16 January 2018 | Approved: 20 February 2018
Members Present: Bob Booher, Wendy Harris, Gail Littlefield and Mimi Styles, along with John Compton, Town Council Liaison. Also in attendance were Marco Mendez, Maria Ortis, owner of 123 Washington Grove Lane, and Bryce Blair, architect.
Approval of Agenda:
The agenda was reviewed and approved, as amended.
Adoption of Minutes:
The draft minutes from the meeting of December 19, 2017, were reviewed with minor changes. Gail made a motion, seconded by Wendy, to approve the minutes, as amended. The motion carried unanimously.
Review of proposed additions and alterations to 123 Washington Grove Lane.
Architect Bryce Blair presented a set of plans for additions to the rear and to the volume and facade of the original residence. HPC members suggested options for breaking up the mass of the additions to make them more compatible with the neighborhood. The proponents and their architect will consider these suggestions and return to discuss their plans at the next HPC meeting.
Expansion of National Register Nomination:
Wendy will meet on January 17th with two of the consultants with Robinson and Associates, which was awarded the contract to expand our National Register Nomination at the January 8th Town Council meeting.
15 the Circle easement package.
Bob and David organized the HPC draft of Exhibit C into a pdf document with a cover sheet, consistent with the Council resolution. Gail moved, Mimi seconded, and the HPC unanimously voted to forward the document to the Town Council and to Taunton Paine. Kathy will assemble the whole package for the Council. There was a discussion of possible outcomes. A draft ordinance regarding sale of surplus property, prepared and distributed by Charlie Challstrom, is circulating.
Status of sign rehab project.
Gail reported the numbers of rehabbed signs completed and in process. HPC recommended regular status updates, possibly utilizing the spreadsheet being finalized by Freda Temple and Susan van Nostrand.
Archives.
Wendy is gathering information about the archives maintained by the Washington Grove Methodist Church. She will inventory them and Pat Patula will scan them for inclusion in the Town Archives. HPC supports Pat’s receiving a raise. Bob will find out the deadline for the HPC’s proposing a raise and will prepare a draft proposal for discussion at the next HPC meeting.
Bulletin.
Wendy will prepare an update of the National Register expansion project for the Bulletin.
Guidelines. The group has not met.
Town Council report.
John Compton reported. He will testify at a Montgomery County meeting on bike path policy.
New Business.
- HPC needs to propose its budget for 2019.
- PC meeting assignments. Feb—Mimi; March—Bob; April—Gail (Gail needs to change to May);
- Town Master Plan update. Gail will propose some additions to the Master Plan update, to include HPC review of non-residential projects, and recognition of and future incorporation of new areas of historic significance developed in the National Register expansion.
- Chris Kirtz is proposing as tour of Washington Grove as part of Preservation Maryland’s program. HPC will recommend by March a date, house interiors to include, and consideration of Clare Kelly to lead the tour.
There being no more business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 10:50 pm.
Minutes prepared by Gail Littlefield