Westminster Historic District Commission - Regular Meeting

I'm ready. I'm preparing. It's always live though. Yeah. Sorry, just go ahead. Well, I'm going to start out with our introduction this evening. This is the city of Westminster Historic District Commission. We are Wednesday, June 4th at 6 p.m. We're at city hall at 183 in Westminster, Maryland. And I'm going to call this to order with our um statement of authority. The Westminster Historic District Commission derives from the authority from chapter 164 article 9A of the city code which is authorized by Maryland um code annotated land use article division one single jurisdiction planning and zoning title 8 historic preservation. The qualifications of the Westminster Historic District Commission are on file at the city administration building at 45 West Main Street and the file is open to the public. I'd like to do a quick roll call of who's here this evening. Chris Amadori, Deathy Batty, Chris McMasters, chair, and we have our reliable city staff, Melissa Thorne, economic development coordinator, Mark Deepa, the director of community planning and development. Terrific. Thank you. All right. Well, this evening we're going to start with new business and as soon as we're finished, you can leave. You don't have to stay for business or anything else unless you have a great parking spot. Thank you. All right. So, we're going to start with item A TC25 03 pre-construction historic um district tax credit application review for 145 West Main Street. And usually we turn to city staff to make a presentation. 147 147 I just like thing for the record.

I'm just going to pull up just a PowerPoint here. Give me one second so we can share it with the folks watching online. Here we go. All right. Great. There are so many things happening. Here we go. Great. Well, tonight we're here to talk about a pre-construction application for 147 West Main Street. Here tonight, as you know, Kevin Banker, the property owner and the applicant, is requesting this application. We're calling it TC2503. So, this is our third application for the year. So, pursuant to the zoning ordinance section 1435B, an eligible property includes properties located within the city's local historic district, properties listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places, or contributing properties located within a national registered district. And we also define our eligible work as written below. I won't go through all of those. So, this property is located really in the middle of the historic district um at the edge of the downtown business zone um reflected in blue there and um is considered an eligible property under zoning ordinance section 143-5B because it is located in the Westminster Historic National Registered District. For this project, the description is to remove peeling paint, sand and repair sighting, apply primer and two coats of finishing paint and coaul. We'll go through um some images of the building. Here's this east elevation. You can clearly see the paint um peeling on this building. So um this is another closer up view of the east

elevations. And we have the west elevation. Is this on the side of the spa? Yes, Mr. Spa. That little house. Okay, that's correct. Uh, so the applicant received two cost estimates for the project. One from LP Construction Services and one from Stanbal Home Improvement. Um, both of these applications do have MHIC numbers associated with them and those are included in the packet. M Mr. banker would like to pursue the quote with LP Construction Services with a total amount of $7,500. So tonight, our recommendation is that the our commission here tonight reviews the preconstruction application and determine whether number one, the property is an eligible property. Number two, that the proposed work outlined in attachment one qualifies as eligible work. And uh once those two are established um once the eligible work under section 1435 is approved, you can talk about the estimated project cost or if another amount as shown by the commission should be approved and grant a certificate of eligibility for the post construction. Thank you, Miss Thorn. Does this sound substantially accurate as to your request? Yes, it does. the uh the estimate include is basically the labor. I would still have to buy the primer and and the paint, but yes. So, let's start with um first motion of recommendation. Can we have someone to move that the property is eligible? I have a question. I have some questions, but do we need to do this first? We do. Um, I move that this project is eligible

for um tax credits under city west. You have a second. I guess that's me. A second. All right. So, for discussion purposes, there's no problem with this being an eligible property within our historic district. It's within the district. So, yep. So, let's put that one to sleep. So, is that all it takes? Doesn't matter on the age of the building or anything like that. Okay. Not for this motion. First, we're figuring out that it's eligible, then we'll move on to see if the work proposed is appropriate. So, any questions about eligibility? If not, we'll go on. I'll ask. I was just wondering the age of that addition. I mean, it does to me that doesn't look like a historic addition to the building, but I if anything within the district is eligible, I guess my question is irrelevant. I can I can answer the question if you'd like. Yeah. So, the building itself was built in 1875. The addition was put on by state senator Larry Haynes in 1980. That's that back. So that's the diff. There's a like a I call it a breezeway for lack of a better term between the two connected with an overhang and then the back building sits behind it. And we don't traditionally ex out that kind of thing for historic structures that are whole. If it were an out building or something like that, it would be another story. But this is part of a historic structure. So we we don't get push back from because I know When I was at the historical society, we wanted to do work on the Shriber way edition that went in in 1968 and MHT turned us down and said that part of the building is not historic. They had an easement on you on these.

