Design Guidelines for Historic Sites and Districts in Montgomery County, Maryland, September 2008

From introduction: "Visible, tangible reminders of Montgomery County’s rich history are everywhere. Look beyond recent development and you will discover buildings from the County’s early history as well as from the agrarian, industrial and more recent past. These buildings demonstrate how each generation leaves its mark on the built environment. Montgomery County has recognized the importance of preserving this legacy for the benefit of current and future County residents, and has created a system for the identification, designation, and preservation of important individual landmarks and historic districts... The thousands of private property owners who preserve and maintain the County’s historic buildings and sites are essential to the success of the countywide preservation program. This document, and the design guidelines included herein, are written primarily to assist these property owners and others charged with preserving the County’s historic fabric. This document provides a brief summary of the County’s history and predominant architectural styles (for further reading, see Places from the Past: The Tradition of Gardez Bien in Montgomery County, Clare Lise Cavicchi (Kelly), 2001) and offers an overview of the County’s preservation program. Central to this document are the design guidelines that articulate appropriate treatments for designated historic sites and properties within historic districts. These historic preservation design guidelines will be a source of information for property owners contemplating projects to repair, rehabilitate, or alter historic properties in Montgomery County, as well as a tool for architects, contractors, local advisory panels and others who assist in the design and review process. The guidelines will also assist the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) in their consideration of historic area work permit (HAWP) applications. The information that follows is based on nationally accepted best practices and is intended to be of assistance to all applicants, regardless of the location of their property. However, certain historic districts (see list, sidebar) have specific guidelines and/or review criteria developed expressly for that district. Applicants, design professionals, and LAPs should consult any guidelines specific to their historic district to assist in project development and assessment; the HPC will use these documents in the review of HAWP applications. In any cases where district-specific guidelines and the guidelines included in this document are in conflict, the HPC will base its evaluation on the guidance provided in the district-specific guidelines." Funding was provided in part by a 2007 Historic Preservation Fund grant to Montgomery County (project number MD-07-013) administered by the Maryland State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 24-07-21670) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Montgomery County, Maryland is a Certified Local Government.

Design Guidelines for Historic Sites and Districts in Montgomery County, Maryland, September 2008

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