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HRAB 01-19-93 Meeting AgendaCOUNTY of FREDERICK Department of Planning and Development 703 / 665-5651 Fax 703/678-0682 MEMORANDUM TO: Historic Resources Advisory Board FROM: Ron 'Lilley, Planner 11 IrAp RE: Meeting Date and Agenda DATE: January 11, 1993 There will be a meeting of the Historic Resources Advisory Board on January 19th, at 7:30 pm in the Conference Room of the Old County Court House. Please let me know if you are unable to attend. AGENDA 1. Preparation for January 25th Joint Work Session with Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission. 2. Schedule group meeting for review of properties in Rural Landmarks Survey. 3. Other, as necessary. Enclosures follow. 9 North Loudoun Strect P.O. Box 601 Wnichester, VA 22601 Winchcster, VA 22604 Enclosures The following items related to the agenda for the meeting, and as follow up to our November meeting, are enclosed. Please review these in preparation for our upcoming meeting: 1. A summary of the December meeting. 2. Preparation items for the January 25th worksession. 3. Notes on scheduling a group review of significant properties. Summary of 12/15/92 Meeting Attendance Members: Ray Ewing Mary Jane Light Lee Taylor Gary VanMeter Staff: Ron Lilley Others: Maral Kalbian Agenda items: 1. Discussion of procedures for preserving especially significant historic resources. Maral Kalbian presented a review of her Rural Landmarks Survey completed document, and discussed what the study notes as the most significant historic resources in the County. It was noted that copies of the report would be provided to members at the January meeting. Members agreed to review with Mara] the approximately 370 properties shown in the report as being in the top two levels of significance in order to become familiar with those properties and express their own opinions about their significance. It was agreed to try to set a date for such review at the January meeting and that a daytime session or two for this would be preferred. Staff noted that a joint worksession of the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors has been scheduled for January 25th to view Maral's presentation and consider historic preservation matters, and that it would be good for HRAB members to join that worksession.. Members agreed. There was a fair amount of discussion about how this presentation could be used for general education purposes throughout the County, particularly if developed as a video presentation, as is expected. It was agreed to try to develop a general plan for historic preservation, including an education program, that could be presented to the joint session for comment. Staff was asked to draft an agenda for the worksession that members could review at the January meeting. It was agreed that such an agenda should include at least portions of the articles included in the December agenda on economics and historic designation, in hopes that they may facilitate discussions about the desirability of historic designation. In light of the concerns about the proposed "feeler" letter summarized in the December agenda, it was agreed that a better alternative might be to arrange an informational meeting about historic designation and invite the owners of the 68 properties deemed likely to be eligible for listing on the National Register, according to the Rural Landmarks Survey document. This would be included as an item for discussion at the joint worksession. 2. Discussion of Plaque Program design contest Staff presented a draft information sheet on the design contest for review, which was considered acceptable, with a recommendation that the contest be open to middle school students in addition to high school students. Staff noted that a memo has been sent to the Board of Supervisors about the proposed contest for their review and approval, which would include review of how open the contest should be. Preparation for 1/25/93 Joint Work Session The main item for the Joint Work Session will be Marai's presentation of her Rural Landmarks Survey. Discussion following the presentation should help clarify the direction intended for the HRAB. Perhaps a pitch from the HRAB about what they think should be done to pursue their mission could be made, which would provide a good basis for discussion. Given the length of. Maral's presentation (a good 45 minutes) and the general desirability of not meeting past 9 p.m., we'll need to discuss things as efficiently as possible to get things covered reasonably well. Perhaps we can start at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30, to allow more time for discussion. Among the things that need to be clarified: - general desirability of imposing land use restrictions in order to preserve historic qualities of properties - diminish or increase land value? - education programs - Marai's presentation - notifying property owners about the historic value of their property - plaque design contest -- general direction - comprehensive approach to historic resources (tourism, road linkage, etc.) - maybe meet yearly to discuss Historic Resource issues? The articles included in the HRAB's December agenda about property values and property rights related to historic designation could be included in the Work Session agenda, hopefully providing a good basis for discussion about the desirability of land use restrictions for preserving historic qualitites of properties. A draft letter to property owners about the