Okay. So again, are we ready to vote on whether or not it's eligible? All in favor? Great. I guess you say it's eligible. So next about the postwork is outlined in um as to whether or not it's eligible work. The eligible work listed as removing peeling paint, sanding and repairing siding. Um apply one coat of primer and um two coats of finishing paint and coaul. Guess I have a small little concern. Is there a um uh contingency amount for if you find some of those shingles to have been routed? I mean, I have I mean, there could be a contingency. I would just of course pay whatever ends up being. I I didn't put it in his estimate because I am responsible for the material. So, including the primer, paint, and any shingles that would need to be replaced um would be my responsibility. any doing the whole building because the packet we got didn't show the front. So, I wasn't sure if you The front was there, but yes, it does include the entire building. So, I'm I'm a little confused. Why haven't the total costs been requested? It's easier for me to absorb any material cost so they don't mark those things up. Um, I just want when I do a project, I want the labor cost. I'll take care of buying the material. And that's just the way I do I do projects. Um I done that before work well for me. So I I keep doing what works for you. I' I've done that myself um when I applied for a a um work because I can save 20% on some stuff if I directly purchased it and the contractor did not. But I included as part of my Well, I thought Yeah, I didn't think about that. I uh my quotes

to do it with them providing material was between 135 and 145. All right. Well, would you consider would do you want to go back and rework both these quotes or is this a lesson learned in the next project you come to us? This is my first experience going through there. I don't know next time. I didn't I didn't I I didn't know the process. So yeah, I just had what I knew was a set cost cuz I don't know and I think it's 20 gallons of primer, probably 40 gallons of paint. At this point in time, I knew that, but I didn't at the time. I did not include it. So I'm fine going forward where we are. The only thing you couldn't put in is your own labor. If you're putting in sweat equity, um you can't really put that into a budget. Agreed. But you you know estimates and then you would come back with proof that you bought 20 gallons of this and 10 gallons of that and that proof would go through offsetting or being included with their contract and their paid amount. Would I do that up front or do that do I do that at the end of the project when I know exactly what it was? So you put in the estimate in the beginning and we have to agree that that was reasonable and then in the end you you prove out what you actually paid and that's the actual amount of your um 10%. Okay? So you can you can put in a kind of a guesstimate from the very beginning. Okay? But um in the end you'll have to come back to us anyway and say okay we said we were going to do these four things. We did them. Here's the receipts. Okay. And for the receipts, yes, it would just be me paying the contractor for his labor. Proof that you paid him for his contract and in the future proof that you paid for 20 gallons of paint, you know, get that from Sher Williams or purchase purchase it from. But that would allow you um for some smaller projects you would hit up

over $5,000 threshold. Okay. Thank you. Sure. And don't want you to miss out on opportunities. I don't know if you have any other structures in this historic district or not. Um I don't and they I have some on East Main and Sycamore Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. So as things happen, they may a lot of them I already did so before I knew about this program. So, I just did it out of out of my Well, depending on what you're doing, sometimes those things expensive of like, you know, an air conditioning unit or something like that, you know, you may not want to pay your contractor to get that if you know someplace you can get it and they can just install it. But that's all right. Questions from the commissioners. I do have a question. So, the original building um are they originally wooden shingle? Are they wooden shingles? They're wood cedar shingles. Okay. My assumption is they were the original. I of course don't know for a fact, but I believe they were. And when Larry Haynes redid it, he he did the rest of the building in those same wood shingles. Okay. Okay. Yes. And that's why unfortunately I wish it wasn't painted. I wish it was stained. With that said, when it was painted, they didn't prime it correctly and that's why it's all chipped off. What color are you going to paint this again? It's going to be in a gray. A gray. Okay. Any other questions? Are you gonna touch up the shutters and things? Oh, yes. Yes. I mean, when when it is done, if you ever um I did a project on Sycamore that owns a two buildings. If you look at that, they were run down terrible. When you drive by it now, they're immaculate. This will end up being exactly the same. And um normally we don't we don't control paint color but there's a trend right now for putting trim wooden trim of windows into all

