Good evening.

Welcome to the Historic District Commission meeting.

This is meeting number four-226.

It's Thursday, April 16th, 2026.

I'm Peter Fossum, the chair of the Historic District Commission.

I'm joined tonight with fellow commissioners Seth Dembo, Michael Goldfinger, Anita Neil Powell, and Mercy Shengay.

We're also joined this evening by staff members.

Sheila Bashari is our preservation planner.

Cynthia Walters is our deputy city attorney, and Megan Flick is our principal planner.

This evening you may watch the HCC meeting on www.rockville.gov forward slash Rockville 11, which is Channel 11.

And then afterwards, all the recordings are also viewable at uh Rockville MD.gov forward slash video on demand.

Um this evening's agenda, first thing on the agenda are committee organizational reports.

Uh do we have anyone from Peterless Rockville here this evening?

Oh, I see Nancy.

Yes, hi, thank you very much.

Good evening, everyone.

Thank you, Chair Fossilman.

Um, my name is Nancy Picard.

I'm the executive director for Peerless Rockville with a quick report.

I just want to uh mostly talk about the upcoming exhibit and programs we'll have for the 250th as 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States and the founding of Montgomery County, together with the Rockville community, the city of Rockville, and other business partners, Peerless Raffle will explore how national themes in American history have unfolded right here in Rockville over the last two and a half centuries.

Rothell 250 will tell the stories of people and places in Rockville that trace our nation's history.

We hope you will join us at the pictorial exhibit and other special programming marking 250 years of American history.

Peerless Rockville taked off Rockville 250 with a virtual presentation on the resolves at Hunger for Tavern on March 30th.

This was about local efforts that contributed to the eventual declaration of independence by the American colonies.

Coming up on April 24th at 12 p.m., you can walk the streets of early Rockville.

Uh a tour will depart from City Hall and proceed to Rockville's oldest streets.

Learn about the colonial era, the transition from Montgomery Courthouse to the city of Rockville, or the town of Rockville, and life in Rothball from 1776 into the 19th century.

Spots are limited, so reserved quickly, I guess.

Possibly again this summer.

Next month, our Rockville 250th, our American story exhibit will open in the Red Brick Courthouse on May 11th.

When we hope you'll join us and you can get more information on our website, PeerlessRockville.org.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Nancy.

Appreciate you being here.

Um Commissioner Powell, do you have a report tonight from the uh Lincoln Park Historical Foundation?

Good evening.

I am Anita Neil Powell, president of the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation and the Lee Roy E.

Neil African American Research Center.

And tonight I do not have a report.

Thank you.

Thank you, Commissioner Powell.

Next on the agenda are public comments.

It's open forum.

I see we have a jam-pack audience this evening.

Um if anyone would like to comment on anything that is not on the agenda this evening, and that includes uh folks that are joining us online.

Do you see anyone, Sheila online?

No.

Okay.

Uh last thing under organizational reports will be from the HTC and um also staff commissioners.

Do you have anything to report on or any comments?

Go ahead, need it.

Commissioner Powell.

Thank you.

So I have a question.

And my question is I attended the mayor and council meeting on last Monday.

And on the agenda on the zoning, they talked about some of the things that HDC had voted on.

Um, I didn't know anything about it, and I wanted to know, and I know that they're going to bring it back on maybe May something.

I don't, I'm not sure of the date.

But could you provide us with some information about that?

And then two, will the commissioners be able to speak to what has already been presented?

Um to the mayor and council on zoning.

Or is it just a work session and we should just sit in and listen?

I I'm not sure which way to go with that.

Okay, I was gonna say that's a very good question because I won't be here when it happens.

I will be out of the country.

Uh I do know that uh they had originally planned for May 4th, which I would have been here for that.

And I do know that some of the things that they are looking at are things that we had already had them come and present to us.

As far as being able to comment, I know that you can do it in writing, but I am not sure what the format is going to be for that particular meeting on the 18th on May 18th for the mayor and council.

Um sure, it's a month away, so we will know more before then though, at that point.

But what type of information, what other information would you like?

Basically, whether or not we could speak to um items that we had voted on.

It was kind of interesting because it's been a while.

And I'm like, did we really say that?

I think we really did.

So I was just sort of curious as to whether or not we could provide additional information or just set in silence and because one thing that they brought up and I still don't agree with that if an owner decides that they do not want to have their um site designated.

I don't think that mayor and council or any government agency should be able to say they must.

Because basically, you don't know what the financial situation is of those folks.

So and that was of course, um uh I think it was a split vote or something like that.

I don't know what the vote was, but I know it was not a full um I am going to say first put it in writing, but I would think that if nothing else, there should be you know public comment, if not during the actual session prior to the session, you know, during community comments.

Okay.

Thank you.

Commissioner Goldfinger All right, yeah, good evening.

Um continuing with my um featuring a uh uh different historic property within the city.

Uh tonight's uh talk, short talk will be on the city's old post office building.

Um beginning around 1794 and for the next 145 years, Rockville's post office moved approximately every five years from one rented commercial space in the town center to another.

It wasn't until 1926, however, that in town delivery began.

In 1937, Rockville's Chamber of Commerce proposed a new permanent post office shortly after the Works Progress Administration, known as WPA, gave its approval and the act of Congress dated August 25th, 1937, provided funding.

The following year, 1938, the old Sentinel and PEPCO buildings were condemned and demolished to make way for a new building to house the post office.

The building, which stands at the corner of Washington Street and Montgomery Avenue, was dedicated on July 22nd, 1939, in a ceremony attended by 3,000 people.

