United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE National Capital Region Rock Creek Park 3545 Williamsburg Lane, N.W. Washington, DC 20008-1207 l .A.2 (NCR-ROCR) FEB 27 2020 Mr. David Maloney State Historic Preservation Officer Attn: Mr. Andrew Lewis DC Historic Preservation Office Office ofPlanning 1100-4th Street, SW, Suite E650 Washington, DC 20024 RE: Rock Creek Park - Unified Signage Plan - Seeking Review and Concurrence to Finding of No Adverse Effect Dear Mr. Maloney: The National Park Service (NPS) is continuing the planning for a proposal to develop a unified plan for signage for U.S. Reservation 339 and other properties administered by Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC, including units ofthe Civil War Defenses ofWashington. As such, we seek your review and comment on the proposed undertaking. Existing signage within Rock Creek Park and its administered sites is inconsistent with modem standards, having been installed incrementally over the last 20 years. Further, many areas are lacking identification and visitor wayfinding. This plan represents a sign palette or system that can be used and implemented in the future and provides a consistent and unified look. Signs being designed under this project include park identity signs, roadway signs, and trail signs. The proposed system is based on a modem Uni Guide system and standards, and is being developed by Hunt Designs, which developed the sign system for the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Please find enclosed the final sign plan and renderings for your review. Please note, the signs will not all be replaced at once. Instead, replacement and installation of new signs will occur in phases when funding is available, or when an existing sign is at the end of its useable life. In accordance with Section 106 ofthe National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 306108), and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's regulations (36 CFR Part 800), the NPS has considered the effects ofthis undertaking to historic properties, prepared an Assessment of Effect document, and applied the Criteria ofAdverse Effect, as defined in 36 CFR Park 800.5, to historic properties within the Area ofPotential Effects (APE). While the erection of signs, wayside exhibits, and memorial plaques fall under the NPS streamlined review process outlined in the 2008 Nationwide Programmatic Agreement, due to the scale ofthis project, the NPS believes standard four-step consultation for Section 106 is appropriate. The NPS initiated Section 106 consultation with your office in a letter dated August 23, 2019. To help visualize the new designs, the NPS provided full-scale, on-site sign mock-ups for review on November 5, 2019. Additionally, we are consulting with, and the project will be reviewed by, the Old Georgetown Board, the Commission ofFine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. The APE for the proposed undertaking includes all of Rock Creek Park and its administered sites in Northwest and Northeast Washington, DC. Each individual sign to be replaced will have its own localized APE. As most ofthe signs under this plan will be replaced, the limits of disturbance will be mostly within previously disturbed soils. A map depicting the proposed APE was shared with your office with the Section 106 initiation materials on August 23, 2019. The project APE includes the entirety ofRock Creek Park, which is a historic district listed in the National Register ofHistoric Places (#91001524) that contains over 1400 acres ofnatural forest growth and accommoc;lates over 300 acres ofintensive recreational facilities, roads, trails, structures, and sites. Established in 1890, Rock Creek Park consists ofthe creek itself and the picturesque scenery surrounding it, which represents the last major parcel ofnatural landscape in the District of Columbia. The historic district is historically significant under National Register criteria A, B, and C in the following areas: architecture; community planning and development; conservation; entertainment and recreation; industry; landscape architecture; military; and horticulture. Other historic properties and districts administered by Rock Creek Park that are also listed in the National Register include: the Civil War Defenses of Washington (#74000274, #78003439), Dumbarton Oaks Park (#67000028), Glover-Archbold Park (#06001260), Meridian Hill Park (#74000273), Montrose Park (#07001178), Old Stone House (#73000219), Peirce Mill (#69000014), Pierce-Klingle Mansion (#73000223), and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway (#05000367). NPS cultural resources professional have recommended the current proposal as being the most compatible and least impactful to the historic characteristics ofthe Rock Creek Park Historic District and other historic properties/districts under its administration that qualify them for inclusion in the National Register ofHistoric Places. While there will be an effect to the historic districts as a result of this sign replacement project, it does not rise to the level of adverse effect. The signage plan was developed using NPS UniGuide sign standards and based offthe designs used on the National Mall. The plan also incorporates a context-sensitive design approach to ensure signage is aesthetically compatible with the various environmental settings and subject matters found in the park. Please see the enclosed Assessment of Effects form for additional information. Regarding impacts to archeology, existing signs posts will also be utilized if they are found to be in good condition, thereby avoiding the need for ground disturbance. For signs and posts that will be replaced, they will be located within the same footprint as existing signage, the soils of which have been previously disturbed. It is not expected that the new signs will exceed the previous limits ofdisturbance. For new signs or ones that require relocation, the NPS will assess the location for archeological potential. In cases where there is an elevated potential for archeological resources to exist, the site will either be tested in advanced by a qualified professional archeologist or monitored during installation. If significant intact archeological resources are discovered, the sign will be relocated to avoid physical impacts. Therefore, no adverse effects are anticipated to archeological resources. The NPS has determined this unified signage plan undertaking will have No Adverse Effects to historic properties and districts. We trust you will concur with this determination and look forward to your response. Should you have any questions regarding this correspondence, please contact Bradley Krueger, Cultural Resources Program Manager, at 202-895-6067 or bradley_ [email protected]. Thank you for your continued assistance. Frank Young Acting Superintendent Enclosures: ROCR Signage Plan and Renderings, Assessment of Effect Form, APE Map .