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HomeMy WebLinkAbout201104 - Minutes, Planning CommissionMINUTES OF THE HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY November 4, 2020 CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Due to current social meeting restrictions put in place by the Governor of Maryland because of the COVID- 19 pandemic, the Washington County Historic District Commission held its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. virtually using Zoom software. No physical meeting took place. Commission members present were: Tom Clemens, Ann Aldrich, Vernell Doyle, Edie Wallace, Michael Lushbaugh, and Greg Smith. Staff members present were: Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning: Jill Baker, Director; Jennifer Kinzer, Deputy Director; Meghan Jenkins, GIS Coordinator; and Debra Eckard, Administrative Assistant. Also present at the meeting were Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Lankford. MINUTES Mr. Lushbaugh made a motion to approve the minutes of the October 5, 2020 meeting as presented. The motion was seconded by Ms. Wallace and unanimously approved. OLD BUSINESS Demolition Permit #2020-03729 — 7007 Mariah Furnace Road Ms. Jenkins presented for review a demolition permit for a 1,389 square foot single-family house, a barn, outhouse, cabin and 4 sheds located at 7007 Mariah Furnace Road, Lot 1. Ms. Baker visited the site and several photographs were taken and presented during the meeting. Discussion and Comments: Ms. Wallace asked if any alternatives to demolition have been considered. Mr. Lankford, the property owner, stated that the interior of the house is in complete disrepair, a new electrical system would be needed, the foundation is crumbling, and the house is a liability and safety issue. Mr. Lankford expressed his opinion that the cost to rehabilitate the house would be more than the house is currently worth. He stated that he is trying to find someone to salvage the barn. Ms. Jenkins stated there are resources available on our website for salvaging historic structures and she would share those resources with Mr. Lankford. Ms. Aldrich also provided the name and contact information of Douglas Reed, whom she believes would be an excellent resource for Mr. Lankford. Ms. Baker asked Mr. Lankford to clarify which buildings are proposed for demolition. Mr. Lankford stated that the house, 4 sheds, outhouse, cabin and barn are all proposed for demolition. However, he would like to have someone purchase and remove the barn for re -use rather than demolition and he would be willing to let it stand until someone could salvage it. The demolition of the house is going to be used for training purposes for fire and emergency personnel. Ms. Aldrich asked if the owner would be interested in using tax credits to rehabilitate the property. Mr. Lankford stated that he is willing to sell the barn materials for salvage but he really is not interested in rehabilitating the house due to the associated costs involved. Motion and Vote: Mr. Smith made a motion to support the demolition permit as presented. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lushbaugh and unanimously approved. Demolition Permit Process Ms. Baker reported that a summary has been prepared of previous discussions regarding the demolition permit process. The summary lists the 3 major priorities established during these discussions: 1) Docu- mentation; 2) 90 day feasibility of demolition alternatives period; and 3) Deterrents to premature demolition. This summary was sent to members of the Commission as well as the Historic Advisory Committee (HAC). No comments have been received to date from the HAC members. Ms. Linda Irvin - Craig, co-chair of the HAC has asked staff to schedule time on the Board of County Commissioners' agenda to further discuss this issue. Staff is hoping to be on the agenda sometime during the month of December. OTHER BUSINESS Ms. Aldrich asked when the HDC gets involved in a permit review for a historic structure. Ms. Jenkins stated that the HDC reviews permits for contributing structures within the Rural Villages that have completed surveys, in towns with the National Register designation, structures within the Antietam Overlay zones, and for structures that have received Historic Tax Credits. Staff Report • Ms. Jenkins noted that staff reviewed the following applications in October: 2 agricultural permits, 1 non-residential sign permit, 2 addition/alteration permits, and 1 site plan. • Demolition Permit — 17707 Miller's Sawmill Road: The Planning Commission discussed the demolition permit for the property located at 17707 Miller's Sawmill Road at its meeting on Monday, November 2"d. The Planning Commission supported approval of the demolition permit. Ms. Baker noted that the property owner, Mr. Stivers, was able to salvage many materials from the structure including doors, windows, shutter guards, lumber, and the front porch. Mr. Stivers plans to use some of these materials in the new house he is planning to build on the property and to sell the other components for re -use. He informed staff three different additions from different time periods were uncovered during the demolition process. Ms. Doyle asked if the property owner documented where any of the salvaged materials have gone. Ms. Baker stated he has not and no documentation of that type was requested from him. Ms. Doyle expressed her opinion that a record of where the salvaged materials go would be interesting. Ms. Jenkins stated that, at this time, due to limited staff and limited databases, it is not feasible for staff to try to track this information. We will keep this as a goal for the future. Ms. Doyle suggested that this requirement should be part of the applicant's responsibility once demolition has occurred. • MAHDC Annual Meeting: This meeting will be held virtually on November 12, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. Ms. Jenkins plans to attend this meeting as Washington County's representative. Mr. Clemens said he may also attend this meeting. • Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Annual Meeting: This meeting will also be held virtually on November 12, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Smith and Ms. Baker have expressed interest in attending this meeting. • Training Opportunities: During the October 5th meeting, members discussed training opportunities that will help the County in maintaining its Certified Local Government status. Members decided to participate in the Course 100: Design Review offered by the Maryland Association of Historic District Commissions. Ms. Jenkins will try to schedule this training either on November 17th or November 20th. She will coordinate this training and inform members as soon as possible. Ms. Wallace announced that Tolson's Chapel is being considered by the National Historic Landmarks Committee for designation on November 5th Ms. Doyle reported that the building that has been the home of the Lutheran Church in Sharpsburg since 1943 has been sold. No other details were available. ADJOURNMENT Ms. Wallace made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:50 p.m. The motion was seconded by Ms. Aldrich and so ordered by the Chairman. Respectfully submitted, L. Baker, Director Washington County Department of Planning & Zoning