The building was designed by architects Lewis Simon and R.

Stanley Brown in the English Georgian style, and is more modest in appearance than those in faster growing Bethesda and Silver Spring.

The limestone building's two-story hexagonal entrance tower marks the intersection of Rockville's most important streets.

In 1940, WPA artist Judson Smith painted the mural in the lobby of the building.

The depiction of Sugarloaf Mountain, located outside of Montgomery County, sparked local disapproval at the time.

A plaque inside the main entrance to the building noted that it was completed during the administration of Franklin D.

Roosevelt, and lists the high-level officials associated with the building and post office department, including James A.

Farley Postmaster General.

Cornerstone on the exterior of the building near the main entrance, dated 1938, lists others associated with the design and construction, including Henry Morginthar Jr.

Secretary of the Treasury, Lewis A.

Simon, Supervising Architect, Neil A.

Mellox, Supervising Engineer, and R.

Stanley Brown, architect.

Rapid post-World War II growth in Rockville and the surrounding county soon made the building too small, and in the mid-20th century, it was replaced as the main post office by the current building, located at North Washington Street and Martins Lane.

For a while, the old building served as a marine recruiting station.

And in the early years of the 21st century, ownership of the former post office building transferred to the city of Rockville, and today it houses the city's police department.

And it's a fascinating building if you haven't been there.

It's worth stopping in.

The lobby is open to the public.

And it's uh been well maintained.

And it's it's a beautiful piece of uh historic architecture.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner Powell.

Yes, my comment is too Commissioner Goldstein.

Um I am hopeful that you are tracking this information that you are providing us.

And let's say, for example, if the public wanted to get copies of it, would they be able to do that?

I mean, the information is so informative.

And oh you know, and folks might want to follow up on it.

Um you know, it's on my computer.

I do have it.

I don't think we can go to your computer.

Technically, isn't it part of the public record?

Because it would be, yeah.

So yes.

So they could do what, and if they were interested in let's say the old post office, what they would contact you.

How would they get the information?

Yes, it is on a part of the public record, but how would they get the information?

They could call the office, um, call me at the office, and if I can get what information I have and whatever I don't have, I can pass it on to someone who might have more.

Okay, thank you.

And thank you, Commissioner Golden.

Always providing such information to us, and it's very important to our history of the city.

So I appreciate you.

Well, um I'm learning a lot, and it's um it's just great to see all these um buildings still here with us.

Um, you know, attesting to the city's history, long history.

Thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

Thank you for that space.

So I'm looking at this comment I'll see.

Rogueville's post office move every five years from one rented commercial space to the next.

So I was like, you know, um, okay, these months might be very difficult time for them.

They're moving from space to space every five years.

This was a very difficult illose days for them.

Uh it's good that they go to build it later.

So moving around, yeah.

Yeah, I'm sure it was it was difficult and disruptive, but um you know that's uh I I think even today um some post offices are in uh leased space rather than owned posts.

Um so uh you know buildings got torn down, they they'd have to move, I assume something like that.

So thank you.

Any other comments from the commissioners?

Okay, staff.

Do you have any comments this evening?

No.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

Uh next on the item are cons is our consent agenda.

Uh this next item, excuse me, would be approval of the minutes from March 19th of 2026.

Do I have a motion?

Yes, ma'am.

I wanted to uh point out that on the consent agenda I did put actually a Mike, please.

And he reminded me of this before the meeting, too.

Um I did put on there uh the item for 419 Reading, and I put it on the consent agenda because we looked at this uh a few months ago in in October, and they just changed the design of the building.

It's going to be in the same location, it's replacing the former um shed, but it's uh slightly different design and slightly larger.

So I put it on consent as opposed to putting it on the um regular agenda.

Okay, but we would vote separately.

You can't, yes.

Or you can vote all of depending on you.

Yeah, separate in case we want to say something terrible or what have you.

But um so I'll go back to um may I have a motion to approve the minutes of March 19th, 2026?

I'll move to approve the minutes from the March meeting.

May I have a second?

I'll second.

Any discussion?

All in favor?

I thank you very much.

Second last item on the consent list, the certificate of approval.

This is 2026 260 COA for 419 Reading Avenue.

May I have a motion?

Do we need to have discussion?

I have a motion.

Technically, you have to take it off the agenda if we're going to discuss it.

I'm asking if that's what the commission wants to do.

It sounds like that's what we need to do.

Could we staff could we move it back to um regular items out of consent so we can have a formal discussion?

Yes, you can.

We can put this on to the end of the agenda.

Okay, thank you very much.

So then we'll move on.

Evaluation of significance.

Uh the first item is and actually let me back up a second.

Um, is it possible to uh merge or do a couple of these at the same time since they're adjacent to each other, or do we need to do them separately?

I mean, the applicant is the same, it looks like I'm sorry I missed that.

What was your question?

That's okay.

Is it possible to do the two that are adjacent to each other with the exact same applicant in the same situation?

Should we just do them together or is it necessary to pull them apart?

Um we can do them together.

I was told that they were two separate addresses, so they needed to be written separately.

But the presentation is actually going to be coming from the applicant, and they did put it all together on one item.

Yeah.

Okay.

So we can just discuss it as one and then vote separately.

Yes.

Okay.

Okay.

Save staff some and the applicant some time.

Okay.

Uh so our first item is uh 2026 278 ESO evaluation of significance.

The applicant is Poly Tinus uh at 722 Car Avenue.

Uh is the applicant with us this evening.

Let me check if they're online.

Um not sure if this is with the applicant.

No, I don't think they're online.