black which looks industrial and is out of character. Have you had any thoughts about what I think there'll be white around the windows. Now my my my goal will be over the next couple years probably to replace all windows. Mhm. Um I'm not asking for anything or I'm just letting you know. So because the front windows on the old building, the new building isn't bad. The front windows on the old building, they need to be redone and they will be. But so again, we can assist with that. As long as you're replacing, you know, essentially what you have. If you have two over two, which I'm almost squinting and thinking it might be two over two. Yes, it is. Then it would be you you pick a wood pella 2 over two. Um You know, it's still it can be double glazed, but it it's needs to kind of look like the history, right? And it wouldn't you couldn't replace wooden windows with aluminum. It would need to be wood. Yeah. Yep. So, I'm uh and I got some information on another project that a gentleman was telling me about. He was replacing the windows and stuff. So, he had told me that it needed to be his needed to be a certain way. And so, I find for him, but nonetheless, um I I walked through the process with him as he went through it. Yeah. We wouldn't be going with like the jealousy windows that roll out, you know, or something that total different style. The casement. Yeah. Yeah. We'd want to be able to walk down the the street and say, "It looks good for some reason, but we're not sure why it looks so good." All right. So, if we have no other questions from the commissioners, are we ready for a motion that the proposed work is outlined in touch one qualifies as eligible work? I shall move a second. Second, any other discussion? Are you going to paint the fence? The fence is uh if I'm not mistaken, it's plastic. Oh, okay. So, I was not

planning on doing anything with that. Now, the the fence between my house or this property and the house your face mine to the right is actually the ladies that lives in the one to the right of me. It should be replaced, but it's not mine to replace. So you live next door to that? Well, I live I own this 147 the just I was saying the lady or gentleman who lived next to me or lives next to this property uh there is a fence between that property and my property but it's not mine. Okay, but mine on the front which is mine is plastic. Any other questions? Hearing none then I'll call for a vote. All in favor then it passes. Thank you very much on the proposed work being eligible. Now we look down to the estimated cost and um I did offer you the opportunity to go back and rework your estimates knowing what you know. Um does do the commissioners have a preferred approach on number three or number four? What would you suggest? Personally, I I think the LP construction services estimate is certainly fair. Um, I did notice the note at the bottom of the standby home improvement stating that it was just labor and not materials and that sent off alarm bells because I did not see that in the other estimate and I thought, uhoh, we've got apples and oranges here. But it's clear that this homeowner is well aware of that and has range to that effect. So to me then the

lesser amount that they're requesting seems like a a great option. And I would think we would um select the estimated project quote of $7,500 to be considered um accurate and acceptable. Now, if something happens, just so you know, before we take this photo, you can come back to us for a change order. Okay, that's possible. Okay. But we do meet monthly and unless it's an emergency where we would reconvene like something really horrible happened like the lift you were using to paint fell on the house and it's exposed and it's an emergency. Like we would love to come back for that and I would hope we could come up with a quirm for that but um what's the chance is anything. How do the commissioners feel? How does the city staff feel if we uh have a motion for number three? Sure. If you want to loop in number three and four at the same time. Let's do it. So, you're getting the project amount and then you're confirming the 10%. Seems reasonable. Okay. So, do I hear a motion? I move. Thank you. I see. We're not even going to try and figure out the wording because Melissa's benefit to it. Melissa will fix it for us. She's been very helpful the whole process. She's wonderful. Do we have a second on? Yes. The amount and the eligibility. So, any questions or concerns before we take a vote? Hearing none. All in favor for I. So, it's the consensus. Thank you very much. You're on your way. Thank you very much everybody. Have a great rest of your meeting.

