(A) As part of its powers and duties, the Historic Preservation Commission:
(1) Shall adopt rules for the organization and conduct of meetings;
(2) Shall act upon all applications for certificates of approval;
(3) Shall submit information regarding Frederick County historic, architectural, archaeological, and cultural resources to the Maryland Historical Trust for the purposes of updating and maintaining the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties;
(4) Shall review all petitions for designation to the Frederick County Register of Historic Places and submit recommendations to the county governing body;
(5) For areas which are located within a designated historic site, structure, or district, or which have historic preservation easements held by the county, the Commission shall review any application for a zoning text or map amendment, conditional use, variance, site plan or subdivision approval, and any legislation or other proposals, including preparation and amendment of master plans, and may make recommendations thereon to the appropriate authorities;
(6) Shall have the right to accept and use gifts and services for the exercise of its functions which are given to the county specifically for use by the Historic Preservation Commission;
(7) Shall adopt rehabilitation and new construction design guidelines and criteria for construction, alteration, reconstruction, repair, moving and demolition of property in designated districts or individually designated sites or landmarks which are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. Guidelines may include design characteristics intended to meet the needs of particular types of sites, structures, and districts, and may identify categories of changes that do not require review by the Commission because they are minimal in nature and do not affect historic, archaeological, or architectural significance. These design guidelines shall be used in the Historic Preservation Commission’s review of applications for certificates of approval;
(8) Shall review and recommend for action by the county governing body the acquisition of historic preservation easements on designated landmarks, structures, or sites and, when deemed appropriate by the Commission, sites or structures located in, or adjacent to, a designated district, consistent with the county’s ordinances, resolutions, local public law, policies and procedures; and
(9) Shall review any grant programs or tax incentives that will aid historic preservation as approved by the County Council or County Executive and review any applications based on those programs.
(B) In addition, the Historic Preservation Commission shall have all the powers and authority enumerated in Md. Code Ann., Land Use Article, Title 8, as presently codified and as may be amended from time to time.
(Ord. 97-16-194, 12-2-1997; Ord. 14-23-678, 11-13-2014; Bill No. 24-01, 4-16-2024)