I don't think they're here.

Okay.

Um it's okay to move forward though, correct?

I don't think I've ever done something without the applicant actually here.

We have okay we have an attorney.

Okay.

I meant I'm sorry, as as the new chair and have not done it.

So now I need to do a lot here.

Yeah, I think the last case that I presented, the applicant wasn't here as well.

Okay.

So I think we should be okay to proceed.

Okay.

And staff, if you have a report, please go ahead.

Sure.

Okay.

So this is case 2026, 278 for an evaluation of significance for demolition at uh should be 277 car avenue.

722 car.

Sorry, yeah, 722.

I think the case got confused there.

It's okay.

Okay.

Yeah, 722 Carr Avenue.

Um, so it's located in the West End Park subdivision on Carr Avenue between Maniche Street and Owen Street.

Um, and as you can see in this aerial image here, it's on the south side of Carr Avenue facing north.

So this is a detached residential home built in 1955.

Um, it's a variation of a Cape Cod style home.

Um, and as you can see on the left here, the front facade, there's a large wood deck out front with a staircase on either side, and then there's also a bay window to the lots of the front door there.

On the right, showing the rear elevation.

Um, you can see a side edition on the left there, and then an internal stairway leading to the back door.

And then here we have the side elevations.

Um, again, just showing kind of windows and landscaping.

Um, nothing too crazy here.

Okay.

And there's nothing too um historically or architecturally significant to note.

Um, so staff recommends uh to not designate this property.

Okay.

Well, once again, the report was very um thorough, so thank you for that.

Um commissioners, do you have any questions or comments?

Okay.

Okay, Commissioner Goldfinger.

Just um technicalities.

Uh, I think there's been some um incorrect labeling in the report, which should be you know correct if it's going into the yeah, I think the formatting got a little funky in word.

I just noticed that myself.

Yeah, tons of do that.

Uh so lots, some last minute editing there, switch things around.

But yeah, noted.

Thank you.

The front is called the south.

I think it's actually the north elevation.

Yeah, because it's south side facing north.

Yep.

I thought one of the images, um page four.

I have my notes.

Um, one of the photos is actually the mirror image of what's actually there.

Uh either that are Google Maps is um reverse.

If you could check that check that out.

Um it's the bay windows to the left, isn't it?

When you look at the house.

Oh, yeah, I think, yeah.

Yeah, because in the presentation it's it's to the right.

Yeah, I think that's I noticed that too, but I noticed that we received pictures in one picture it had it on one side and one it had it on the other side.

I thought it was mute.

Okay.

I think that's a photographer user error.

Yeah, yeah.

Um the rear is the south elevation at the north, the addition is on the west, not the east side.

Um I guess the addition has a rear-facing gable, although I think the report says otherwise.

Um I guess that's it.

Okay, got it.

Thank you.

Sorry for all those errors, guys.

Just uh just checking.

Yeah, yeah.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Any other comments from the commission?

Do we have any comments or any letters from um the uh public?

We had a couple of comments, but it wasn't based on our reviews based on the property itself and what was going to be happening with the property afterwards, but nothing that we were you know looking at.

So nothing under our purview, in other words, exactly.

Do we know what's gonna happen?

I assume they're gonna build a new house.

Building a new house, two-story house.

Okay, well, for no other questions or comments.

Uh may I have a motion?

I can move the motion.

I have a second.

Car Ivan does not meet any of the historical district commissions, adopted criteria for historical significance or architecture design landscape significance.

I moved the HDC recommended against historic designation.

May I have a second, please?

Second.

Any further discussion?

All in favor.

Aye.

Thank you very much.

Uh next on the agenda are 2026 283 EOS and 2026.

Oh, they're both 283.

How can that be?

Are they supposed to be two different numbers?

Um, actually, uh 1395 Picard Drive and one Curie Court.

They're right there together.

We do have the applicant here, then they would like to give a presentation as well.

And I did put in our first pages and our last pages, but they do have a um presentation that they would like to give.

And so I would like to introduce Vince Biase from Lurch Early and Brewer.

Um, before we get to that, Sheila, I'm sorry, I wasn't clear.

My question is on the agenda is there an error with a number for the applications because it are exactly the same for B and C for two different cases.

There are two different buildings.

Right.

So there are four other two cases.

Yeah, two different cases.

But under the same, they have to be voted separately because they're two different buildings, but it's the same case, basically.

But I mean the number, I'm sorry.

The actual thing is that the other thing is.

I just want to get the record straight.

Um sorry about that.

Please go ahead.

Okay.

Good evening, Chair Fosselman and members of the commission.

Um I just want to get one uh just point of correction before we begin.

I I think the application number might be 2026 283.

Uh that was included in the staff report.

It says 285 on the screen.

It doesn't matter which ones first.

Um proceed with with the idea that it's 283.

Um for the record, Vince Biazzi with Lur Charlie and Brewer on behalf of the applicant Pulti Home Group.

With me this evening are Andy Adams, an architectural historian with A.

Adams Co.

And Bobby Varner with Pulti.

We would like to thank Ms.

Bashiri and staff for their thorough review of application 2026-283-EOS for 1395 Picard Drive and one Curie Court.

We are in agreement with staff's findings and conclusion that the properties do not meet the applicable criteria for historic designation.

Uh we respectfully request that the commission would adopt staff's recommendation.

Any questions related to her evaluation and has prepared a short slide deck if the commission would find that helpful.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Sure, we'd be happy to view the slide.

And I'll be happy to show them to you.

Um Andy Adams, architectural historian with A.

Adams and Company.

