Historic Preservation Commission Hearing and Workshop - September 25, 2025
Historic Preservation Commission Hearing and Workshop – September 25, 2025
The City of Frederick Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) convened on September 25, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Hall to conduct a public hearing and workshop. The meeting included the election of new officers, approval of minutes, a request for a two-year extension for a park project at 641 North Market Street, a public hearing on a rehabilitation at 219 East Church Street, and workshop discussions on three pending applications: signage at 216 East Patrick Street, rehabilitation at 204 East Fifth Street, and an amendment for the hotel project at 20 South Carroll Street. All votes were unanimous (4-0) where recorded.
Election of Officers
- Following the resignation of Chair Robert Van Rens, the commission elected Paul Fitzgerald as Chair and Anne Hart as Vice Chair, both by a vote of 4-0.
Request for Extension – HPC22-134 (641 N. Market Street)
- The applicant, Leanne Cruz (Associate Director, Downtown Frederick Partnership), requested a two-year extension for the 7th Street Fountain Park project due to delays in the city bidding process. Staff noted that a standard six-month extension had already been granted and that further extensions require commission approval. The commission approved the two-year extension unanimously (4-0) to provide scheduling flexibility.
Public Hearing – HPC-25-280 (219 E. Church Street)
- Proposal: Rehabilitation of the front stoop, including repointing brick, reattaching railing, and using power tools on horizontal joints. Staff recommended approval with conditions (power tools limited to horizontal joints, mortar matching in color/texture/tooling, and allowing lime-based or Portland cement or a mix).
- Applicant testimony: Katherine Johnson-Couch, property owner, stated the stoop was concrete in the 1950s and brick was added later; she had no objection to staff recommendations.
- Decision: Approved unanimously (4-0) with the three conditions.
Workshop – HPC-25-210 (216 E. Patrick Street) – Signage
- Proposal: Three cabinet awning signs and one wall-mounted cabinet sign for a new restaurant. Staff noted that cabinet signs are not supported by guidelines, the proposed signage exceeds the code maximum of 62.5 square feet (total 87.75 sq ft), and the historic FOE neon sign should be preserved.
- Discussion: Commissioners debated whether to allow cabinet signs, the fate of the historic neon sign (suggested relocation to the Eagles Club or interior preservation), and possible alternatives such as neon or externally lit metal signs. The applicant agreed to explore a neon sign option and reduce total signage.
- Next steps: Staff will provide guidance; resubmission deadline is October 13, 2025, for the October 23 hearing.
Workshop – HPC-25-215 (204 E. Fifth Street) – Rehabilitation
- Proposal: Correcting unapproved work: replacement of windows with vinyl, new front door, shutters, railing, and painting of the concrete stoop. The applicant (Rachel Matzke and Zach Clopper) requested to replace only front windows with wood, but staff recommended all windows be replaced with wood to match historic character. For shutters, the commission favored removal rather than replacement with wood. The front door (six-pane wood) was deemed acceptable. The painted stoop was allowed (neighbors also painted).
- Next steps: Resubmission deadline October 13 (or October 9 for earlier hearing); applicant to provide documentation of all windows and decide on full wood replacement vs. partial.
Workshop – HPC-25-282 (20 S. Carroll Street) – Amendment for Hotel
- Proposal: Amendments to the previously approved level two site plan for the hotel project, including relocation of retaining walls, stormwater management, utilities (transformers), and fencing. The applicant (Kevin Roycroft, architect) presented updated plans moving the transformer to a less visible location. Commissioners requested additional screening for the transformers (e.g., metal trellis or enhanced landscaping) and clearer identification of the historic barn on site plans.
- Next steps: Resubmission deadline October 13, 2025, with updated plans addressing screening and clarity.
Key Outcomes
- Elections: Paul Fitzgerald elected Chair, Anne Hart elected Vice Chair (4-0).
- Extension approved: Two-year extension for 641 N. Market Street park project (4-0).
- Rehabilitation approved: HPC-25-280 with conditions (4-0).
- Workshop items: All three cases continued to the October 23, 2025 hearing with resubmission deadlines; applicants to incorporate feedback from commission and staff.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the City of Frederick Historic Preservation Commission hearing and workshop. Today's date is September 25th, 2025. Before we get started, uh anybody in the audience that would like a print copy of the agenda, there's copies of the agenda over on the table by the by the door, as well as a sign-in sheet. And uh occasionally some people, depending on where the sitting might have trouble hearing some of the precedings tonight. If you ever, if you're in a position where you uh might not be able to hear properly the conversations, we do have listening devices up here uh at the end of the diasp. You can see Tansy here. She can get you a uh a wireless uh uh hearing device. The uh 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 secretary of 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 are duly advertised in the Frederick News Post in accordance with section 301 of the land management code. For introductions tonight, I'm Paul Fitzgerald serving here with Commissioners Ann Hart, Ed McMahon, and Carol Kelly from the planning staff. We have Division Manager of Historic Preservation Planning, Ms. Christina Martinkowski, Historic Preservation Planner Sarah Hoffadz, and Assistant City Attorney Iris Annan, along with our administrative assistant Tanzy Crate. All applicants and authorized agents and members of the public who wish to speak tonight must be sworn in. If you would please stand as you're able if you wish to speak or have a presentation. Thank you. The address is correctly noted on the agenda, but it was observed by the um applicant that online the link incorrectly lists the property at 164 North Market Street. So I just want to note for the record that the request for extension is at 641 North Market Street, which is the 7th Street Fountain Park. Thank you. Thank you. Commissioners, any announcements from us. Moving on to approval of the minutes. If you have a chance to review the minutes, any questions, revisions. I move we uh approve the minutes as submitted. September 11th, 2025 minutes. I move we approve the minutes of September 11, 20, 25 minutes as submitted. Thank you. And I'll second. All in favor of approval of the minutes, raise your hand. Motion carries four to zero. Thank you. Uh, with the resignation resignation of Commissioner Van Rennes. The position of chair is open, and uh as well as the vice chair. Are there any nominations for chair? Okay. That's her I'd like to nominate Mr. Paul Fitzgerald. I second the nomination. Any other nominations? In favor of uh Commissioner Fitzgerald serving as chair, raise your hand. Okay. Motion or the vote is four to zero. Nominate Ann Hart. I second the nomination. Okay. Are there any other nominations for vice chair? All in favor of Commissioner Hart is vice chair, please raise your hand. Yeah. And vote is four to zero.
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