Rockville council narrows Lincoln Park design changes to footprint and height

Rockville Mayor and Council on Jan. 6 focused their follow‑up on a proposed update to the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Conservation District, directing staff to bring back a concise amendment that primarily increases allowable building footprints and clarifies maximum heights rather than adopting a broad new set of mandatory design standards.

The council held an extended work session on proposed new design guidelines for Lincoln Park, a historic, largely single‑family neighborhood. City planners proposed several changes after walking tours, stakeholder interviews and a small online survey; staff said the most frequent complaint from residents was that the existing lot‑coverage/footprint limit made modest expansions difficult.

“This is the most commented issue that we that staff has heard throughout the process,” planner Christopher Davis said in the presentation, describing a proposal that would raise the maximum principal‑dwelling footprint from the existing 1,500 square feet to 1,800 square feet while retaining a 2,100‑square‑foot allowance in some one‑story situations.

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