|
Historic Rockville MINUTES I. Welcome - Community preservation of Lincoln Park: Fran Hawkins - Lincoln Park Civic Association President Fran Hawkins welcomed the 34 attendees and stated that the Lincoln Park Civic Association had requested protection for the character of Lincoln Park. She encouraged residents to inform their neighbors of the project and to sign up and be a part of the effort. II. The unique history and significance of Lincoln Park: Eileen McGuckian, Executive Director of Peerless Rockville Eileen McGuckian briefly related the history of Lincoln Park, which began nearby after emancipation and the end of the Civil War as a crossroads with five African American families. The first subdivision along Lincoln Avenue was platted by a white merchant, William Wallace Welsh in 1891. Two more subdivisions followed before the community was annexed into Rockville in 1949. By that time it functioned as a small town with neighborhood businesses and services, churches and the only high school in Montgomery County for black children. Ms. McGuckian said that most of the community history had been researched and written by Sharyn Duffin long before this effort began and Peerless Rockville is happy to be participant. III. Summary of Neighborhood Plan: Jim Wasilak, Division of Long Range Planning, City of Rockville Chief of Long Range Planning Jim Wasilak reviewed the goals and recommendations of the draft Lincoln Park Neighborhood Plan. He responded to questions about specific development issues such as Lincoln Terrace, the WINX property, and property owned by the Board of Education, saying that the goal is to return Lincoln Park to a residential neighborhood and phase out industrial and warehouse uses as land is redeveloped. Traffic cut through and other neighborhood issues were also addressed. He noted that preservation of the community and neighborhood was a goal of the Neighborhood Plan and this project is an implementation of the plan. IV. Choosing preservation tools for Lincoln Park – Judy Christensen and Shelby Spillers, Rockville Planner Judy Christensen presented a slide show of the many styles of houses and features of Lincoln Park. Planner Shelby Spillers worked with the attendees to identify the neighborhood boundaries of Lincoln Park (as opposed to the planning area) and to list features of the community that were considered significant and should be preserved, and some that were not desirable and not be protected. Ms. Spillers asked all that were able and interested to sign up to serve on the Lincoln Park Community Preservation Committee and develop a way to preserve the history and best features of Lincoln Park. V. Forming a community preservation committee Eighteen persons signed up to serve on the committee. The first meeting will be August 10, 2004. Respectfully Submitted: |
|
