Rockville Historic District Commission Meeting - January 16, 2025
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Rockville Historic District Commission Meeting - January 16, 2025
The Historic District Commission (HDC) met in a hybrid format on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 12:15 PM. Chair Anita Neil Powell presided, joined by Commissioners Seth Dimbo, Peter Falseman, Mercy Shingay, and Michael Goldfinger, along with staff Sheila Pazieri (Preservation Planner), Katie Gerbis (Comprehensive Planning Manager), and Cynthia Walters (Deputy City Attorney). The meeting covered committee reports, a consent agenda, a certificate of approval application, and planning for the May Preservation Month event.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (December 19, 2024): The commission unanimously approved the minutes from the December 19, 2024 meeting (5-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Peerless Rockville Report (Nancy Picard): Reported on the organization’s 50th anniversary wrap-up, including an open house at the Red Brick Courthouse in December and a successful program at Glenview Mansion on the Marquis de Lafayette’s 200th anniversary tour (65 attendees on a cold night). Upcoming events: an online talk with artist Sandra Davis on Lincoln Park, and a lecture on Thurgood Marshall on March 13, 2025, at Glenview Mansion. Picard also noted Peerless Rockville has been following the Town Center Master Plan and zoning rewrite.
- Lincoln Park Historical Foundation Report (President): The president testified at the Mayor and Council work session on January 6, 2025, regarding the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation Plan and Design Guidelines. The council voted not to move forward with the design guidelines and will update existing conservation district standards. A follow-up meeting is set for January 27, 2025.
- Public Comment on Certificate of Approval (Nancy Picard): Picard expressed support for the 11 Wall Street application, calling it a “great example of what is possible within the confines of historic preservation code” and praising the homeowners for wanting to honor the past while making the home more livable.
Discussion Items
- Certificate of Approval – HDC 2025-01180 (11 Wall Street): The applicant seeks to enclose a side porch and add a second-story rear addition to a circa-1930s house modeled on a Sears design. The project includes closing the side porch with Hardy Board panels and Marvin multi-light casement windows, and adding a box bay window on the rear elevation. Staff recommended approval (meets Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation #9 and Technical Guide for Alterations #4). The applicant (owner) and architect (Jimmy Stringer) answered questions about the porch enclosure, windows, and the existing rear addition. Commissioners discussed the differentiation of new work from historic fabric. The motion to approve passed 5-0.
- May Preservation Month Event Planning: Staff updated that the commission will continue planning for the May event. Commissioners discussed potential themes (sustainability, accessory dwelling units, preservation in the 21st century, solar panels), venue options (e.g., Glenview Mansion, Red Brick Courthouse, King Farm, pump house), and partnerships with other jurisdictions (Gaithersburg, Takoma Park, etc.). The commission elected Commissioners Peter Falseman and Michael Goldfinger to work offline with staff on logistics. It was recommended that the theme and invitations be finalized by the February meeting. The possibility of sponsors (in-kind or monetary) was discussed, but staff noted city sponsorship policies may apply. The event is likely to be held on a Saturday rather than an evening, based on feedback.
- Other Business:
- Hybrid Meetings: The commission confirmed that all 2025 meetings will be held in hybrid format in this room.
- Encouraging In-Person Attendance: A commissioner suggested adding language encouraging applicants to appear in person, but the chair clarified that approval is not based on attendance. Staff will communicate the option to applicants.
- Staff Announcements: Sheila Pazieri announced that the Zed Thompson interpretive sign was installed earlier that day on North Washington Street (near the garage where Dawson’s market used to be). The sign includes an ADA-accessible tilted panel and a vertical Civil War Trails logo sign. A press release and ribbon-cutting event will be scheduled.
- Commissioner Announcements: Chair Powell announced the city’s MLK Jr. celebration “Unity Gathering” on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 1:30 PM at Bell Elementary School, including a panel discussion and volunteer opportunities.
- Open Meetings Act Training: Commissioners were reminded to complete the state-required training and submit certificates and reappointment applications to the city clerk.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the minutes of December 19, 2024 (5-0).
- Approved Certificate of Approval HDC 2025-01180 for 11 Wall Street (5-0).
- Formed a subcommittee (Commissioners Falseman and Goldfinger) to plan the May Preservation Month event with staff.
- Next Steps: The subcommittee will develop a theme, venue, and date by the February 2025 meeting. Staff will provide updates on the Zed Thompson sign dedication event.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the City of Rockville Historic District Commission meeting number 01 2025. Today is Thursday, January 16th, 2025. I am HDC Chair Anita Neil Powell. I am joined by my fellow commissioners, Seth Dimbo, Peter Falseman, Mercy Shingay, and Michael Goldfinger. We are also joined by city staff, Sheila Pazieri, Preservation Planner, Katie Gerbis, Comprehensive Planning Manager, and Cynthia Walters, Deputy City Attorney. The Historic District Commission are conducting hybrid meetings. Applicants and the public may join the meeting virtually via WebEx or in person in the chambers. The virtual meetings can be viewed on Rockville 11 Channel 11 on County Cable and live stream at WW.Rockville MD.gov slash Rockville 11. Each meeting is also available for viewing at WW.Rockville MD.gov slash video on demand. The first item on the agenda is committee or organization report starting with Peerlish Rockville. Is there anyone here from Peerless Rockville to give a report? I'm here, but look at me on video when you guys are all there in person. Wow. Hey, congratulations on coming back. I will join you again. Um that that's a that's a nice thing. Um happy new year to everyone. I'm Nancy Picard from Peerless Rockville. And um just a quick report. Um just wanted to note that over the past you know two months we have um worked on wrapping up or celebrating of our 50th year. Uh the last event we had was an open house event at the Red Bridge Courthouse in December. Um we did just um this month have a wonderful program at Glenview Mansion, and that was actually a program um by a woman that's involved in the Lafayette, Marquis de Lafayette, um the society that's working to put on this fabulous uh more than a year, uh 2024 through 2025, uh 20th anniversary celebration celebration of the Marquis de Lafayette's visit to the United States in 1824 and 1825, and she was a fabulous wealth of knowledge. And on a very cold night, we had like 65 people come out to hear that presentation. Um we've also been following along with the Town Center Master Plan. Um have been in a meeting or two about the zoning rewrite. So lots of things have been happening in the city, and I know your staff has been very, very busy with all of these things. So we appreciate their efforts. Um coming up, we will have artist Sandra Davis on Zoom, Zoom, talking a little bit about um her life experience growing up in Lincoln Park and some of the people and places there. And then we'll be back at Glenview for a lecture on Thurgood Marshall on March 13th at 7 p.m. We would love to have um you join us for these events. Uh you're always welcome. So um that's all I have. Welcome back. Thank you. And the next report is the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation. I am the president of the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation. I had an opportunity to testify at the Mayor and Council work session held on January 6th regarding the draft plan of the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation Plan and Design Guidelines. At the at this work show, excuse me, at this work session, they voted to not move forward with the design guidelines and expect to update the existing conservation district standards. A follow-up meeting will take place on January 27th. And that concludes my report. Um this time is set aside for public comments, open forum. I'm sorry, members. Are there any announcements or comments from the commissioners? No, madam chair. Okay, I would like to announce that the city is hosting the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration entitled Unity Gathering. There will also be a panel discussion with community and faith leaders. Also with the opportunity to volunteer your services throughout the city. It will be held on Sunday, January 19th at 1 30 at the Bell Elementary School.
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