I'm here tonight on behalf of the mid-Atlantic division of the Pulti group, uh, for whom I prepared the report that has been submitted on both of these buildings for your consideration.

The report goes into a lot more detail than I can talk about tonight, uh, including about Rockville's mid-century development and architecture generally, as well as about these two buildings in particular.

As you will have seen, I concluded that neither building meets any criteria for designation.

They are not significant.

Um, they don't um meet any of your criteria.

And I was pleased that your staff came to the same conclusion.

Just by way of introduction, I've been doing this.

I've been working professionally in the field of preservation since 1977.

I've been recognized as an expert in architectural history and historic preservation by boards of commissions throughout the region, including here.

And I've evaluated hundreds of buildings for their significance, both in the context of historic landmark status, national register listing, part ones for historic tax credits, and so forth.

Buildings of all ages, late early 19th through late 20th century, all styles, all building types.

And I've prepared applications for dozens of buildings for local listing on landmarks, inventories, and the National Register.

I've also successfully opposed the designation of buildings that don't meet the criteria, because I think that does a huge disservice to historic preservation, especially when regulatory implications follow.

So what you were looking at here shows both buildings.

The parcels are adjacent.

That's Redland Parkway on the top of the slide.

Picard drive runs down the left side.

And I'll talk about 1395 Picard first.

Next slide.

That parcel is outlined in red.

Again, Redland Parkway on the north, or actually it's not the north, but on the top, and Picard Drive along the left side of the image.

Building actually phases a parking lot and a drop-off.

It doesn't relate to any street frontage, which is to me kind of curious.

Third slide, or next slide.

An aerial view, again, showing the building with the large parking lot in front.

Next slide.

I don't actually have much to tell you about this building.

I looked, I researched, I couldn't find much.

It was built in 1979, fairly recently by GM to serve as offices for its Oldsmobile and Buick car brands.

It was not a showroom, it was not an open to the public.

Its inspiration may have hearkened back to brutalism of earlier years, but it's not particularly stylistically significant.

It's not stylistically significant.

Next slide.

The front entrance, which you can see here, is slightly recessed, pretty unimposing, and it takes a lot to find it.

And next one, please.

Basically the same design goes all the way around the building.

The side happens to have a loading dock, which you can see here, and then the next one is the back of the building, which is sort of sunken below Redland Parkway.

Its history is ordinary, has no significance, particular significance.

And as I said, I was pleased your staff came to the same conclusion, and we hope you will adopt the staff's recommendation.

And I should keep going, right?

And talk about one Curie Court, and you'll come back.

Okay.

Next slide.

This is the property associated with one Curie Court.

Again, you can see Redland Parkway at the top, and then Cal-de-Sack called Curie Court at the bottom left of the property.

Which is how you actually access the building at this point, and you leave by way of going uphill and out onto Redland Parkway.

Next.

Again, an aerial photograph.

Large building on a very large lot, mostly surrounded by parking.

Next one.

It's a perfectly nice building, but it's not a particularly distinguished building.

It was designed by local architect Donald Coupard for Computer Data Data Systems Inc.

As a result of a series of mergers and acquisitions, including the 1995 merger of Martin Marietta and the Lockheed Corporation.

The building has been owned and occupied since then by a small component of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Brick Building features long flat surfaces and uniform bands of strip windows and bands of contrasting brick.

And there are some small, actually, next slide.

Small uh bands of blue that you can particularly see in the upper floor windows that sort of divide the panes, but it's very regular uniform building.

Um its design roots probably were the international style, uh one of the four major styles of mid-century modernism, but which by 1984 most architects had moved on from next.

Oh no, sorry, you can see this is sorry.

Yeah, thank you.

Uh recessed entrance, two stories.

Uh so the third floor is supported by a stainless steel wrapped column.

Um it is curious to me that although there are entrances on the other side of the building, that's alongside the front entrance faces nothing.

Parking lot.

Um just a something I think is curious.

Next.

Uh the same design goes all the way around and uh backside, very long unerupted elevations.

Uh interruptions caused by the loading and a loading dock facilities and mechanical equipment.

Um the building's actually somehow removed from the public way.

It is down below Redland Parkway, uh, being off Curie Court means it's a block away from Picard Drive.

Um it has very little sort of visual presence in the neighborhood.

Um for especially for such a big building.

Um makes no particular visual contribution to its neighborhood or the primary streetscape, which is Picard Drive.

The architect was a competent workaday architect like so many working in the city and the county during the post-war boom years and the later decades following that.

He was not a master architect.

He was not recognized by his peers for um his design excellence or particular achievements.

He was not a fellow in the Arct Institute, American Institute of Architects.

Uh the building is neither architecturally nor historically significant, and it meets none of your designation criteria.

Again, I was pleased that the staff came to the same conclusion I did that the building does not meet any designation criteria.

And uh I urge you to uh adopt those the recommendations on both buildings.

And I'll stop there.

If you have any questions, I will be happy to try and answer them for you.

Thank you very much.

Commissioners, any questions or comments?

Any questions or comments at all?

The applicants?

No.

Commissioner Goldfinger.

No, just very good presentation.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

I was actually thinking that we may we should probably extend an invitation to you sometime to uh participate in one of our preservation events.

Oh you don't have to agree to it now.

I'm putting you under pressure.

How's that?

Okay, perfect.

Thank you so much.

Yes.

Yeah, just one quick comment to agree with Michael, and basically say I appreciate that the um developer takes this process that we that we engage in seriously enough to to um to engage an expert and I don't know who wrote such an excellent report.

