Historic District Commission

Categories of Administrative Approval

Historic district property owners can obtain administrative approval for certain rehabilitation work, signs, changes to settings, and proposed outdoor features from the City’s historic preservation planner or a qualified consultant retained by the City. These staff level approvals can reduce the approval time and eliminate the need for applicants to attend meetings. Standard HDC application forms are used. When applications are submitted, staff decides if administrative approval is appropriate. Fees are the same, and a sign for public comment must be posted for 10 days. The following work has been approved by the HDC for administrative approval:

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is defined by the Secretary of the Interior as “the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural, and cultural values.” Rehabilitation activities that are subject to administrative approval include, but are not limited to, the following types of projects:

•The removal of materials and features that are not in compliance with the guidelines;

•The replacement of materials and features not in compliance with the guidelines with materials and features in keeping with the guidelines;

•The repair and replacement of deteriorated materials and featureswith historically appropriate materialsandfeatures. Such work may involve siding, gutters and downspouts, roofs, chimneys, porches,doorstoops, andpaving.

•The replacement of hardware or the installation of new hardware;

•The installation of missing materials and features, supported by documentation;

•Repointing and other masonry repairs;

•Exterior placement of meters, vents, cable or telephone boxes, wiring, antennas, satellite dishes, and components of HVAC systems;

•The installation of security devices, such as control panels, touch key plates, mirrors, cameras, and peepholes;

•The replacement of exterior light fixtures and the installation of new light fixtures, including fixtures to illuminate signage;

•Other minor exterior modifications, including mail slots and boxes and house numbers; and

•Minor changes to plans already approved by the HDC.

Signs

Signs are defined as any device, structure, painting or visual image designed to be seen by the public. Signage can incorporate graphics, symbols, letters, or numbers for the purpose of advertising or identifying any business, products, or services.

Signs that can be approved through the administrative approval program include but are not limited to:

•The replacement of signs that are incompatible with the guidelines with signs compatible with the guidelines; and

•The installation of signs in historically appropriate locations, such as signboards, brackets, windows, and awnings.

Modifications to Settings

Settings include yards, streetscapes, and other open spaces within the historic district.The administrative procedure authority encompasses the treatment of such settings, including their rehabilitation, repair, and small-scale new construction.

Types of features that can be approved through the administrative approval program include, but are not limited to the following:

•Sheds;

•Fences and walls;

•Paving, including the construction or replacement of paths, sidewalks, parking areas, patios, and driveways; and

•Other minor landscape features.

Get a permit before you begin work!

Work in the Frederick Town Historic District requires a certificate of approval from the HDC and a building or zoning permit. Permits can be obtained at the Building Department, 4 W. 7 th St. Call 301-360-3801 for information.