Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - October 13, 2022
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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - October 13, 2022
The City of Frederick Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) held a regular meeting on October 13, 2022, at 6:00 PM in City Hall. The meeting included approval of minutes, administrative reports, six demolition reviews, a Section 106 review, a consent agenda item, two heard cases (one deferred due to loss of quorum), and a workshop presentation on a potential historic preservation overlay for a relocated mill house at 1700 Atlas Drive.
Consent Calendar
- HPC22-898 (32 S. Bentz Street) – Approved unanimously. The consent item HPC22-234 (3 E. 3rd Street) was removed from the agenda because public notice requirements were not met.
- Administrative Approval Report – The commission approved the report of 17 administrative approvals for September 2022.
- Draft 2023 HPC Schedule – Approved unanimously.
- Minutes – The September 29, 2022 hearing and workshop minutes were approved.
Discussion Items
Demolition Reviews (6 items): All were presented by staff with recommendations not to initiate historic designation. The commission voted unanimously in each case to follow staff’s recommendation.
- 197 Upper College Terrace – Brick American Foursquare (1929), contributing resource in National Register district but not individually eligible. Motion: not to make an application for designation.
- 243 W. 5th Street – Brick dwelling (first documented 1904), in downtown historic district but not individually eligible. Motion: not to initiate designation.
- 601 Magnolia Avenue (Garage) – Frame garage likely postdating the 1920s bungalow, not individually eligible. Motion: not to make an application for designation.
- 401 E. Patrick Street – One-story frame commercial building (circa 1969), non-contributing resource, not individually eligible. Motion: not to make an application for designation.
- 420 E. Patrick Street – Commercial/light industrial building (1928 ice cream plant), located outside existing National Register boundaries but within revised 2021 boundaries. Staff found it lacks historic integrity; motion: not to initiate designation.
Section 106 Review – Intersection of East Street and East Patrick Street: The commission considered a proposal for a concealed utility pole with a wireless communications antenna (31 feet tall) within the downtown historic district. Staff found minimal physical and visual impacts. Commissioners discussed finish color and the necessity of an attached light, but noted city design standards apply. The commission elected not to send a formal letter; staff will email the applicant that no concerns were identified.
HPC22-769 (18 E. 2nd Street) – Shutter Replacement: This case requested post-work approval for new mahogany wood shutters. Staff recommended approval with a condition that the shutters be painted or stained with a solid opaque stain. The applicant’s representative stated the owner did not agree to paint. Commissioner Iva Saller recused herself due to a business relationship with the applicant, and Commissioner Paul Fitzgerald was not eligible to vote (absent from previous workshop). This left only three eligible commissioners, below the quorum of four. No action was taken; the case will be re-advertised and heard at the next meeting on October 27, 2022.
HPC22-870 and HPC22-871 (118 S. Market Street) – Partial Demolition and Rehabilitation:
- 870 (Partial Demolition): Staff recommended approval of the removal of an abandoned chimney and rear wall alterations, noting the building is a contributing resource but not of unusual importance. The commission approved the application with the condition that a replacement plan (covered under 871) is also approved.
- 871 (Rehabilitation): Staff recommended approval of a rear addition with rooftop balcony, dumpster enclosure, and covered wood storage area. The commission approved the application with the condition that product details for the dumpster enclosure and wood storage area be submitted for staff review.
Workshop – HPC22-950ZMA (1700 Atlas Drive): Staff presented a proposal to apply a Historic Preservation Overlay (HPO) zoning map amendment to protect a circa 1800 mill house that had been moved 140 feet north in 2022 as part of a road expansion project. The original HPO was tied to the land and did not transfer with the building. Staff argued the building meets designation criteria (over 50 years old, retains historic integrity, and has architectural significance as a hall-and-parlor log dwelling). The new property owner had expressed concerns about timing but was aware of the process. No vote was taken; the matter will be heard at the next HPC hearing on October 27, 2022, before proceeding to the Planning Commission and Mayor and Board of Aldermen.
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes, administrative report, and 2023 schedule.
- Voted not to initiate historic designation for all six demolition review properties.
- Took no action on Section 106 review; staff to communicate no concerns.
- Approved HPC22-898 (consent) and HPC22-870/871 (partial demolition and rehabilitation) with conditions.
- Deferred action on HPC22-769 (shutters) due to loss of quorum; rescheduled for October 27.
- Discussed HPC22-950ZMA (Atlas Drive) as workshop; will be heard again for a recommendation vote on October 27.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'd like to call to order the Thursday, October 13th, 2022 session of the City of Frederick Historic Preservation Commission. Let's begin with begin with a statement of tech of uh qualification. Technical qualifications of the commission and the staff are on file by the City of Frederick or made a part of each and every case case before the commission. The city Frederick City Historic Preservation Commission uses the guidelines adopted by the mayor and the board of Alderman and the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation published by the U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service, and these guidelines are made a part of each and every case. All cases were duly advertised in the Frederick News Post in accordance with Section 301 of the Land Management Code. Let's go through introductions. Excuse me. Beginning on my left, the audience is right. We have Commissioner Elizabeth Burns, Commissioner Iva Sallar, Commissioner Paul Fitzgerald, and then on my right, we have Commissioner Ann Hart, and I am Vice Chair Robert Van Renz presiding this presiding this evening. It is the purpose of the Historic Preservation Commission to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of the City of Frederick by preserving sites, structures, or districts that reflect elements of cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological, or architectural history to stabilize and improve the property values of such sites, structures, or districts to foster civic beauty, to strengthen the local economy, and to promote the preservation and appreciation of such sites, structures, and districts for the education and welfare of the residents of the City of Frederick. In order to be eligible to vote on an application, a commissioner must have made the required site visit and attended any and all meetings at which such an application was discussed. In the event that a commissioner is absent from any such meeting, the commissioner may satisfy the attendance requirement by reviewing the record of that meeting. It is presumed if a commissioner makes no statement at this time that they have done so and are prepared to vote on the agenda this evening. That being said, are there any commissioners with statements of eligibility? All right, and I just realized that uh in my introduction I neglected to include staff, and I apologize for that oversight. Um we have a HBC administrative assistant Shannon Piles who's doing our best to keep us all together. And then over on my right, we have uh historic preservation planners Lisa Armoracek Murphy and Christina Martinkowski. We have Assistant City Attorney Scott Waxter, and we have our Aldermanic liaison, Donna Kazamczak. Excuse me. All right, with that, um, I'd like to see if staff has any announcements this evening. Um one announcement item number 10 on the agenda, um HTC 22-234. Uh it's on the consent agenda. Um, three East Third Street. Um, it cannot be heard this evening because the public notice requirements were not met. Thank you. All right. Um with that. Do any commissioners have any questions before we begin? Any other comments? All right, let's move along. Moving on to excuse me, moving on to um approval of minutes. Uh minutes from the September 29th, 2022 hearing and workshop. Any questions, comments, concerns. All right. Um can I get a motion? Sure. Um, I move to approve the September 29th, 2022 hearing and workshop minutes. I have a second. Thank you. All right. Moved and seconded. Um, all in favor, please raise your hand. All right, and that is unanimous. Thank you. And then moving on to HPC business. Uh administrative approval report. If I could before we start that, I think we may have skipped a step with the public swearing in of the staff and anybody that's going to testify. Thank you.
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