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NOTICE: Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) Taking Public Comment on Proposed Updates to the Historic Preservation Design Guidelines

The Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation is taking public comment on proposed updates to the Historic Preservation Design Guidelines. These updates were initially presented to the Commission in February of 2021 and include general edits to address typos and grammatical errors, updates to address inaccuracies and best practices, additions to guidelines for decks in Section 1.9.1, additions to interior materials in Section 3.3.1, additions to guidelines to address planting beds in Section 4.1.1, addition to guidelines to provide further details on fences, walls, and gates in Section 4.2.4, and additions and clarification to Chapter 6: Design Guidelines for Artistic Expression, specifically the language surrounding the installation of murals.

The public comment period will last from Friday, May 13, 2022, until Tuesday, June 14, 2022. The regulations are expected to take effect on June 15, 2022, following a hearing of the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation on June 14, 2022, at 1 pm, or the date the regulations are officially filed with the Department of Legislative Reference, whichever date is later.

The full text of the proposed Design Guidelines can be found online here.

The public may submit comments:

The Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation
 
Attention: Stacy Montgomery
 417 East Fayette Street, 8th floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
 
  • The public may also provide comments at the CHAP hearing on June 14, 2022, which will be held at 1 pm in the Phoebe Stanton Boardroom of the Department of Planning (417 E. Fayette Street, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202).

Graffiti Fact Sheet

If your property is damaged by graffiti, check here first to learn about the requirements and best practices for removing graffiti from historic buildings.

Important Update on Appraisals for CHAP Historic Tax Credit Applications

Please note that due to a staffing shortage the city will no longer be providing appraisals for the CHAP Historic Tax Credit. Applicants will be required to provide their own.

The provided appraisal must;

  1. Be completed by a State of Maryland Certified Appraiser in Good Standing.
  2. Be completed in “as is” condition.
  3. For final certification projects, be completed within 90 days of the project being completed or issuance of the U&O.
  4. Indicate the Intended User to be:  The City of Baltimore Director of Finance.
  5. Indicate the Intended Use to be:  CHAP Tax Credit.

If you or the appraiser have any questions, you may refer to the addendum of the Rules and Regulations for guidance.

2020 Analysis of the Historic Tax Credit

Since the creation of the program in 1996, CHAP has believed that the city's historic tax credit would be an important tool to enhance the architectural, cultural, and economic value of the City. While the physical impact is easy to see, it was important for CHAP to measure the economic impact of the credit. In 2019, the Department of Planning hired PlaceEconomics to analyze the historic tax credit. The result, completed in the summer of 2020, is the following report; An Analysis of the Baltimore Historic Preservation Tax Credit. The report supports positive assumptions about the value of the credit and brings to light new information about the use and benefit of the credit in communities across the city.

Announcement: CHAP operations during the Covid-19 Emergency 

During this emergency, CHAP staff is working remotely, continuing to review Applications for Authorization to Proceed, building permits, and Historic Tax Credit Applications, and responding to inquiries from the public. Although our physical office is closed, you may still reach members of the CHAP staff by their office phone and Baltimore City email addresses.  You can find CHAP's contact information by clicking here. On April 14, 2020, CHAP Hearing, the Commission voted in favor of amending the official Rules to allow for remote hearings. CHAP Hearings will be held virtually until further notice. Please continue to check our website or subscribe to our email alerts to stay up to date.

CHAP Findings on 2216 Druid Hill Avenue (aka the Cab Calloway House)

In May 2019, the staff of the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) received requests to temporarily designate 2216 Druid Hill Avenue as a landmark to prevent demolition while people built a coalition to save it. The requestors informed staff that world-renowned entertainer Cab Calloway lived at this address during his youth in Baltimore. Following investigations by CHAP staff over several months in 2019, the Commission declined to pursue landmark designation for this property. Based on the findings of the staff’s in-depth research about Cab, his family, and their residences in Baltimore, 2216 Druid Hill Avenue is not recommended as the best site to honor Cab Calloway’s legacy in Baltimore. Instead, the staff has determined that other sites would be better to honor and celebrate the legacy of Blanche and Cab Calloway. CHAP staff is now working with its city partners, neighborhood stakeholders, and other partners to not only celebrate the legacy of Cab and Blanche Calloway but to celebrate the history and culture of this community. Read more about the Calloway's here. 

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