City of Rockville - File #: 24-1440

• File #: 24-1440
• Type: Worksession
• Status: Agenda Ready
• File created: 11/13/2024
• In control: Mayor and Council
• On agenda: 1/6/2025
• Title: Worksession on amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and consideration of Design Guidelines.

Subject

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Worksession on amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and consideration of Design Guidelines.

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Department

CPDS - Development Review

Recommendation

Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council conduct a work session and provide direction to staff on the proposed amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and Design Guidelines. 

Change in Law or Policy

The proposed Lincoln Park Conservation District Plan Amendment (the Plan amendment) will update and clarify existing building standards for construction and implement new design guidelines that have been developed specifically for single-family detached homes. The Plan amendment and design guidelines are intended to continue the district’s goals of conservation of older neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park, which have distinctive identities worthy of retention, while also providing a clear set of design requirements that are aligned with such goals and will guide the construction of new homes and additions in a predictable manner.

Should the Mayor and Council adopt the proposed Plan amendment and approve the Lincoln Park Design Guidelines, the proposed zoning text amendment TXT2024-00267 (ZTA) would update Article 10 and Article 14 of the Zoning Ordinance to implement the design guidelines and bring the conservation district overlay zone into conformance with the Plan amendment.

Discussion

Update from the Public Hearing

At the November 18, 2024, meeting, the Mayor and Council held a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and associated overlay zone, as well as the proposed design guidelines. At the meeting, several members of the public, including Lincoln Park residents, indicated their support for the guidelines. Among the testimony provided, there were no comments of opposition to the proposed amendments or design guidelines. This report provides similar background information from previous staff reports but provides emphasis on the proposed guidelines to help facilitate discussion during the work session.

Background

The adopted Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan provides specific recommendations for Planning Area 6 (Lincoln Park), one of which is a recommendation to “Review the existing 2007 Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District (LPNCD) standards to determine whether updates or amendments are warranted.” During the creation of the Rockville 2040 Plan, Lincoln Park residents voiced concerns about how some new homes and additions have impacted the neighborhood. They expressed interest in reviewing existing development regulations in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District to identify changes or improvements needed. In 2021, the city began a project to develop residential design standards and guidelines for detached homes within the Lincoln Park neighborhood based on the input of residents and property owners. The Mayor and Council approved funding for a consultant to develop design guidelines for the Lincoln Park neighborhood in the FY 2022 budget, and since then, staff has worked with the Lincoln Park community to create neighborhood design guidelines.

Design Guidelines Project

The purpose of the Lincoln Park Design Guidelines project is to establish a clear set of expectations and a predictable review framework for residents, design professionals, contractors, City staff, and officials when designing and reviewing a new detached home or an addition to an existing home. If approved, compliance with the design guidelines would be required for a building permit to be issued for the construction of a significant renovation or an addition to a single-unit detached dwelling. The goals of the project are as follows:

•                     To conserve and strengthen the unique identity and sense of place that exists among residents in the neighborhood;

•                     To promote complementary and context-sensitive development between new and existing structures while also allowing creative design; and

•                     To maintain and enhance a walkable and pedestrian-friendly environment.

In 2022, the city hired consultants Michael Watkins Architect, LLC and LSG Landscape Architecture to assist with developing design guidelines for the Lincoln Park Neighborhood. A walking tour was held in September 2022, and city officials, staff, consultants, residents, and community leaders toured the neighborhood to survey the existing conditions and help inform on design issues that could be addressed in the guidelines. Following the walking tour, staff worked with the consultants to develop a framework for the guidelines based on initial feedback from the walking tour and the existing building standards established for the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District. Staff then employed numerous outreach efforts to engage with residents and members of the public to gather further feedback on the neighborhood and design concerns.

To assist with the City’s outreach efforts and inform on neighborhood-specific design issues, a nine-member advisory committee of residents was also formed. To date, the advisory committee has held nine meetings between October 2022 and November 2024 in which the members provided valuable feedback on methods to further engage the community in the project. The committee also discussed the content of the guidelines and provided insightful commentary to help staff clarify certain key issues. Staff worked with the community through 5 public meetings, a survey, individual interviews, a project website, and several mailouts to all property owners and residents. A detailed account of the outreach efforts for the project is further provided in Appendix C of the Plan amendment (see Attachment 1 above - Draft Conservation District Plan Amendment).