I think it's it's refreshing to see that they um you know they want to tear down these buildings.

I I absolutely agree there's nothing particularly notable about either of them.

Um but that they that they saw fit to really engage with the process carefully is is important.

Thank you.

Staff, did we have any comments from the public or is anyone online?

No comments from the public.

I don't know that there's anyone online or not.

I don't see anyone.

No.

I don't have the full screen.

Okay, please.

All right, so we'll be using some of the Mazzi Wheels Altatianami building.

I'm sorry.

We do be using small de Mazzi wheels.

We'll reuse the windows or will you be reusing some materials from this building?

Recycling.

That is a question for him.

Okay.

Sorry.

Um because I don't have an answer for that.

Okay.

Um I wasn't I was actually thinking that was someone else's problem, not yours, but um, good evening, everyone.

Uh Bobby Varner with uh Poulty Homes for the record.

Uh the question was will we be reusing any of the building materials after demolition?

We will not.

Uh we will go through the full uh demolition permit process, uh, make sure that there are no issues prior to demolition, make sure that the utilities are all cut off and everything is copacetic, but we do not um it's gonna be a you know demolished through and through.

We will not be reusing those.

Thank you.

Anything else?

Okay.

Go ahead, Commissioner Goldfinger.

Yeah, no, just um you just said um, isn't there a market for like used brook uh that could possibly um you know any of these buildings have must have gazillions of bricks in their facade.

Yeah, um I personally don't know if there's a market for used brick.

I'm sure there could be.

Um, and usually when we have a demolition company go and demolish it there than responsible for the disposal of everything.

So perhaps it could be reuse in some regard, but that are that's not our plans at this moment, I could say.

Okay, um just curious.

Yeah, thank you.

Sure.

Okay, commission may I have a motion, please.

Sure.

I guess after the last two days, then it's snow is still there.

No speaking.

Um that one okay.

Finding that the building proposed for demolition at 1395 Picard Drive, and I'm gonna also say one curie court as well.

Um does not meet any of the historic district commission's adopted criteria for historic significance or architectural design and landscape significance.

Staff recommends against historic designation.

Okay, commission once again, commissioners uh once again.

Uh does anyone care to make a motion?

I will do that.

Thank you.

May I have a second?

Well, let me read it.

Anything you guys are jumping ahead of me, you're making me look bad in front of everybody.

Okay.

No, you're doing fine.

Uh finding that the building buildings proposed for demolition at 1395 Picard Drive and one curie court, do not meet any of the historic district commission's adopted criteria for historic significance or architectural design and landscape significance.

I move that the HDC recommend against historic designation.

May I have a second?

Any further discussion?

All in favor.

Hi.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Have a nice evening.

Thank you.

No, I need to go right.

Thanks for both.

Thank you for that.

Okay, so you're sure we don't need to do that for this.

Yep.

Okay, next on the agenda are discussion items.

Uh one is back to the we need to go back to the one that wasn't you're welcome, thank you.

The one we're moving off of consent.

419 Reading.

Okay.

Thank you for reminding me.

Good job, okay.

This is 419 Reading Avenue, and this is for a shed.

When we actually um reviewed the shed previously.

Okay, this is the actual house and the lot.

The uh shed that we actually looked at replacing is at the very rear of the lot here.

And originally, when we looked at it, the design was the one on the right, the previously approved custom shed, and it was a 10 by 12 custom shed.

And the owner actually decided that um that was not going to be the right one for the property.

So you're looking at a 10 by 14.

It's a simpler design, but um basically, yeah, much simpler design, in fact, as we look at it.

But yeah, I that's why I put it on a consent agenda because there was not a a lot of changes except for the design itself.

Okay.

Commissioners, any comments, questions?

Commissioner Goldfinger.

Again.

Um yeah, well, first um I I think the uh the current revised uh shed, I think is more sympathetic to the original house than the original one.

So that's good.

Um but the other thing I was um and I didn't go back far enough, but the in the brief book it said the original approval was October 10th, 2025.

Is that right?

I don't think the 10th is the right day, but it was 2025.

It may have been October 20th.

I thought, but didn't we discuss that at um last month, the March meeting?

No, it wasn't that was a uh different shed that we looked at, I think.

Okay last month.

Okay.

Seems wasn't there another uh address that we looked at last month at all shit.

I can't recall.

I thought it was I don't know, maybe yeah, because I actually had to go back a little bit before I could find the one that we had looked at originally.

Okay.

Thank you.

Any other comments?

Questions from the commission.

Do we get any comments from the public or is anyone online?

Uh the owner is online, I do believe.

If the applicant wants to speak, just uh go ahead and raise your hand and I'll unmute you.

They do just come up and say um they're here.

There we go.

That's us they're trying to okay.

You should be able to unmute yourself now and speak.

Okay, uh hi, Commission.

How's it going?

And sorry to uh you know take your time on re-reviewing this.

Um the reason for the change, and I just want to be a little bit more um uh give you a little bit more details, is that it's actually very hard to find a um manufacturer in the area that does it into specs that match like you know a historic district, such as materials and everything.

Also, um, you know, uh one has to pass also local uh permit inspection.

Um so basically, you know, uh one of the issues is of course uh trying to make it permit worthy as well.

Um couple of the design changes is that um and also who the manufacturer is, it's gonna be Dutch Homes LLC out in Pennsylvania.

Uh they're in Amish uh business.

They actually produce one of the few sheds in the uh in the Northeast.

Um that's basically like this one is gonna be totally wood.

