19 September 2006 | Approved: 17 October 2006
HPC members present: Bob Booher, Chair, Mimi Styles, and David Neumann. David Stopak attended as liaison for the Town Council. The meeting was called to order at 7:47 p.m.
After modifications the Commission members approved the agenda presented by Bob Booher. David Neumann agreed to take minutes for the meeting. Minutes of the regular meetings of August 15, 2006 were approved, subject to a few changes.
Problems encountered in the review of the plans to renovate 206 Grove Avenue were discussed again. The problems arose due to a lack of information. The applicants via their contractor presented plans that were insufficient for the HPC to review their project. As there were misunderstandings on the part of the applicants of the process, the HPC tried to overcome the problems by contacting the applicants and asking for improved drawings. The Planning Commission approved the application without the HPC review as they believed the 30 day opportunity for the HPC to review had lapsed. There was also a delay in the distribution of the HPC review. There still remains an uncertainty regarding the responsibility of the PC and the HPC to initially review building permit applications to make sure the materials submitted are sufficient. The members again expressed the hope that coordination with the PC will resolve this problem in the future.
Review Session
315 Grove Avenue. Chris Kirtz a member of the HPC had asked for a preliminary review of his plans to renovate his building on the corner of Second Avenue and Grove Road. The building is a contributing structure. Mimi Styles agreed to write the review after the commission’s discussion.
Candice Byrne, the immediate and closest neighbor to the property, attended the meeting. She presented her ideas about the effect of the renovation on her property. HPC member Chris Kirtz is the owner of the property. He was not present due to illness.
The application consisted of a single drawing of the view of the renovated building from Grove Avenue and a plat showing the position of the building on the property. An email from the owner to the members of the HPC was used in the review. The members used the photographs of the building that are on file on the Town computer to assist in the review. The review process was difficult due to the absence of elevations showing what the building would look like from other directions. Members agreed that the final plans submitted to the PC would need to be reexamined carefully to see that they were consistent with the understanding of the preliminary plan submitted to the HPC.
342 Ridge Road. A building permit application to construct a rear addition had been submitted by Paz Castillo of Elegant Homes, Inc. on behalf of the owners the property, Elisabeth and Mike Hutter. David Neumann agreed to write the review.
Other Business
Casey Field. David Stopak and Bob Booher reported on the content of communications with the State Highway Administration. The HPC members are concerned that the noise generated on I370 and the ICC will be detrimental to the historic quiet rural nature of the Town. One of the main problems reported by Bob Booher is that the ICC interchange with I-370 will be visible from the homes along Ridge Road. The extent of this visibility will depend on the extent of retention of the trees remaining in the field. Further, the noise level in the Grove will be largely due to the increased traffic on the existing I-370. That effect is not seen as relevant by the SHA as it is not a direct effect of the construction of the ICC. It is out of the limits of the ICC noise studies. It was also noted that the Md Historical Trust had signed off on the noise study without any interaction with Grove officials. HPC members agreed that the lack of contact between MHT and the TWG HPC was a problem.
Cluster Zone – Cator Property. The new Cluster Zone was discussed. These are changes to Art. XII (Subdivision Regulations) and VII (Zoning). The comments of the HPC members were passed on to the Council by David Stopak at the previous meeting of the Council.
Town Master Plan. The recommendations of the "Section 8 Subcommittee to the Town Master Plan" entitled ."Section 8. Economic Growth and Resource Protection" were presented to the HPC by Bob Booher.
The next meeting will be on October 17, 2006 at 7:30 pm.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m.