Content of the Design Guidelines

The guidelines are composed of 10 specific design issues ranging from building orientation and materials to parking and trees. The framework of the guidelines was developed through collaboration with the City’s consultant and feedback received from residents. While the structure of the guidelines mirror that of other adopted design guidelines in the city, such as the East Rockville Design Guidelines, the Lincoln Park Design Guidelines have been calibrated to the specific needs and feedback expressed by Lincoln Park residents.

It is important to note that the design guidelines look to build off the existing building requirements for Lincoln Park and address challenges residents have experienced with the current conservation district standards. To modify any of the existing standards, the conservation district must be revised. The proposed guidelines are shown below and are distinguished between those addressing existing standards and new standards.  As part of this work session’s discussion, staff seeks the Mayor and Council’s direction on what specific guidelines it recommends for final approval at its January 27th meeting.

In addition to the specific design issues, the proposed guidelines offer an alternative compliance process that will allow property owners to propose alternative designs to the standards in the guidelines if meeting the following criteria:

a.                     Meets or exceeds the purpose and intent of the guideline(s) for which alternative compliance is being requested.

b.                     Provides an equal or better design solution in terms of livability for residents and impacts on neighboring properties.

c.                     Accomplishes the following neighborhood goals:

o                     To conserve and strengthen the unique identity and sense of place that exists among residents in the neighborhood.

o                     To promote complementary and context-sensitive development between new and existing structures while also allowing creative design.

o                     To maintain and enhance a walkable and pedestrian-friendly environment.

An example of an alternative compliance request could be for a property owner making an addition to their existing home and expanding the driveway for an additional vehicle space. The guidelines would require an owner to limit their driveway width in their front yard to 12 feet. However, the owner’s property may be unusually narrow or shallow and may not allow for a driveway along the side or rear yards but only in the front yard. In such a case, the owner could apply for an expanded driveway in the front yard and demonstrate how such a proposal would meet the criteria mentioned above.

Requests for alternative compliance would be decided by the Chief of Zoning. An additional benefit to property owners would be that the criteria for alternative compliance are generally less strict as compared to that of a variance, which currently is the main option available for owners to seek relief from current standards. If adopted, staff would also provide updates to the Lincoln Park Civic Association on submitted requests so that the community is kept informed.

As with properties throughout the City, zoning regulates building setbacks, height, and lot coverage for new and existing structures. However, the design guidelines will further refine those requirements to promote new homes and additions that will be complementary to existing structures. For example, the Zoning Ordinance generally establishes where a home can be placed on a property due to required setbacks. The guidelines will further include requirements that speak to the look and feel of homes to promote greater compatibility between existing and new homes.

Throughout the project, a total of four drafts of the design guidelines have been developed. Following the Planning Commission’s recommendation to approve the design guidelines on October 23, 2024, staff produced the current fourth draft documents, which updated graphics per the Commission’s comments and corrected minor errors in grammar and formatting (see Attachment 2 above - Lincoln Park Design Guidelines (4th Draft).

Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Issues

The city’s only neighborhood conservation district is in Lincoln Park. Neighborhood conservation district zones are overlay zones intended to provide a vehicle to implement programs for the revitalization or conservation of older areas or districts within the city possessing distinctive features, identity, or character worthy of retention and enhancement. Each neighborhood conservation district is established through the adoption of 1) a neighborhood conservation plan (adopted in 2007) <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/907/Lincoln-Park-Conservation-District-Plan?bidId=> and 2) a neighborhood conservation district zone. To move the design guidelines forward, the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan and zoning requirements must be updated.

The district has provided certain development standards for properties in the neighborhood in addition to the primary zoning requirements for the area. While working on the design guidelines, residents voiced concerns regarding these development standards and requested that they be revised in conjunction with the design guidelines project.  The district’s standards have proven to be outdated and have resulted in unintended issues for residents wishing to receive a building permit for their property, leading to certain neighbors’ desires for updated design guidelines. They have also not fully achieved their intent of preserving the existing character and streetscape of the community.

Specifically, the Conservation District allows a maximum lot coverage of 1,500 square feet regardless of the lot size. This lot coverage requirement includes all roofed structures, including the house footprint, and any detached accessory structures, such as a garage or garden shed.