Um the um and uh if you can see right there, there's gonna be a little mustang at the top to match uh the local elementary schools and the Mustang in the Potomac area, um, as well as um I provided a lot of details on there, such as the two day uh the 2D f uh flooring, um the concrete pad, everything is designed for longevity, that it's gonna survive at least another 30 years.

Um and then also Dutch Homes will actually uh come over from Pennsylvania to do um you know maintenance uh day to day.

That's the reason why there's a change.

Um it's also to match the style of the main house.

Um and the coloring is also designed to match the style and the coloring of the main house, so it's a little bit more um architecturally friendly uh and such.

Um and uh yeah, that's w again, a lot of the reasons for the changes is so that it can pass inspection, uh, you know, and that um it basically aligns with current city of Rockball Montgomery County court ordinar uh uh permit and code ordinance.

Um that's the reason.

Um and that that's it.

I'm here if you have any questions, and I work uh closely with Sheila on on this project or any project on 419 uh Reading Avenue.

Thank you very much.

Commission, any questions or comments for the applicant?

Okay anything else, Steph.

Okay.

Uh Commissioners may have a motion.

Okay.

Uh I move the commission approved certificate of approval application 2026-260-coa at 419 Reading Avenue.

The work meets the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation number nine and the technical brief number 16 accessory structures.

Uh may I have a second, please?

Any further discussion?

All in favor.

Thank you very much.

Have a great evening.

Thank you for attending.

Thank you.

And thank you, Commission.

Okay.

Now we can get back to discussion items.

First would be old business.

And the only thing on there is preservation month event for 2026, which is for next month.

Once again, I want to thank Commissioner Dunbo for helping.

No, that's not true.

We've met a few times.

We've talked to a lot of different people.

So no, you've been quite the true leader and very helpful, so I appreciate that.

I'm gonna throw something out there, and I don't know, I may get poo-pooed by the commission, but um I'm gonna suggest that we not do an event this year.

Um, and there's a number of reasons.

One, because we were struggling to find the appropriate weekend, and the weekend that we picked is the same weekend that's part of the week of memorial week.

I mean, um, yes, memorial weekend, and there are a number of people that aren't even gonna be in town still because they're getting back on Saturday or maybe Sunday.

Two, there are other events that are competing on that weekend.

Um, three, we really don't have any staff assistance, and that's no one's fault.

We understand um completely.

Um, and I just feel like we would be doing a disservice to the Historic Justice Commission to the staff to the city as well as um to the community that really um respects um the history of the city, and I I just don't want to see us do a cruddy job.

And I feel poorly uh personally as the new chair because I really enjoyed the event last month and I mean excuse me, last year um and before, and I know I was looking forward to doing something special this year, but I just don't think that we're gonna be able to do it.

So that's just my two cents.

Commissioners, any other you all have any comments?

Yeah, Commissioner Dumbo.

Um I was honestly thinking the same thing, Pete.

I think it's given given, you know, this is something we've only been doing for the last few years.

It's not something we we have to do.

It's a it's a it's a nice to have rather than a need to have, and I think given the constraints this year and the fact that we um you know the that this year is very busy, it seems with a lot of events in May because of because of the 250 anniversary and the hundredth anniversary of Glenview, and there's so much going on that I think it just it um it just makes sense to to sort of start to to set our sights on planning early for next year.

That's what I'd like to see us do.

Thank you.

Any other comments, commissioners?

Questions, interrogation, blame.

I absolutely do not have any comments.

Okay.

Thank you very much.

I don't have any comments either.

Thank you.

Um I I know we don't need to vote on this, but it's oh yes, staff, please.

I was gonna suggest that maybe you wait until the fall and do something, just something celebrating historic preservation.

And the plan that you had was a great plan as far as doing a tour.

Um, so maybe that will give you time maybe to do a couple of houses near each other and within walking distance of one another.

And so that's something to consider for later on rather than trying to rush through it right now.

And you know, you want it to be good.

That's a nice idea.

Yeah.

By that point, too, we would have more staff support.

Right now, if we were to do it in May, I would be supporting it, would be just me.

Just to clarify.

But yeah, we would have more support in the fall for sure.

Well, we are favored.

Yeah, I was gonna say, I'm sure it would be we'd have more of the support than we needed, even if it was just you.

Thank you.

Uh, can I make a quick comment?

I just I think you know, I think I like the idea of doing something in the fall if we can if we can start planning it now, really.

Um we have a good we have a good idea, and we could expand on that and and really make something work.

I mean, historic preservation, it's nice to do it during historic preservation month, but most people out there don't know it's historic preservation month.

We do, and other people in the historic, but our audience doesn't really um probably doesn't care that much in terms of whether or not they um whether or not they get to do a house tour in October or in um um May.

So I think I think I like that idea a lot.

Commissioner Goldfinger.

Um I like that idea as well, uh, given the time constraints and everything that beats it.

Um but the third point or next point is um advertising, and I'm just wondering if um uh I didn't, you know, I didn't see anything in the current Rockville reports, but that's for April.

Um and I don't know if anything's gonna be put in for May about historic preservation month, but uh uh actually he sent out a notice.

Our um public information officer sent out a notice asking was there anything for the May agenda?

And I was waiting to see if there was, you know, not for the May agenda for the um published publication, and I was waiting to see if there was something to give them.

I didn't want to give them information, and it turns out that wasn't accurate.

Um and we don't usually do anything for May in Rockville reports, but usually there's a um proclamation by the mayor and council during that day.

You've been here several times when that was I remember, yes.

Yeah, so that they will still have that.

It would be nice.

Um that's a very good point.

