Gaithersburg leaders voted June 1 to delay decisions on rezoning property and approving site plans along the Frederick Avenue Corridor where plans for a two-story medical office building call for demolition of a historic house.

The City Council re-opened the record for comment indefinitely while the property owner revises his plan for review by city leaders and Gaithersburg's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, which recommended saving two historic houses.

City planners did not mention the buildings' provenance at an April public hearing because the zoning and site plan processes are typically separate from historic preservation processes, said Director of Planning and Code Enforcement Greg Ossont.

"My view is that this plan ignores the master plan," said Councilwoman Cathy Drzyzgula. "The public had one shot at this a month ago when no one knew what was going on."

At issue is redevelopment slated for the corner of Frederick and DeSellum avenues, where Dr. Robert G. Wilson Sr. owns five properties on 2.71 acres. His son, Dr. Robert Wilson Jr. wants to rezone two of the properties on 1.2 acres and build a 20,000-square-foot medical office building.

The property is zoned medium-density residential, which does not allow for large commercial projects. Wilson Jr. wants it to be rezoned commercial, which would allow him to convert two buildings for office use and build the medical office building.

City leaders have said they are not opposed to rezoning but expressed concerns about approving plans for the project while the fate of two historic houses remains in sway.

Concept plans called for renovating the historic Fulks House, a Queen Anne Victorian home built in 1905 and a Victorian farmhouse at 13 DeSellum Ave.

They also called for demolishing an 1877 farmhouse at 206 S. Frederick Ave. and a more modern building at 11 DeSellum Ave.

Last month, the city's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee recommended the building at 206 S. Frederick Ave. for historic designation and preservation after public record had closed on zoning for the property. The mayor and council, acting as the city's Historic District Commission, will ultimately determine whether the buildings should receive historic designation.

Wilson Jr. has said that if the house is deemed historic, he will pull his demolition permits. The house stands in the way of his redevelopment project, said Wilson Jr., a dentist, who offered on June 1 to move it to 13 DeSellum Ave. and demolish the Victorian farmhouse there instead. HPAC was more interested in preserving the L.D. Lodge House at 206 S. Frederick Ave. than the farmhouse at 13 DeSellum Ave., Wilson said. HPAC had recommended both buildings for historic preservation, said Clark Day, acting chair.

Councilman Michael A. Sesma said the change would "significantly alter" the concept plans.

Drzyzgula took issue with planning principles "ignored" by planners. The Gaithersburg Master Plan recommends 5,000 square feet of commercial development at the corner and says that 206 S. Frederick Ave. should be considered for preservation. She called for Wilson to revise his application and provide supplementary materials.

Jody Kline, attorney for the Wilson project, asked for city leaders to delay the decision while Wilson brings HPAC and city leaders the possible changes.