proposed informational program on historic designation is attached (following page). This could be discussed as part of the "notifying property owners" item noted above. DRAFT Frederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board Dear Property Owner: This letter is to inform you of historic values related to your property and to invite you to an informational meeting about the benefits and processes of being determined eligible for listing on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places. A thorough survey of properties in Frederick County has recently been completed that identifies properties which have historically significant qualities. Our records indicate that some of the property identified as particularly historically significant belongs to you. You may already be aware of the historic quality of your property. We feel it is something to be aware of and to be proud of. The high level of historically significant properties in Frederick County is one of the things that enhances the quality of life here. As you may know, one way of enhancing the historic value of property is to have it included on the State and/or National Registers of Historic Places. The Frederick County Historic Resources Advisory Board, on behalf of the County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors, will be hosting an informational meeting about being listed on these Registers on such and such a date and time at such and such a place. Mr. So and So of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources will make a presentation and then will answer questions from property owners. It is understandable if you would have serious questions about the desirability of having your property on such a Register. Some people feel that being listed detracts from the property's development potential. We want to emphasize that this is not the intent of this measure. In fact, there is evidence that being listed increases value. The County government is trying to ensure that historicially significant properties maintain both their development value and their historic value. The informational meeting should be very helpful for addressing such concerns. We hope to see you at the informational meeting. If for some reason you are unable to attend, or have other questions about this, feel free to call the Historic Resources Advisory Board staff at 665-5651. Also, if you'd like to see the study that evaluates the historic significance of your property you are welcome to. It is available at the County Planning Department office, 9 North Loudoun Street, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Group Review of Significant Properties As discussed in December, HRAB members need to review the most significant findings of the Rural Landmarks Survey. There are 68 properties noted as of highest significance and 295 properties of the next highest significance. It will probably take 8 hours to review these properties as a group. We need to set a date (or dates) for doing this. Staff suggests two consecutive afternoons for this, perhaps in early February. Then we may be able to skip our regular Tuesday night meeting in February, and get back to our normal schedule in March. M The 1993 session of the Virgin General Assembly begins on Jan uary 13th in Richmond, and th members of the Preservation Al liance have been working ovel the past 12 months to prepare fb the annual meeting of the legisla- ture. This special Virginia ervation Update provides no oration of inigg".W.1irginia preservationis ALLIANCE RETAINS LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL The Preservation Alliance is pleased to announce that Regi- nald N. Jones of the firm of Press, Jones & Waechter in Rich- mond has been hired by the or- ganization as Legislative Counsel for the 1993 General Assembly session. Reggie has represented numerous associations and corpo- rations before the General Assem- bly since 1972. Most recently he served as legislative counsel to the City of Alexandria in its op- position to the proposed Jack Kent Cooke stadium. We are pleased to have Reggie on board with the Alliance. This move to expand our public policy program was made possi- 1ble through the generous support `bf a group of concerned individu- als. The Committee for Vir- ginia's Heritage was formed out of a concern for the preservation of Virginia's past. The following Individuals make up the member- ship of the committee: rr. FitzGerald Remiss ,rs. Caldwell Butter Mrs. Robert W. Cabaniss 40, Leggett, Jr. Mrs. E. Morgan Massey Mrs. Hunter H. McGuire, Jr. Mr. T. Justin Moore, III Mrs. Douglas P. Rucker Mr. & Mrs. Virginius R. Shackelford, Jr. Mrs. Lucy H. SyanM Mrs. Cabell Mayo 7W Mrs. James E. Ukrop Mrs. James C. Wheat, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Whitehouse Mr. Carrington Williams These committee members, along with other concerned Virginians, have also assisted the Alliance in the expansion of our public edu- cation program, and we are grate- ful for their support. VIRGINIA PRESERVATION RECEPTION TO FEATURE FIRST ANNUAL..ffJ&&fiFj?J TION AWARDS The 1993 Virginia Preservation Reception will be held on Wed- nesday, February 3, 1993, at the headquarters of the Virginia His- torical Society at 428 North Boulevard in Richmond. As in past years, this event will be an excellent opportunity to meet with members of the General Assemb- ,As well as preservationists from around the C reception is s until 7:30 p.m. 4Wiw!,.