Um it would be nice if we could do some kind of save the date type of thing to give folks a jump start because we came up against a lot of different events this year in in May.

And I'm sure with going back to school, there may be some other things we're competing with, but neither here nor there.

But the point is to save the date might be nice.

I I always appreciate that when there's something going on to get ample notice.

Commissioner Powell.

Is it possible to at least have something in the Rockville reports about preservation month?

About preservation.

I like that idea about it.

We can get some space.

It just a really short, I'd I'd be happy to draft something, a short article, like just talking about what the that it's historic preservation month, what the HTC does in a few sentences, and what the value of what the HDC does to the for the city is.

I think that's um a message we have trouble getting across, and if we could use Historic Preservation Month to give it to get a little bit of space in the in the Rockville reports.

I know that's a lot there's a lot of demand for that space, and I know we've come up against this before, but we could easily I could we could easily put together some some writing, and that would you know a lot more people would read that than would attend our events.

Well, what we could do also is um so we don't take up an enormous amount of space too.

You could just do the very basics in the article, and then you could say for more information, and we could have more on the website maybe or something for more detail.

Um and usually PIO does the Rockville reports, you know, the written version, but they also I think every week send out a web version of things that are current.

So that's another thing that can to consider because I have to look and see what the deadline date was for the May issue.

Okay, and because he usually sets up so much room for each item that he's putting in there, he'll say, you know, you have this many words or you have this much space, and we'll send him something, and he will actually narrow it down to what will fit in the space that he can allow for it.

So um if you go ahead and write something up, and I will try to get it to him.

No, I'm happy to write something up.

I just if if we've already missed the deadline.

Do you want to let me?

I don't know that we have, but even if we have, we would still put it into our weekly reports.

Um, be able to say save the date.

Okay.

Save the date.

And this is what historic preservation does, just you know, kind of make ourselves visible.

When you say he, who is that?

I'm sorry.

Uh that's Cliff who works for PIO.

And where does he live?

Here I don't know.

When I listen to him talk, sounds like he lives in England.

I'm gonna go by and pay him a visit, talk to him about making room in the news.

Uh Commissioner Goldfinger.

Just one comment.

I've noticed for the past two or three months that um there's a vacancy announcement um for historic district commission.

Um I assume that's the alternate alternate position.

And I actually had someone contact me about that position.

He actually wanted one of your positions, but um I told him that's the one that was available.

Uh, because he talked about there were gonna be some uh vacancies in December about terms ending, and I let him know that probably he should go ahead and apply for the alternate position if he's interested, because um very often our commissioners do reapply when their term is up, so I said this would be the way to get in.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Commissioner Powell.

I have a question.

So what is the process if they wanted to if you wanted to do like a video snippet?

Because I've seen where like staff you get new staff, they give you some like a spotlight or something like that.

I think so.

What's the possibility of I think that comes from Channel 11?

I don't know.

And I'm not sure what the process is as far as getting in there, but I do know that they often are looking for something to publicize, so that's a good idea.

You think a snippet for preservation?

That's a good idea.

No.

That's a good idea, also.

Okay.

I'm not doing it.

That's what you're suggesting.

Um okay.

Anything else about preservation months?

I was gonna say if you will send me an email, um, I'm gonna be in the office part of the day tomorrow, but if you send me an email, I will try to get it over to PIO and to uh Channel 11 and see how you know we could do that or what the process would be to do something like that.

And if nothing else, I think that we have some things that we could rerun, if I'm not mistaken, if nothing else.

So when you you say an email, are you uh requesting the email reminder to me to you?

So forward to to um yeah.

And and if you could find out how well we'll work on the we'll get something rolling for uh a summary anyway, regardless, and then we'll be ready to we'll figure out what the timing might be.

Okay.

Thank you.

I will I'll do that when I get home.

Oh Commissioner Powell, sorry.

Thank you.

So I just don't want us not to do anything.

So if we could get a spot in the news uh in Rafia News or a snippet or something, let's just not say that because of whatever.

Uh just do something.

Okay.

Um next under discussion are is new business.

Commissioners, do you have anything?

Commissioner Goldfinger.

Again.

Um nothing really new.

Um, I'd spoken earlier uh with Sheila, and and in the past, um uh you probably remember that when we have these small mid-century houses up for demolition, um, I've always commented on the fact that uh we're slowly eroding uh the city's uh part of the city's history post-World War II, the tremendous growth that Rockville uh experienced, along with uh suburbs and in most other metropolitan areas, and um and and we're losing that one property at a time, uh, which is not necessarily a bad thing, I want to repeat, but it is a loss of the city's um uh history.

And um, so my question is uh and I just wanted to say this to just make it part of the public record.

Um, and I believe um some of the city that there has been some uh documentation of some of the city's historic neighborhoods, but um uh and I think you said it was up until World War II, but not much has been done post-World War II.

And I'd like to see that, and I believe you said that there um is a request to add money into the budget to extend these these sort of surveys.

So that's a good thing.

Uh and I just wanted to make sure that we follow that and and that um you know, before too much is lost, that we at least document it.

Um this uh demolition and and infilling, I think is a good thing economically, socially.

Um, but unfortunately, as I've said, it does take away the sense uh the historic sense of the city um and and how it grew at a certain period of time.

So um just want to uh again put that out before everybody and um uh you know just try to make sure that we can um document that before it's before it's too late and it's all lost.

Thank you.

Um we have actually several years repeatedly asked for money for a survey, a city survey, and each time we've been turned down, but each time we keep trying.

Uh one of the things is that the last survey only covered up until just past 1940s uh architecture, and there was so much more architecture that was not looked at.

