. In response to Commissioner Ostell, Mr. Chasten explained that the loss of space resulted when the Fire Marshall asked the applicant to install an emergency stairwell on the right side of the building. He pointed out that the stairwell was never part of the original application. It was something that the Fire Marshall flagged after the fact. Commissioner Britton pointed out that it might be beneficial for the applicant to be as clear as possible so there will be no denial. Sonny Veen with Ortek International, presented a larger display of the portion of the location of the transformer. Mr. Veen described the location of the transformer. He explained that before the fire stairs were installed, they thought they had enough area to underground the transformer, but the Fire Marshall came and said that they had to have the fire stairs, after which, they found that they would loose three parking spaces they would not meet the parking requirements of the plan, and there was only a limited area in which to put the transformer underground and to do this, they had to relocate the gas service, block the access of the fire stairs, this is the lowest point on the property, a six foot drop from the top to the bottom and all the water would flood into the underground transformer. They are planning to put the transformer in back of the property, about 200 feet away from Rockville Pike and screen the wall with stucco and that would not be visible from Rockville Pike. If the transformer were moved any closer to the building, the foundation would cave in because the building is so old. The Architect answered questions from the Commission. He pointed out that there is too small of a space to underground the transformer where they plan to install it aboveground. The Commissioner discussed concerns about the location of the transformer. Commissioner Holtz moved, seconded by Commissioner Wiener to approve the waiver request. Commissioner Hilton asked to amend the motion that the presentation of the above ground treatment be as indicated, 200 feet back from Rockville Pike and that the applicant showed good cause for the aboveground transformer. The motion passed unanimously. COMMISSION ITEMS Old Business Mr. Wasilak reported that the Mayor and Council made a friendly recommendation to rename Newmarket Street to Commerce Street. The Commission discussed concerns regarding the street renaming. Mr. Wasilak stated that the renaming would be placed on the agenda for the Commission meeting of March 22. Mr. Wasilak stated that it is anticipated that at its next meeting the Commission would discuss the changes to the Lincoln Park plans. Mr. Wasilak said staff anticipates four more meetings to bring this to a conclusion. The public hearing will be continued in April. New Business Mr. Wasilak announced that the Commission’s meeting date in April would be changed from April 12 to April 5 because of Passover. Chief of Planning Report Mr. Wasilak reported that the Zoning Review Committee will begin on March 21 prior to the next Commission meeting. Commissioners Ostell, Britton, and Hilton would be attending that meeting. Mr. Wasilak discussed upcoming applications. ADJOURN After further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 8:36 p.m. | ||||||