-1­t16 will be mailed after January 1st. This year's reception will feature the oresentation of tees has established the Glaize Rockwood Distin Preservationist Award and the initial recipient will be honored at the February 3rd reception. This special award is named for Katie Rockwood, a charter member of the Board of Trustees of the Pres- ervation Alliance from Winches- ter. Katie was an early supporter of preservation in Winchester, founded and staffed their very successful local revolving fund, and helped organize numerous local activities for Preservation of Historic Winchester, Inc. As a charter member of the Alliance board, she helped the organization in our formative years and was always a strong voice for preser- vation. Katie passed away in 1991 at the age of 44 after a long. battle with cancer. Plans for a ditional awards will also be as with the generous support of Vi ginia members of the Nation Trust for Historic Preservation Historic Real Estate Progran Carriage House Realty, Inc. Fredericksburg; Mc Associates, Inc. of and Virginia Proper mond. We appreci port of the Allianc Post Office Box 1407 Staunton, Virginia 24402-1407 (703) 886-4362 FAX: (703) 8.86-4 In order to provide up-to-the- minute information during the General Assembly session, the Alliance has established a tele- phone network linking all mem- ber organizations with regional liaisons. Each regional liaison has 8-12 member organizations that they will contact with late - breaking news. The liaisons and their regions are: Patricia Adams (Petersburg/Hope- well); Frances Barnes (Rich- mond), Deneen Brannock (Upper Shenandoah Valley); Terri Brown (Northern Virginia); Sandra Crowther (Central Virginia); Evie Gunter (Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia); Kristie La - lire (Northern Virginia and Pied- mont); Michael Long (Southside); Helen Schwiesow (Charlottes- ville); Donna Seifert (Northern Virginia); Charles Sharp (Frede- ricksburg); Sandra Speiden (Piedmont); Susan Stilwell (Dan- ville and Southside); Anna Thom- son (Lower Valley); Jane Yerkes Information can also be obtained by calling the Alliance office at (703) 886-4362. We expect to have at least one during the General sion for our members, and special briefing meetings will be sche- duled during the course of the 45 day session. Over the past 12 months, member organizations of the Alliance have been calling on their local legis- lators to discuss issues of interest to Virginia's preservation com- munity. These sessions have of- ten been informal discussions where local citizens and legisla- tors can easily discuss the impor- tance of preservation to the Com- monwealth. The Alliance has participated in several of those calls and provided follow-up in- formation for others. As the beginning of the session nears, all Alliance member or- ganizations are encouraged to contact their local delegate and senator. Remind them of your interest in preservation -related legislation, and note your support for a public-private partnership for preservation in Virginia. Case studies, with supporting facts and figures, will encourage assistance for preservation. If you need ad- ditional information, feel free to call the Alliance office. CALENDAR February 3, 1993 — Vir- ginia Preservation Recep- tion sponsored by the Preservation Alliance of Virginia. See article on page I for details. (703) 886-4362. Richmond. April 15-17 — Virginia Preservation Conference. Our annual spring work- shops scheduled this year for Danville. Tour some of Southside Virginia's most impressive historic sites and hear about the work to protect our en- dangered historic proper- ties. Room reservations can be made by calling Howard Johnson's in Danville at (804) 793- 2000. Look for con- ference brochures in February. Danville. The following individuals, businesses, and foundations have provided under- writing support of the Preservation Al- liance over the past year: Anonymous (!); the Association for the Preserva- tion of Virginia Antiquities; Mrs. A.D. Barksdale; Mr. and Mrs. S. Allen Chambers, Jr.; Mrs. Leslie Cheek, Jr.; the Eugene Hok Foundation; Mr. and Mrs. Addison B. Thompson. Member organizations of the Alliance are encouraged to make copies of Virginia Preservation Update for distribution to staff and board members. rla� i'ipilllpa" RN [11 HIST RES ADVISORY BOARD KRIS C TIERNEY AICP PO Box 601 WINCHESTER VA 22601 Non -Profit 0 U. S. Postai PAID Staunton, V Permit No. 1 REVTT-"4 IF 1_L..�W I "I B0A1YK"`h D N_:�WS PRESERVATION ALLIANCE OF VIRGINIA No. 17 • Fall • 1992 Handicap Accessibility: Virginia Design Case Studies (Editor's Note: The following information has been adapted from material prepared by Al Cox, AIA, staff planner for the City of Alex- andria Board of Architectural Review, for the Alliance's November workshop on the Ameri- cans With Disabilities Act [or ADA].) Many people apply to ARBs for a certificate of appropriateness to build a handicap ramp because they are following the literal advice of their attorney or the code enforcement official. What they really need is to pro- vide "access" for the disabled. According to the Virginia Statewide Uniform Building Code, as adopted from the ADA, a ramp has a slope greater than 1:20. Therefore, if there is room to extend the slope, the entrance simply becomes a "walk" and no handrail is required. With no handrail, aside from a cost savings, there may not be reason for ARB review. In Alexandria, for instance, the City BAR does not review items at or below grade. Access Which Does Not Require a "Ramp" Several innovative approaches have been used on projects in Alexandria to provide access for the disabled without a ramp. At 201 North Washington Street (the Retired Officers Association Building), the grade at the first floor banking hall entrance was 7" higher than the sidewalk. However, the walk in front of the building is quite wide, and so the owners were able to slope the sidewalk up to the door at 1:20, relay the brick in the sidewalk, and meet the access requirements without railings and, therefore, minimal visual impact. In instances such as 814 Franklin Street (the Greene Funeral Home), enough room exists in the front of the build- ing so that shorter ramps with steel guard- rails can simply be extended to a 1:20 slope and the handrail can be deleted. ARBs con- sidering access issues should first look at the space in front of a building to determine if enough room exists to make the slope more gradual and do away with the need for hand- rails which can be visually intrusive. One truly innovative approach to access came in the South Austin Grille case in Alexandria. The interior of the building was being gut- ted, and so the entire first floor was simply lowered to provide easy access without a ramp on the exterior. Designs for Which a Ramp Access is the Best Solution When ramps are necessary, the preservation- ists' intent is to make the new ramp as visu- ally inconspicuous as possible, so that it does not compete with the historic landmark. The most visible portion of most ramps is the handrail or guardrail. A handrail is neces- sary only when the ramp rise is greater than 6" or the run is longer than 72". Many owners assume that a guardrail is the same as a handrail. Guardrails, which do not allow a 4" sphere to pass through the pickets, are only necessary where there is a side drop-off greater than 30". In these instances, look to use the street grade to your advantage. Again, innovative solutions can also be found. The Lyceum in Alexandria has en- closed the ramp to the building within an arbor, which also functions as a canopy. Your Day in Court: Making Defendable Decisions (Editor's Note: This article is from the Mary- land Association of Historic District Commis- sions newsletter and is based on a talk given by MAHDC Executive Director Bobbi Hahn at the November 14, 1992, Preservation Alliance ARB Workshop. It is used by permission.) As we see more and more historic district commission decisions appealed, it is in- creasingly important for commissioners to understand how to make defensible decisions. The following are simple guidelines for as- suring that your commission's (or ARB's) decision will stand up if appealed. Understand What Your Mission As A Com- missioner Is — You are entrusted to protect the designated historic resources in your jurisdiction as directed and empowered by local legislation; you are NOT arbitrators of good taste. Be Prepared — Study your local preservation ordinance and understand its contents. Pay special attention to the sections dealing with criteria for approving or denying work permits. Keep those criteria at hand at every meeting. With the help of an attorney adopt Rules of Procedure for the commission and be sure they are followed. Also adopt guidelines such as the Secretary of the In- terior's Standards. Be sure these are made a part of the record of every public hearing. Be familiar with the general history of your jurisdiction and learn the character -defin- ing features of the principal architectural styles of its resources. You cannot say an alteration is incompatible unless you under- stand the style. Before each commission meeting study the materials presented by the applicant and any staff reports. Be Businesslike: Prepare Your Decisions Step n By Step — Be careful not to express personal opinions when discussing a proposal. Be clear in your questioning; address how the proposal does or does not meet the criteria of the ordinance. Do not be afraid to ask enough questions about the plan so that you clearly understand the work that is intended. Remember that your decisions must be based on the information gathered at the public hearing which is made part of the record of the case. If in your opinion the project does not meet the criteria of the ordinance, do not be afraid to say so. Be sure to explain in what way this is so and try, if possible, to sug- gest general ways in which it could be changed so as to be approved (i.e., the mass- ing of the new construction is incompatible with the character and rhythm of the street- scape of the historic district; reducing the mass could result in a plan which would be more compatible.) When making a motion refer to specific criteria, the ordinance, and any guidelines which the commission has adopted. Be as spe- cific as possible, especially if it is a mo- tion to deny. Refer to the plans, the char- acteristics of the historic resource and/or the historic district, and to the information presented at the public hearing. Make a motion which a reasonable person would agree was based on the facts presented at the public hearing. There will often be some degree of subjectiv- ity in your decision, but as long as you can support your judgement with the evidence as presented within the framework of your or- dinance, you are making a defendable deci- sion. Writing Up Your Decision — Especially in the case of a denial, be very careful that the written finding contains all of the relevant information presented at the hearing. Cite the reasons