In their feedback, residents expressed that such a requirement has limited their ability to obtain building permits for reasonable additions to existing homes. Changing the lot coverage requirement is critical to allow some residents to make reasonable use of their property.  The 1,500-square-foot restriction is proposed to be replaced with a new building footprint requirement in the design guidelines. Specifically, the footprint for new homes and existing multiple-story homes proposing additions would be limited to 1,800 square feet, allowing for a larger building footprint than currently allowed under the Conservation District standards while still ensuring that new structures will be in scale with existing structures.

The design guidelines would also allow for a building footprint of up to 2,100 square feet for additions where an existing one-story home is retained. This provision would be carried forward from the existing District standards to the new design guidelines and will provide flexibility in design options for property owners while also meeting the purpose of the design guidelines to allow homes that are compatible with surrounding structures, many of which are one-story homes.

There are advantages to specifying building footprint limitations as opposed to lot coverage limitations, as with the current district standards. The building footprint requirement allows additional flexibility for property owners in the design of their home improvements because certain elements, such as unenclosed porches and accessory buildings, such as garages and sheds, would not be included in such limitations. Such elements would instead be regulated by the lot coverage requirements of the neighborhood’s current base R-60 zoning, which limits overall lot coverage to 35% of the total lot area. The focus on limiting building footprint to only the detached homes would also allow property owners to construct accessory buildings to similar standards to other neighborhoods without the additional current lot coverage restrictions. Such allowance is not anticipated to conflict with the goals of the design guidelines.

In addition to the change to lot coverage, the consultant and staff have recommended that the design guidelines include requirements for limited driveway widths, garage locations to the side or to the rear of homes, and the provision of porches or stoops for new homes. These requirements help to better integrate new homes within the existing fabric of buildings in the neighborhood and better relate to a more pedestrian scale that is characteristic of Lincoln Park. The guidelines also include requirements for façade elements such as windows, doors, and porches to ensure that large blank walls facing streets are avoided. The guidelines will also require building fronts to be oriented toward the street so that new homes continue to maintain a relationship with the street.  These requirements are like the East Rockville Design Standards and were generally supported by those residents involved with this project.  In addition to the change for lot coverage, staff seeks feedback from the Mayor and Council on the other specific guidelines.

The following table illustrates details of the proposed guidelines and how design elements are currently regulated through the neighborhood’s existing zoning and conservation district versus how such elements would be handled with the proposed design guidelines. The order of design guidelines in the table below differs from the order presented in the draft guidelines to prioritize standards that are being modified and followed by new standards.

