Evaluation of the Woodside Locational Atlas District
About the Project
In 1976, the Montgomery County Planning Board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), created the Locational Atlas & Index of Historic Sites, which identifies resources that are potentially historic. Resources listed on the Atlas are protected partially from demolition or “substantial alteration” until they are evaluated for designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Adopted by the County Council in 1979, the Master Plan for Historic Preservation is the County’s preservation planning document. It includes the list of all officially designated historic sites and districts. Designation of a single property or entire district as a Master Plan historic site or historic district signifies that the particular site or district has been researched carefully by preservation specialists and, through review by the Montgomery County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and the Planning Board and by vote of the Montgomery County Council, determined to be of special historic significance and, therefore, to be protected under the Montgomery County Ordinance, Chapter 24A, Preservation of Historic Resources. Designation as a Master Plan historic district: 1) provides for the protection of buildings and neighborhoods from being demolished; 2) helps to ensure the visual beauty of a neighborhood; 3) provides owners with information on care, restoration, and preservation; and 4) qualifies owners for special tax benefit programs.
The Planning Board listed Woodside on the Locational Atlas & Index of Historic Sites in 1976. Since that time, all properties within the district have been regulated per the Historic Preservation Ordinance (Chapter 24A of the County Code).
Why are we are doing the project
Evaluation of the Woodside Locational Atlas District will determine conclusively the district’s eligibility for designation on the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. This effort will consider the possible listing of the entire district, a portion of the district, or individual resources currently located within the Locational Atlas district boundaries. The evaluation process will include multiple meetings with the civic association and a reconnaissance-level architectural survey of the individual resources (dwellings, churches, etc.) prior to the formal evaluation process with the Historic Preservation Commission, Planning Board, and County Council.
Timeline and how the community can get involved
The kick-off meeting was held with the Woodside Civic Association on May 15, 2019, at Fellowship Hall, Silver Spring United Methodist Church (8900 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910) at 7:30 p.m. The cultural resource firm completed the architectural survey in November 2019. Historic Preservation staff conducted archival research and analyzed the survey data.
Staff presentation, May 15, 2019
Virtual Community Meeting—September 30, 2020
We held a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, September 30th, at 7:30 p.m, to discuss our preliminary recommendations. Videos of that event and a presentation outlining staff’s recommendation are available below.
Next Steps
Historic Preservation staff will draft an evaluation report based on our preliminary recommendations. The report will be shared with the community and presented to the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Board.