Old business. No, we don't. That's all the groups that belong to. This is the only one where I don't have anything lingering from all business. We just do it. Take care of it. Okay. Next. historic district commission um implementation plan. I'm I'm interested in how we're doing in the selection of the company. Okay. So, as you recall last time we we had talked about bringing it back to DC for input. Unfortunately, that is not the process. So because it is a decision by the mayor and county council the bids are in uh it will be before the mayor county council June 9th uh for um recommendation. So it's is moving forward join the agenda uh staff is recommending along with support by I guess Maryland historic trust in a way u the lower bid even though it was the lowest bid he felt it was the best application who the vendor is it was the EOC archaeology so you didn't hear anything from me but we we did vet it internally as Well, um hope was to bring it to the I mean, we could certainly provide the staff report and the um the three bids for the HTC. I can email you that out tomorrow. Yeah. So, you can see the report and what we're recommending. You can look at all the bids. But internally, we had uh Melissa and Andrea go over the bids. Andrew is familiar with doing this with other with the um part of the Civil War applications. U Melissa sent the MHT they felt all qualified but um again not they I'll just say they supported me

in the EAC one um I'm glad you stepped out and asked in the disc yes that I think that was important for us as well. So but we'll send that to you. You can see you can look at it yourself. Um if you have any comments let me know. Uh but it seemed like it was a push to let's move this forward and get in front get the bid awarded so we can move that move along with it. Yeah. So and of course they looked over the bits right so they can agree to us once the mayor and common council agree then it'll go up and and the state will have to approve it again. So through if I can jump in um our project coordinator I I scheduled a meeting with her right away when we received bids. So they so we had we had a virtual meeting to talk about how all three of them qualified. However, we both agreed the price was a huge factor for, you know, the different different thoughts on maybe the amount of team members required on the project and different things that might be um necessary or unnecessary. Um the only thing I guess he's alluding to is we didn't get an actual letter or like that says this is our recommendation. It was you can go ahead you can go ahead and choose that one kind of thing. They're unlikely to do that. Yeah. Until you make the selection and then you'll have to report to them what the city selects. They may still have an opportunity at comment or concern because they have to ultimately pay bill for sure. And then so after at that point they're ready to schedule meeting though. That was my discussion from that. So, we'll we'll be following up with them on Tuesday, assuming all goes well Monday uh with a recommendation and approval of the award amount. And the benefit again for the the one that staff's recommending it fits within the budget. So, it's uh we

had budgeted 30,000 as a matching to 30,000 the grant. So, no need for a budget amendment or and it fit it. So, it falls under a budget and that's always a nice thing. That was our hope. our hope. Good. Well, fingers crossed everybody proceeds um happily. Yeah. Good. Good. Good. All right. Great. Well, I cannot wait to meet and get rid of all the stuff in my dining room that I've been saving out for two years. Big box in my dining room. All right, great. Our nation's 250th anniversary items ongoing. about the street signs product. The project status has remained unchanged. So, I'm glad that How about downtown preparations? You know, I should have brought I didn't I apologize. I uh reached out to a flag company to to get some of our historic um city-owned buildings decorated with the flag. So, I do have this one. I could send that out when we send out the bids from the RFP. We could also include them. Um, but essentially it's city hall here, the city administration building, the clock tower, and we mentioned the streets and roads building, but I think we might not the fitness center. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, the armory existed. Yeah. So, um, we we're working out budget on that to see what's feasible. And then kind of the point of this is to set the stage to our business community and the property owners and say, "Hey, look what we're doing to celebrate. We want to make our buildings look really nice. What What are you thinking about your building?" So, absolutely. Yeah. So, that as far as the downtown

preparations, I know we had discussed beautifification. Um, we are now in possession of some window washing tools, literal things like that, such. But, um, as far as like planters, I know we we've added and planted planters, but I don't have any updates as far as like the the wells, the tree pits. I'm looking at you, Chris, because we talked about this. So, is there any updates on that or is that something that's No, it's still with streets. We had discussed at one point the comm you were interested in maybe holding a work session. Mhm. If that's still of an interest, we can help coordinate that. We were talking about a work session with Mayor and County Council just to kind of let them know what our plans were at this point so that they're kind of looking forward to it and being ready. Yeah. What did you what did you think the best mode of transfer would be for that to set that up? Through county admin council do have work sessions now instead of just the typical meetings. um they sandwich in between their their regular meetings and I guess the the request would be the county admin to have you place in a work session because it would be an actual work session with a specific topic. This is this did you say the county admin? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. City admin city admin a couple times. That's okay. Yeah, I was thinking I really want to talk to the city team rather county team. City ad. Not sure the county will give them. Okay. So, great. Good. Let's do that. Grace is not here. Did she send anything about the plaques? Okay. Commemorative signed in Belgo Square. I've got some progress there. Um Melissa, I some other city officials met to uh reaffirm where that sign is going at Belgrove Square. Um, you might remember