Design Issue	Zoning Ordinance	Lincoln Park Conservation District	Proposed Design Guidelines
1. Building Footprint	Not addressed, but limited by lot coverage, maximum of 35%.	Not directly addressed but limited by total lot coverage of 1,500 square feet, regardless of the property size. If an existing one-story house is retained, an addition to bring total lot coverage up to thirty-five (35) percent of the smallest lot size available or to two thousand one hundred (2,100) square feet is permitted.	•  Max. building footprint is 1,800 square feet, allowing an additional 300 square feet when compared to current LPCD standards.  • If an existing one-story house is retained, an addition may bring the total building footprint up to a max. of 2,100 square feet. This would be like existing LPCD standards for one-story additions. In either scenario, the footprint cannot extend beyond the maximum lot coverage permitted by zoning.
2. Additions	Additions that expand the building footprint must not exceed the maximum lot coverage.	Additions should be constructed on the rear of the building or on a side, whichever has less impact on the character of the structure and streetscape.	• Additions must not be larger than the existing house and must be subordinate to the mass of the main body of the existing house. • Additions must not visually interfere with the original structure from the primary frontage view. • The draft design guidelines provide specifications for front additions, side and rear additions, full-story additions, and partial-story additions.
3. Building Materials	Not addressed.	Materials and design elements for new construction or additions should be selected that are sympathetic to surrounding buildings in the zone.	• Gable ends in the main building must be a single material. • Materials on upper floor walls must be of equal or lesser apparent weight than the material of walls below. • If different materials are to be used in the same house, the materials must differentiate the fundamental parts of the building from one another. • On corner lots, materials must not change at outside corners (brick front, siding side). On interior (non-corner) lots, a change in material may occur 18 inches behind the façade.
4. Building Articulation	Not addressed.	Infill new house construction should be designed so that the organization of the street-facing facades closely relates to any surrounding buildings.	• On primary facades: - Windows must be generally aligned with windows in the story above or below. - Windows must be a minimum of 2’ from outside corners. - Openings must be square or vertically proportioned. - A maximum of two different window sizes may be utilized. - Window head heights must be generally consistent. • On side elevations, windows are required on side walls in the second layer. Windows on side walls must be consistent with windows facing frontage(s). • On secondary facades: On corner lots, the side elevation that faces a street is also a façade (a.k.a. front). Facades must be similarly designed and detailed and have similar opening proportions, placement, patterns, and alignment. • Large blank walls are not permitted facing frontages.
5. Building Height	• Max. height 35’, as measured at the mid-point of the front of the building from the surface of the pre-existing grade to the mid-point of a gable, hop, or mansard roof or to the roof surface of a flat roof. In the case of a gable, hip, or mansard roof, the height to the peak of the roof cannot exceed 40 feet.  Max. height of buildings with flat or shed roofs is 35’.	The maximum actual height of new construction, a building, or an addition is 25’ from the existing grade to the peak of the roof. A 29-foot height may be permitted for designs using a graduated 45-degree line of sight slope from the front property line to the highest point of the new construction. A front porch or a substantial portico to visually separate the stories on the front elevation wall would satisfy this requirement.	• Maximum height of 30’, as measured to the peak allowing an additional foot of height compared to existing LPCD standards. Porches or stoops would also be requirements regardless of height.
6. Porches & Stoops	New or expanded porches/stoops that expand the building footprint must not exceed maximum lot coverage. Porches and stoops are allowed to encroach in setbacks.	No specific requirement. Additional building height beyond the standard 25 feet, up to 29 feet, may be permitted if a front porch or a substantial portico to visually separate the stories on the front elevation wall is provided.	• Main buildings must include one of the following at the primary entrance on the primary frontage: - Uncovered stoop. (Doors at uncovered stoops must have a door surround.) - Covered stoop. - Covered porch. • Stoops must be a min. of 5’ deep, whether covered or uncovered. • Porches must be a min. of 6’ deep, although 8’ is preferred. • Porches of two-story-height ceilings are not permitted. • Two-story porches with two habitable stories are a permitted alternative.  The second-story porch may be covered or uncovered.  • Porch ceilings must be like the ceiling height of the story to which they are attached.
7. Building    Orientation	Not addressed.	Not addressed.	• The front of the main building and the front entrance to the main building must face the primary frontage. • The walkway must provide a direct connection between the front door, stoop, or porch and the public right-of-way.
8. Building, Massing, & Scale	Not addressed.	Not addressed.	• Buildings must have simple massing and a maximum of four outside corners of primary mass may face a frontage. • Building massing must communicate hierarchy. One volume must be the primary volume. Secondary and tertiary volumes, if present, must be clearly subordinate to the primary volume. • A single façade must not be greater than 40’ in width.
9. Parking, Garages, & Pavement	Driveway must be at least 10’ wide and paved, and overall front yard impervious cover is limited to 40%. The detached garage size is limited by accessory building regulations.	Not specifically addressed: new streets and private access driveways that function as streets are not permitted.	• In the first layer, driveways must be a maximum of 12’ wide. Garages and carports are not allowed in the first layer. • In the second layer, driveways must be a maximum of 22’ wide, and a garage/carport is only permitted if it’s placed a minimum of 5’ behind the main building façade.
10. Trees	The City’s Forest and Tree Preservation Ordinance exempts the following lots: Where an application for permit or approval is filed by the owner of a single dwelling unit residential lot in connection with construction or land disturbing activity not involving subdivision of the lot and where less than 20,000 s.f. of forest is disturbed.	Not addressed.	• Three shade trees (1 in the front yard & 2 in the rear yard) are required per lot for rebuilds or major additions.  Existing trees may be counted toward this requirement. Applicants are strongly encouraged to place a high priority on preserving existing, mature trees, especially healthy and native or noninvasive species. • Applicants must provide a Tree Save Plan or other similar document, along with all permit applications for new single-family homes and major additions, detailing how trees on the lot and adjacent lots will be preserved and the requirements mentioned above are met.

