Evaluation of the Woodside Locational Atlas District
The Historic Preservation Division will resume its evaluation of the Woodside Locational Atlas District that started in coordination with the Woodside Civic Association in 2019. The Locational Atlas & Index of Historic Sites identifies resources that may be historically significant and provides interim protection from substantial alteration or demolition until they can be evaluated for potential designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Montgomery Planning paused the comprehensive evaluation to allow for the completion of other planning initiatives, including the Downtown Silver Spring and Adjacent Communities Plan (2021).
The Historic Preservation Division will submit recommendations to the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Board in Spring 2026. As outlined in our preliminary recommendations to the community in 2020, the Historic Preservation Division continues to recommend:
- The removal of the Woodside Locational Atlas District from the Locational Atlas & Index of Historic Sites; and
- The listing of six individual Locational Atlas Sites for further study and potential designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation.
Background: Locational Atlas & Index of Historic Sites
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 from demolition or “substantial alteration” until they are evaluated for designation in the Master Plan for Historic Preservation (1979), the County’s preservation planning document that includes the list of all officially designated historic sites and districts.
The Planning Board listed Woodside as a Locational Atlas District in 1976. Since then, all properties within the district have been regulated under Chapter 24A-10, Historic Resources Preservation, of the Montgomery County Code.
Timeline of Events
Kick-off Meeting—May 15, 2019
The Historic Preservation Division held a kick-off meeting with the Woodside Civic Association on May 15, 2019.
Staff presentation, May 15, 2019
Virtual Community Meeting—September 30, 2020
The Historic Preservation Division held a virtual community meeting on Wednesday, September 30th, 2020, to discuss its preliminary recommendations. Videos of that event and a presentation outlining staff’s recommendations are available below.
Next Steps
The Historic Preservation Division will resume this project and present recommendations to the Historic Preservation Commission and subsequently to the Planning Board in Spring 2026. Staff will notify the Woodside Civic Association, property owners, and other interested parties in advance of the public hearings and worksessions at the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Board. Community input and testimony will be welcomed at each stage of the process.