Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - June 8, 2023
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Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - June 8, 2023
The Historic Preservation Commission met on June 8, 2023, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting included a public hearing and a workshop. Commissioners approved multiple applications, including a partial demolition for the new police headquarters, a window replacement with conditions, a security camera installation, roof and skylight work, window/door replacements on a non-contributing resource, a mural, and found a resource contributing. The workshop discussed a replacement plan for the police headquarters and a new construction project at 401 N. Market Street, with significant feedback on massing and design.
Consent Calendar
- No items were on the consent calendar.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public hearing.
Discussion Items
- HPC23-258 (100 E. All Saints St.): Partial demolition of a 1995 office building for adaptive reuse as police headquarters. Staff found the building non-contributing and recommended approval conditioned on a replacement plan. The applicant argued the reuse brings a productive use to a vacant building. Approved unanimously.
- HPC23-402 (185 W. All Saints St.): Post-installation of four windows. Staff recommended replacement with six-over-six wood windows; applicant had installed one-over-one composite windows. After discussion about visibility and precedent, the commission approved (3-2) a motion allowing two concealed windows to remain as installed, with the other two replaced with six-over-six wood windows, plus a sill repair.
- HPC23-426 (25 E. 2nd St.): Installation of a security camera on the facade of Grace United Church of Christ. Staff recommended denial due to obtrusiveness. The applicant stated only this location provided full view of doors. A motion to deny failed (2-3), then a motion to approve passed (3-2).
- HPC23-432 (314-316 W. Patrick St.): Replacement of black metal roof, chimney cap, and skylights on a contributing 1880s twin dwelling. Staff found black roof appropriate as replacement in-kind. Approved unanimously.
- HPC23-466 (116-118 S. Bentz St.): Replacement of windows and doors on a 1967 non-contributing building. Staff recommended flexibility; applicant proposed one-over-one composite windows and fiberglass doors for a charity project. Approved unanimously.
- HPC23-493 (401 N. Market St.): Partial demolition of a rear garage/warehouse on a second-empire building. Staff recommended finding the resource contributing. The commission unanimously found the resource contributing to the historic district. The demolition was not voted on in the hearing but discussed in the workshop.
- HPC23-495 (28 E. 6th St.): Installation of a mural on a non-contributing building. Staff recommended approval. The applicant noted the Public Arts Commission supported the project. Approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approved actions:
- HPC23-258: Partial demolition approved unconditionally on replacement plan approval.
- HPC23-402: Approved with conditions (3-2).
- HPC23-426: Approved (3-2).
- HPC23-432: Approved unanimously.
- HPC23-466: Approved unanimously.
- HPC23-493: Resource found contributing to the historic district.
- HPC23-495: Approved unanimously.
- Administrative Approval Report for May 2023 (15 approvals) approved unanimously.
- Minutes of May 25, 2023 approved unanimously.
- Workshop items: HPC23-242 (1730 N. Market St.) postponed to June 22, 2023. HPC23-259 (replacement plan for police HQ) and HPC23-493/494 (demolition and new construction at 401 N. Market) were discussed with extensive feedback from commissioners on massing, height, materials, and compatibility. No votes were taken for these workshop items.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I'd like to call to order the Thursday, June 8th, 2023 session of the Historic Preservation Commission of the City of Frederick. The technical qualifications of the Commission and the staff are on file with the City of Frederick and are made a part of each and every case before the Commission. The Frederick City Historic Preservation Commission uses the guidelines adopted by the mayor and the board of Alderman and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation published by the U.S. Department of the Interior and the 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 begin with uh introductions. Over excuse me, over here on my left, the audience is right, uh, in place of our usual capable administrative assistant Shannon Piles. This evening we have uh excuse me, Brandon Marks, and um Commissioner Blair Wilson, uh Commissioner Elizabeth Burns, uh Commissioner Paul Fitzgerald, myself, Commissioner Robert Van Renz, um excuse me. Sorry, the air quality this evening is may make this a little bit difficult. And uh Commissioner Ann Hart and then Historic Preservation Staff, uh Commissioner Lee not Commissioner, I'm sorry, Historic Preservation Planners Lisa Mrochik Murphy and Christina Martinkowski and Assistant City Attorney Michael Fry. Um everyone here this evening who wishes to speak on any case please rise. Do you solemnly swear and affirm that the responses given and statements made in this hearing before the historic preservation commission will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth? If so, answer I do. Thank you. Please be seated. It is the purpose of the Historic Preservation Commission to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of the City of Frederick by preserving the sites, structures or districts that reflect elements of cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological, or architectural history to stabilize and improve property values of such sites, structures or districts, to foster civic beauty, to strengthen our 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 preserved 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? So I am listed or my properties listed on the administrative approval report. So I'm assuming I need to abstain from that vote or step out of the room. Okay, I'll do that. All right. Thank you. Um having completed that over to city staff. Are there any announcements this evening? Um announcement item number 10 on the agenda, which is um the workshop for HPC 23-242 at 1730 North Market Street. Um is not going to be discussed tonight at workshop. It's going to be postponed to the workshop on June 22nd. All right, thank you. All right, moving on to the approval of minutes. Uh the minutes from the May 25th, 2023. Have the commissioners had the opportunity to look through the minutes. And if so, do you see any corrections or amendments that you wish to uh to have made Mr. Chairman? I I move to approve the minutes for the May 25th, 2023 hearing for the Historic Preservation Commission. I second. All right. Any further discussion. Any public comment? All right. All in favor. Thank you very much. Uh moving on to HPC business, the administrative approval report. Okay, I'd like to enter the administrative approval report into the record, and just note that we have 15 administrative approvals in the month of May. Thank you. Thank you.
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