The original Conservation District Plan also contains language that appears to indicate that the standards were also intended for buildings of non-residential use in the district.  Since the design guidelines have been developed specifically for detached homes, the building standards are being updated in the Plan amendment and in the Zoning Ordinance via the ZTA to clarify that the existing standards will remain in place and will only be for non-residential and non-detached residential construction. Standards for detached residences will be covered by components in the design guidelines. The changes to the standards are detailed in the proposed text amendment (see Attachment 3 above - TXT2024-00267 as Filed).

Process to Implement the Design Guidelines

To adopt and apply these guidelines, the process is not a simple one because three different items need to be changed.

1.                     The existing Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Plan must be modified to recommend changes to the Conservation District zone and to reference new design guidelines.

2.                     To be consistent with the Conservation District Plan, the Neighborhood Conservation District zoning text and associated standards must be amended to address neighborhood issues and implement the guidelines.

3.                     The Zoning Ordinance must be amended to reference the design guidelines so they may be implemented through the building permit review process.

The Plan amendment, amendments to the district, and design guidelines seek to provide a robust set of guidelines that will allow property owners to build new detached homes and construct additions to existing homes that are generally compatible with the look and feel of the longstanding Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Previously, the Zoning Ordinance had no method for amending a neighborhood conservation district plan. However, the Mayor and Council adopted Zoning Text Amendment TXT2024-00266 on September 9, which created the process for amending a neighborhood conservation district plan so that the Lincoln Park Design Guidelines can move forward. 

In conjunction with the Plan amendment, the pending ZTA seeks to formally implement the updated building standards into the Conservation District as well as the new design guidelines. Specifically, Sec. 25.10.14 of the Zoning Ordinance would be revised to include reference to the Lincoln Park Design Guidelines in a similar manner to the East Rockville Design Guidelines. This would make the design guidelines applicable to building permits being sought in single-unit residential zones. The ZTA also contemplates updates to Sec. 25.14.03, which contains the building standards that will be updated as described in the Plan amendment. Updates to this section will clarify that the building standards are intended for non-residential and non-detached buildings, and the design guidelines will contain requirements for detached homes (see Attachment 3 above - TXT2024-00267 as Filed).

Public Notification and Engagement

There have also been significant outreach and engagement efforts as part of the design guidelines project. As a part of the process to create design guidelines for Lincoln Park, staff has engaged in outreach to the neighborhood, beginning in September 2022. This has included:

•                     An initial walking tour of the Lincoln Park neighborhood with the Lincoln Park Civic Association;

•                     Stakeholder interviews with community members and leaders;

•                     Five public meetings, four of which had postcard notifications sent to every resident and property owner in the neighborhood;

•                     Regular updates to the Lincoln Park Civic Association;

•                     Eight advisory committee meetings;

•                     A survey posted online and at the Lincoln Park Community Center;

•                     A comment portal on the first and second drafts of the design guidelines posted online and at the Lincoln Park Community Center;

•                     A letter was sent to all residents and property owners regarding the project and the ability to comment on the first draft of the design guidelines, which included a reference to the Lincoln Park Conservation District; and

•                     A second walking tour of the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

As requested by the Mayor and Council, a second walking tour of the community was conducted on October 10, 2024. The Mayor and Council, along with several board and commission members, residents, and members of the public, all joined the staff on the tour to learn more about the neighborhood and the proposed design guidelines. Staff highlighted specific design issues that the proposed design guidelines would look to resolve, including the provision of street-facing front entries, guidance on completing new additions, and allowance for slightly increased building footprints. Residents also provided valuable feedback on their experience in the neighborhood, particularly with some challenges of the current Conservation district standards. Several residents indicated their support for the larger building footprint allowance as proposed in the guidelines. Staff also answered questions and provided clarity on elements proposed in the guidelines. As mentioned previously, several residents also indicated support for the guidelines at the November 18 public hearing.

Additional details on engagement efforts completed throughout the project are provided in Appendix C of the Plan amendment (see Attachment 1 above - Draft Conservation District Plan Amendment).

