Frederick Historic Preservation Commission Hearing and Workshop - July 10, 2025
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Frederick Historic Preservation Commission Hearing and Workshop - July 10, 2025
The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) met on July 10, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, 101 North Court Street, and online via Channel 99. The meeting included a public hearing, approval of minutes, a report on administrative approvals, and decisions on three applications. All items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the June 26, 2025, hearing and workshop were approved unanimously.
- Administrative Approval Report: Staff reported that 37 projects were reviewed and processed administratively in the previous month. The report was entered into the record.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during the public comment period or during the individual cases.
Discussion Items
- HPC-25-179 – 608 N. Maxwell Avenue (Nancy Luse): Applicant sought approval for in-kind replacement of vinyl siding on a non-contributing, highly altered semi-detached dwelling. Staff noted that the Frederick Town Historic District Design Guidelines generally do not support vinyl siding, but because the property is non-contributing and the surrounding streetscape is already altered with vinyl, a deviation was appropriate. A nearly identical project had been approved at 610 N. Maxwell Avenue in 2021. The commission agreed, finding the deviation would not compromise the streetscape, surrounding properties, or the resource itself.
- HPC-25-164 – 253 W. Patrick Street (DHL Investments, LLC): Partial demolition of a rear shed roof (approximately 160 square feet) on a contributing resource. Staff determined the demolition would not alter the overall significance of the building or impact the streetscape. Approval was conditioned upon an approved replacement plan and associated permits.
- HPC-25-165 – 253 W. Patrick Street (DHL Investments, LLC): Addition to the same property, including a new shed-roof dormer, replacement of vinyl siding with wood lap siding, new porch soffits, asphalt shingle roof, and smooth fiber-cement siding on the dormer. Staff found the proposal consistent with the guidelines, as the original roof form was largely retained and the new materials were appropriate for additions.
Key Outcomes
- HPC-25-179: Approved unanimously (motion by Commissioner Fitzgerald, second by Commissioner Hart) to allow in-kind vinyl siding replacement under deviation standards.
- HPC-25-164: Approved unanimously (motion by Commissioner Van Rens, second by Commissioner McMahon) for partial demolition, conditioned on an approved replacement plan.
- HPC-25-165: Approved unanimously (motion by Commissioner Van Rens, second by Commissioner McMahon) for the proposed addition.
- Agenda Reordering: The commission voted unanimously to move HPC-25-164 and HPC-25-165 to the end of the agenda, as requested by the applicant.
- Announcements: The applicant for 253 W. Patrick Street was granted permission to be heard last.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the July 10th, 2025. Excuse me, Frederick City Historic Preservation Commission hearing and workshop. The technical qualifications of the Commission and 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 City Council 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. Introductions this evening on my left, the audience's right is the HPC administrative assistant, Tansi Creighton, and then Commissioners Ed McMahon, Paul Fitzgerald, myself, Commissioner Robert Van Rennes, and Commissioner Ann Hart. And then on my right, the audience's left, we have historic preservation planners Sarah Hoffeditz and Daniel excuse me, Daniel Lecky, and Manager of Historic Preservation Christina Martinkowski and Assistant City Attorney Iris Anon. Any applicants or anyone else wishing to be heard before the commission this evening, please rise and be sworn in. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the response is 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. I do. All right, 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 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 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 the 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, seeing none. Let's move on to any announcements this evening. We have one announcement. The applicant is requesting to be heard last on the agenda. Um the commission will vote on this matter under HPC business. All right, thank you. Moving on to approval of minutes. Um, the minutes from the June 26, 2025 hearing and workshop. Commissioners, any changes to these, any uh points of concern or any anything needed to be discussed. All right. Hearing none, um, can I get a motion to accept the minutes? Yes, sir. I move that we accept the June 26, 2025, both hearing and workshop minutes second. All right. All in favor, please raise your hand. And that passes unanimously. Thank you. Moving on to HPC business, um, administrative approval report. Yes, I would like to enter the entire administrative approval rule. Uh report into the record and note that 37 projects were reviewed uh and processed by staff uh last month. Thank you. All right, thank you very much. And the other item under business move to change the order of uh cases to be heard. Moving um HPC 25-164 and 25-165 to the end of the agenda for the for the evening. Uh commissioners, any discussion on that? Just to be clear, that was you made a motion, is that correct? Well, I'm asking for a motion to do that. Then yes, sir. I will make that motion. Thank you. All right. Any further discussion.
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