the resource was originally de- signated. Use as many appropriate criteria and guidelines as possible. Consult your attorney. Remember that this document will play an important role in any appeal Once the commission has built a caseload of clear, consistent decisions based on its governing regulations, you will gain credi- bility and your job will become easier. Such a record will also help in resisting any out- side pressures regarding certain decisions because it will be clear that the commission is limited in its ability to approve projects because it is bound by the criteria of its governing regulations. Intelligent and rou- tine reliance on your own rules, regulations, and guidelines are your best safeguard in making defensible decisions. Remember That You Have A Support Network — The Preservation Alliance, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and the National Center for Preservation Law are all available for consultation when you are faced with a difficult case. Don't be afraid to ask: actions of one commission can affect the entire preservation community. Should Property Owners Be Allowed to "Opt Out" of Historic Districts? Questions have been raised in the past about the advisability of allowing property owners to voluntarily "opt out" of locally desig- nated historic districts. In these cases, what you are left with is certainly not historic district zoning, any more than voluntary compliance with residential or commercial land use regulations would be zoning. Both land use and historic district zoning are designed to protect the property rights and property values of the community at large against the potentially damaging actions of one single landowner. Individuals and groups that complain about state and federal his- toric designation often call for local gov- ernment decisions. This is the case with historic district zoning: locally elected officials designate the districts, appoint 1�1 the ARB, approve the general ordinance, and are the first level of appeal in cases of denial. In all instances involving zoning, disagree- ments will arise. However, the local politi- cal process generally finds a compromise. Such a process protects the rights of all the citizens. Fifty-five communities in Virginia have en- acted historic district zoning under the current enabling legislation. Studies in communities such as Fredericksburg and Rich- mond have shown that these areas have bene- fited by the increase in property values that comes from a protected historic district. Allowing individual property owners to vol- untarily participate in a locally designated district could have a significant detrimen- tal economic impact on those communities. Calendar of Events February 3, 1993 — Virginia Preservation Reception. The annual reception held in conjunction with the General Assembly session will be at the headquarters of the Virginia Historical Society on The Boulevard from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (703) 886-4362. Richmond. April 15-17 — Virginia Preservation Con- ference. Our annual spring conference will have numerous sessions of interest to ARB members, along with tours of some of the best sites in Southside Virginia. See article on page 4 for details. (703) 886-4362. Danville. May 3-15 — Virginia Heritage Tourism Weeks. A two week promotion of Vir- ginia's historic assets, sponsored by the Department of Historic Resources and the Tourism Development Group. (804) 786-3143. Statewide. Danville Conference to Include Sessions for ARB Members and Staff The Eighth Annual Virginia Preservation Con- ference of the Preservation Alliance of Vir- ginia will feature three days of sessions and tours that should be of special interest to the members and staff of ARBs in the Common- wealth. Set for April 15-17 in Danville, the Conference has a host of co-sponsors, includ- ing the Danville Commission of Architectural Review. CAR member Gary Grant is part of the local planning team. Thursday's sessions will focus on rural re- sources and will include tours to some of Virginia and North Carolina's most important historic properties. Friday's sessions will include talks on determining the existing condition of historic buildings, adaptive reuse possibilities for large downtown de- partment store buildings, integrating park- ing into a downtown district, dealing with Preservation Alliance of Virginia Post Office Box 1407 Staunton, VA 24402-1407 structural problems, repair or replacement, and landscaping. On Saturday, a roundtable discussion will examine the preservation and revitalization of Danville's landmark Ma- sonic Building. Due to limited space, ARB members who may be attending the conference should make room reservations as soon as possible. To make your reservation ($45 single, $55 double), call Howard Johnson's in Danville at 1-804- 793-2000 and indicate you are with the Pre- servation Alliance. Conference brochures should be mailed out by the end of January. For additional information, call the Al- liance office at (703) 886-4362. The following individuals, businesses, and foundations have provided underwriting support of the Preservation Alliance over the past year: Anonymous (1); the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities; Mrs. A.D. Barks- dale; Mr. and Mrs. S. Allen Chambers, Jr.; the Eugene Holt Foundation; Mr. and Mrs. Addison B. Thompson. HIST RES ADVISORY BOARD KRIS C TIERNEY AICP PO BOX 601 WINCHESTER VA 22601 Non -Profit Org. U. S. Postage PAID Staunton, VA Permit No. 10