Mayor and Council History

The Mayor and Council received an introduction to these amendments at their meeting on September 9^th. During the meeting, the Mayor and Council provided feedback on the project, noting the positive outreach efforts completed up to this point. They also expressed a desire to have more resident feedback so that the design guidelines may achieve the greatest representation of the community. During their discussion, the Mayor and Council identified additional desired items for the project, including:

1.                     Sharing the proposed guidelines with MCPS for their awareness and feedback regarding its properties in the neighborhood.

Staff response: The staff has shared the proposed guidelines with MCPS. At the time of production of this staff report, staff has not received any feedback from MCPS on the proposed guidelines.

2.                     Conducting an additional walking tour for the current Mayor and Council.

Staff response: A second walking tour of the neighborhood was conducted on October 10, as further detailed in the Public Notification and Engagement section of this report.

3.                     Providing additional information on the number of residents engaged during the project and the number that may be impacted by the guidelines.

Staff response: Over the five public meetings held, staff estimates that there was an average of 8 attendees per meeting, not including staff. There are approximately 334 dwelling units in Lincoln Park, with an estimated population of approximately 900 residents. In September 2022, approximately 15 people participated in a walking tour of the neighborhood, which included staff, city officials, community leaders, and residents. Informational postcards were sent to all residents for 4 of the five public meetings. A letter was also sent to all residents in May 2023, providing general information on the project and methods to participate. Nine commenters have provided feedback through the project’s Engage Rockville website, and 13 total survey responses were received. Staff estimates an approximate total of 40 residents attended the five public meetings.  

4.                     Ensuring that the guidelines are clear about items that are requirements and items that are suggested.

Staff response: The proposed guidelines have been authored to prioritize requirements and limit discretionary elements by clearly expressing requirements as items that “must” be done.

The Mayor and Council also requested that the Planning Commission provide feedback on several items as part of its recommendation on the design guidelines. The Commission provided its feedback on the requested items, which are further detailed in the Boards and Commission section of this report. As mentioned previously, the Mayor and Council held a public hearing on November 18, 2024, and received public testimony on the proposed guidelines and amendments.

Boards and Commissions Review

The Planning Commission received a briefing on the proposed amendments and design guidelines at their meeting on September 11. Following their briefing, the Commission had several questions and requests on the project, for which staff provided responses as noted below:

1.                     Is there additional information on the number of attendees at the public meetings?

Staff response: Staff estimates that there was an average of 8 attendees during the five public meetings, not including staff.

During the initial stages of the project, the staff received feedback on the specific design issues through a survey that staff offered to residents in person at public meetings and online. In total, the staff received 13 responses. The top five design issues identified by the survey responses were front yard paving, building height, home additions, trees and landscaping, and lot coverage. Staff used this feedback to help shape the content on these issues, which has subsequently been included in the draft guidelines. The specific survey results can be viewed in Appendix C of the Plan amendment (see Attachment 1 above - Draft Conservation District Plan Amendment).

2.                     What was the process for deciding to proceed with the design guidelines?

Staff response: As previously mentioned, during the creation of the Rockville 2040 Comprehensive Plan, adopted in August 2021, Lincoln Park residents voiced concerns about how some new homes and additions have impacted the neighborhood. They also expressed interest in reviewing existing development regulations in the Lincoln Park Conservation District to identify changes or improvements needed. In addition to Lincoln Park, similar concerns with replacing existing homes with new, larger homes were expressed by the residents of the West End community during the development of the 2040 Plan.

Due to the similarity of issues and comments received from these two communities during the 2040 Plan, staff and officials began considering residential design guidelines for both communities shortly after the adoption of the 2040 Plan. Design guidelines were considered as a method to address community concerns, particularly in context with the recent completion of design guidelines in other neighborhoods to address similar issues, such as those for East Rockville that were adopted in February 2021. In late 2021, the Mayor and Council approved a budget for consulting services to support the development of design guidelines for both the Lincoln Park and West End neighborhoods.

3.                     Comparison between the proposed standards in the design guidelines and other neighborhoods.

Many of the single-family neighborhoods in Rockville, such as Lincoln Park, the West End, and East Rockville, among others, are zoned R-60, which is purposed primarily for single-unit detached dwellings. This zoning category provides the basic development requirements such as setbacks, lot coverage, and height limitations. Certain neighborhoods may have additional requirements supplementing the base zone standards, such as the design guidelines in East Rockville and the Conservation District Overlay Zone in Lincoln Park. A comparison of the R-60 zone requirements with the existing conservation district standards and the proposed design guidelines is provided above in the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District Issues section of this report.  As shown through the specific design issues, the guidelines seek to provide additional direction on the look and feel of homes beyond the normal R-60 zone requirements. 