And I think at the time it was because they weren't 50 years old yet, and so they were just looking up until the uh point the buildings were 50 years old, but then that's been 40, 30, 40 years ago that that happened, and so definitely we have a lot of buildings in inventory now that are mid-century modern um and past and beyond.

For example, the two buildings that we looked at tonight, the um they're in an office park, and so I think that they were pretty much not even looked at at all when the survey of the city was done previously, and I think I don't know if it was because they're in an office park, and that was not the priority at the time, but you know, it's just for us to be able to document the buildings that we have, all the buildings that we have, and not wait and be reactionary when something shows up to be demolished so we will already know that this is something we want to save or something we we're willing to let go.

Commissioner Dunbo.

So given that um we keep asking for this money and and council keeps not giving it to us.

We need to it's our job to sort of get in their ear when we have the opportunity to do that.

I was gonna sort of say, and I've said we've said this to them before, but you know, when when we when we get an opportunity, we should be pushing that with Mayor and Council.

Because they're they're the ones with the purse strings.

Yeah.

I guess the question is do we have to come under the um preservation office?

Well, can we as a commission ask for our own money?

I see other commissioners doing that.

It is actually um historic preservation, the historic preservation budget that it comes from.

So when you have, I guess it's pedestrian or when the other commissions come before the council and they ask for money, so they come under a particular department or something.

I think it all depends on how much you ask for it.

I think there's a certain limit that you don't have to go through the budget.

There's some special money set aside.

I think that it's if it's over, and this is me speculating and guessing, because I'm not really sure, but I think that if it's over a certain amount, then it does have to go through the whole budget process as well.

So I'm not sure about the other boards and the amounts that they you know received and what the process was for that.

And what the first question the council's gonna ask us if we lobby them is how much is it gonna cost?

Do we have any idea how much it would cost?

I think that last time that we asked, I want to say close to a hundred thousand was the amount because doing a citywide survey is a really big endeavor.

So go ahead, please, Commissioner Goldfinger.

Um was that intended as a um a one-time total city overview or a uh incremental yeah, one-time city overview.

Might it um be more advantageous to do incremental surveys?

And maybe that might get through more easily, you know.

Ken, um, is this something that staff could look into and sort of come up with a a broad overview of what a multi-year I would say wait until Katie gets back, and because this is gonna be a major endeavor.

Um, it's not something I'm gonna be able to take up, and I'm sure it's not something Megan's gonna be able to take up.

So we definitely want to wait because that's fine.

Katie controls the budget as well.

She controls the purse strings in our department.

So that's that's great because it gives us, I think, some direction.

Okay.

I just wanted to add to I think um from my understanding what we've discussed, what was lined out, or I guess outlined in the preservation work plan.

I think the incremental survey would be a little more risky just in case it doesn't get funded in the future.

We don't want to have just part of the city done and then other parts end up not getting funded.

Um I see your point, but but um if we had an increment, you know, if one year didn't get funded, we just push it to the next year, maybe.

I I don't know.

I just think that uh um we ought to look into it because uh again, right now uh I don't think anything's being done, and and we're losing that that part of our history.

Yeah, you can definitely look into that for sure.

Okay, anything else under new business staff anything?

Yeah, this is quite possibly my last meeting.

Oh here we go again.

Yeah, I've been given a lot of thought to it, and the fact that the economy is wreaking havoc with my retirement, you know.

I'm starting to say it's not worth it to wait much longer because it's starting to, you know.

So I'm pretty sure I won't be here for the June meeting.

I haven't put in a date, you know, with the city or anything like that, but I'm pretty sure that this will be it.

Well, can you with the big smile?

Yeah.

I'm sorry.

And you're gonna are you gonna remain in the area?

Pardon?

Will you remain in the area?

No.

Nope.

I know you had talked before about total absolute relocation.

I'm actually um my birthday is on May 16th, 30 days from today.

I'm going there to get my apartment.

I plan to spend it's my 70th birthday, and I plan to spend the night in my apartment on my birthday.

Um getting ready to start shipping things to Panama.

I just found out today that I can go ahead and apply for my visa and my social security and everything is gonna take care of that.

So nope.

Nope.

I say I'm this weather today, is I'm practicing for heat all the time.

Well let me just add that it's been a pleasure working with you, Sheila.

Thank you.

Um I'm gonna miss, I think we'll all miss you so much.

Um Megan, you've got uh I think you're absolutely capable of doing that, but we will miss you, Sheila.

Okay, there will be occasion that I will be coming back and forth.

Um I will have residency there and residency here still, and I gotta vote and I gotta pay taxes.

So I wish you the very, very best in your retirement.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

I'm so excited.

So excited.

Who would think I would be this excited about turning 70?

And I'll say it again.

It's the days are not long enough in retirement.

I can imagine, but you keep pretty busy.

I was planning on taking it easy.

No, I don't see that happening, Sheila.

You're not that kind of person.

Oh, you'd be surprised.

It's probably gonna take a while before I get this totally bored with it and say, okay, now I need to do something.

Okay, that's fair.

Yeah.

But they have a wonderful historic district in Panama.

Um 1500 Spanish.

It reminds you of New Orleans.

It's gorgeous.

Yeah, and they've been restoring buildings, and so there's a lot going on there.

Nice, and they have great infrastructure too.

Okay, I'm sure you'll find something to keep you busy.

Okay.

Um, if there's nothing else, may I have a motion to adjourn?

I move to adjourn the meeting.

May I have a second?

A second.

All in favor.

All right.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, staff.

Thank you, Channel 11.