If you’re considering an addition or new construction project or just want some new windows, you may need to go through Historic Review first. This involves submitting a Historic Area Work Permit In this post I’ll give you an overview of the entire process so you can save time and get through review as quickly as possible.

How Do I Know if I’m Required to Submit a Historic Area Work Permit?

If your house is specifically listed as an individual historic site (less common) or is a property within a historic district (more common), you need to submit a Historic Area Work Permit (HAWP). You can view these sites and districts on this interactive Map of Montgomery County Districts. You can also check out this PDF  map of the Takoma Park Historic District.

What is a HAWP and How Do I Fill it Out?

The Historic Area Work Permit Application is the first step…well not exactly the first step…but the first time the County and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Department are officially introduced to your project. The HAWP includes technical information such as the project address, lot number and tax ID, and a written description of the project. You also need to submit drawings showing the existing building and your proposed changes. Follow this link for instructions and a blank HAWP. Even better, you can see exactly how I filled out the application for a project that just got approved. Download the completed Historic Area Work Permit Application I submitted for the Piney Branch Historic Renovation. Also check out the HAWP required architectural drawings of the project.

Other required information

Tax Account Number: Get your tax account number at the Maryland Real Property Search
Lot/Block/Subdivision: These will also be in the Tax Record
Neighbors Names and Addresses: This will ALSO be in the Tax Records, for their properties. You can also get to this information via the Montgomery County Zoning Map

HISTORIC PROJECT Design Requirements

This can start to get subjective, which sometimes leads to frustration for homeowners and architects. There are some simple rules you can follow to make your project more likely to be approved with minimal changes.

SEPARATE OLD AND NEW

The most common addition to a historic project is new living area at the rear of the house. The Historic Preservation Commission likes to make sure the new addition is clearly differentiated from the existing (historic) house. This is usually accomplished through a physical offset and a material change.

A physical offset just means that the new addition should not be perfectly aligned with the exterior of the existing house. It should be inset a few inches. See images.

 

 

Another way to differentiate the new from the old is with the size of the siding reveal. If you existing house has lap siding that is 6″ and you want lap siding on your addition, make sure it has an 8″ or a 10″ reveal. For actual siding materials, wood will be approved. Fiber cement with a smooth finish will probably be approved. Vinyl will not be approved without a lot of time and effort, if at all. Definitely not a good fight worth your time and money.

WINDOWS

This is a big one, but fairly easy. See material notes above. Wood windows will be approved. Aluminum (wood with aluminum exterior cladding) and fiberglass windows will probably be approved. Vinyl windows will not be approved. The argument the board makes is that vinyl windows are too flat. Choose windows that have a similar muntin pattern to the existing and you will be ok.

STYLE OF THE DESIGN

The general guidance/requirements of the design review is that exterior alterations should be generally consistent with the predominant architectural style and period of the house. Exact replication of the details is not required. What that means is that you have to design something that looks like it would be from the period of the house, even if it isn't the same as what is or was there at one point. In the Piney Branch project we needed to do a new front porch. The existing house is a Victorian, originally built in 1896. We didn't have original photos of the house, but we believe it may have had a flat roof over the porch. This was replaced at some point, and there is currently a shed roof over the porch.

We are designing a new porch, with a shallow hipped roof. This might not be exactly what was there before, but a hipped porch roof is stylistically consistent with Victorian area homes, and so the porch was approved as designed. Just make sure you use wood, no vinyl or composite materials. If you're interested in learning more about architectural styles, check out the Field Guide to American Houses.

The Review Process

Now the cliff notes for the entire process.

1. Work with your friendly local architect to create your proposed design and all the required drawings. It's important that your architect has a crab in their logo, this is vital.
2. Complete the HAWP Application (see above) and deliver it to Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services. You just drop off a hard copy of your application and drawings at the main desk. There's no fee, you also don't get a receipt, so it's scary. You will get a permit application number, but not right then, I don't think, can't remember exactly. The Historic Preservation Commission meets about every two weeks and the deadline for getting onto the agenda is generally three weeks before a meeting. There are also instructions for this part on the official Historic Area Work Permit page.
3. You will be contacted by a Historic Preservation Commission Staff member. This will be your liaison through the whole process. They will create a report about your project for the commission members to review. They will also decide whether to schedule your hearing as an actual review (where it may get voted on) or as a Preliminary Consult. The second option also requires a hearing, but you won't receive an actual vote…you will have to resubmit. This isn't a bad thing.
4. 

   M-NCPPC Building on Georgia Ave in Silver Spring

   Go to your hearing. These are held in the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission Building on Georgia Ave. At your hearing you will have seven minutes to describe your project and pre-argue anything you might be questioned about. Then the commission members will talk at you. This is not an open discussion. They may ask you questions, but they may just give you their opinions. Take notes, but don't worry, your Staff member is recording everything and taking notes as well.
5. After the hearing work with your Staff member to either make the changes the commission wants, or let your Staff member know if you want to re-submit a design that you know the commission doesn't like. If you make the suggested changes, it is very likely that you will be on the consent agenda for the next hearing. This means you get approved without actually having to attend the hearing!

After You Get Approved

Time to finish up the drawings. It is likely that the drawings that get you approved through the historic review process are not sufficient to get you an actual building permit. These are different reviews with different requirements, and it usually doesn't make sense to develop a complete permit set until you know historic will approve the project. So finish your drawings, making sure to keep the design the same as what has been approved. You will need to submit three signed and sealed hard copies, or digitally signed PDFs to your Staff member. They'll confirm the design is the same as was approved and stamp the drawings. Take those stamped drawings (or digitally stamped PDFs for online submission) back to DPS and apply for your actual building permit. You'll use the permit number you previously received, and this time you WILL have to pay a permit application fee.