The Commission held a public hearing on the proposed amendments and design guidelines at their September 23^rd meeting and provided further action at their October 25^th meeting. The Commission noted the positive outreach efforts completed up to this point, including the recent walking tour. The Commission’s discussion initially included concerns about the lack of public feedback throughout the project despite the numerous engagement efforts made. However, the Commission also noted that the resident feedback provided at the tour indicated support for the proposed guidelines and that throughout the several public meetings held on the project, no comments of opposition were offered.

Following their discussion of the proposed amendments and design guidelines, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend the adoption of the Plan amendment, approval of the design guidelines, and approval of the ZTA. The Commission also indicated its concurrence with staff on several items requested for feedback by the Mayor and Council, as detailed below:

1.                     The guidelines seem to include requirements for building facades to maintain the same materials on all sides, which seems to be excessive for owners when compared to other homes in Rockville.

Staff response: Item 4 of Issue 8 (Materials) within the guidelines specifies that “On corner lots, materials must not change at outside corners (brick front, siding side) as this makes the material appear more like wallpaper than the structure of the building. On interior (non-corner) lots, a change in material may occur 18 inches behind the facade.”

As proposed, consistent façade materials are purposefully focused on corner lot properties to maintain aesthetic consistency for street-facing sides. On non-corner lots, the side facades would be allowed to differ in materials like other homes in Rockville. Additionally, many existing corner-lot homes in Lincoln Park have exhibited consistent materials on their street-facing facades, as shown below.

      

Figure 1: Examples of corner-lot homes in Lincoln Park with consistent materials on their street-facing facades. (Source: Google Streetview)

2.                     The guidelines appear to show that larger garages must be set back from the main home, which can create additional challenges for property owners, including requiring additional driveway paving.

Staff response: Issue 3 of the guidelines specifies requirements for parking, garages, and pavement. Graphics included with the issue present four different lot scenarios with attached and detached garages, as shown below. These graphics are meant to represent various scenarios that would be allowed by the guidelines. However, there are no specific requirements that would dictate a detached garage to be setback from a main dwelling. Instead, a detached garage could generally be located anywhere in the rear yard if certain setback requirements in the Zoning Ordinance are met. If an attached garage were proposed, it would be required to be setback 5 feet behind the front façade. Issue 3 alternatively focuses on limiting garage pavement width in the front and side yard areas while also attempting to ensure that garages do not become the dominant focal point of properties.

Figure 2: Graphic of how various property scenarios could comply with the proposed guidelines for parking, garages, and pavement. A note has been added to the graphic to further clarify garage setbacks. (Source: City of Rockville, Lincoln Park Residential Design Guidelines, Draft #4)

3.                     Confirm if any adjustments are needed to the guidelines to accommodate the existing multifamily properties in Lincoln Park.

Staff response: The guidelines are proposed to be specifically applicable to single-family detached homes in single-family residential zones. Multifamily properties currently located in Lincoln Park are within non-single-family residential zones and would not be subject to the guidelines. However, multifamily buildings would be subject to the Conservation District standards which, similarly seek to influence the look and feel of non-single-family buildings just as the guidelines seek to do for single-family detached homes.

4.                     Does the Commission have any input on the Design Guidelines and potential additional costs created for property owners, particularly in completing routine maintenance?

Staff response: Through implementing other design guidelines in the city, staff has not observed that such guidelines have caused increased costs to property owners. The guidelines would only apply to building permits for the construction of new homes and additions. Regular maintenance items such as replacing windows, siding, and roofing, among others, would not be subject to the guidelines.

Next Steps

As part of the work session, staff recommends that the Mayor and Council provide direction to staff on whether the guidelines can move forward as proposed, and accordingly, direct staff to prepare Resolutions for the Plan Amendment and design guidelines along with an Ordinance to implement the associated ZTA, for consideration by the Mayor and Council at the January 27, 2025, meeting.