when we applied for the grant to get the sign, there was a huge tree there and it's since come down, but I don't think it's really changed how we spatially think about where that sign goes because there's also some utility lines right up where that tree was. So, I think it it holds the space that we planned for, which is good because we put it in our grant applications. We put it in our application to the D and because they demanded to know precisely where the sign was going and they also demanded a sign from the city which the city provided that they would care for it. So anyway, we had a field meeting and um with the D regent and I know that the sign has been ordered. So the clock starts from um last week I'd say Wednesday. um 8 to 10 days before you get a a delivery delivery. The delivery is going straight to the department of um public works. So it doesn't going to be doesn't have to come to any of the ladies houses and they has to come and take it. I was a little surprised it comes with the poll. So the bottom line is though we need to try and keep track of any hours you put in or any dollars the city puts in because that's all part of the match. five minutes uh today to a couple events per minute or yesterday. We can conclude the meeting, can't we? Maybe site for location. Every time you think about it, I think it's a good hour. Every time you bring it up, a historic district commission meeting. So, yeah. Um especially since the poll's being covered, but the cement's probably not, you know, whatever you need to put in your ground. Actually, yeah. So, we did ask for that. We asked if there's something they can provide to show us how to secure the pole if we need a

footer or whatever it might be. So, we can at least start working that now location so we get we get it ready to install essentially. So, we'll be the hope. We'll see. We'll see. They usually like the loan from Mary Shman. They sent us instructions on how to put it together and how deep to sink it and all that stuff. Yeah. I guess it's a pain when they drop it in your front hall. Because the UPS guy was not fun with us. Yeah, he was asking us to help that thing. All right. Great. Well, anyway, so we're going to have a burlap sack around it so that um when there's an event to christen it, it's sort of a surprise. But um well, Abby offered a little bit nicer covering than a burlap. Um, we're looking at September 20th or 21st as being the event date. Um, I did ask a local church if they would have a reception for us and I was a little bit surprised and reminded that the church I talked to was a traditional peace church and they don't celebrate the revolution anymore and I didn't think about that before I just made the request. So, um, we may or may not have food. Um, that's an extra wrinkle depending on the square there. Yeah. So, um, at any rate, please put it on your calendar 20th or 21st in September. That's a Saturday or Sunday afternoon thinking. We haven't We're still hoping to get the municipal band involved and it'll kind of depend on what they can how many members it would be a subset of the municipal band. So hopefully they'll want to join in with us. There'll be some

speechifying. Bring your lawn chair when we get our reenactor portray William Winchester. I would love for him to do that but I William Winchester chapter of the D. I know. I know. Um, and it seems to me like the essay our guys should be willing to come out dressed up. But to me, I look at this as the kickoff. It's the 250th. Um, it's Constitution Week. So, um, the it's the beginning of Constitution Week. The end of Constitution Week is is uh Fall Fest. So, that's in conflict. We can't do that. So, we have to do it on this weekend to hit Constitution Week. And um you know the [Music] um battle of Lexington and Concord already happened in April 250 years ago. We're coming up soon on Battle of Bunker Hill the next few days. So the 250th is rolling now. We're we're in it. We're in it. Um, it's just the 250th of the signing of the Declaration of Independence isn't until July, but we're in the thick of it right now. I can feel it. I can feel 250 going on. So, um, we'll be kicking off with this as one of our first activities. All right. Um, and the other sign, the last I've heard about the Patriots Trail sign for the Westminster Cemetery is that we're we've been reviewed. We're in goodstead, but that um they still haven't made a decision yet. So, I'm still waiting. In fact, I think I'll ask them again uh in June to hear more of what they have to say, whether we're winners or not. We were the first from Maryland to even ask. Frankly, I kind of want to hear how we did with this one before I

start submitting other cemeteries to the same process. Yeah, you got the Shrivever Cemetery and the Guest Family Cemetery. Got St. Ben's got some revolutionary war guys out there. So, we'd be happy to put it I'd be happy to just fill out the paperwork. I think the D ladies would. They created a countywide um patriot role with the S years ago. So, I think they know where a lot of them are. Yeah. And I think they're more than willing to like step into my place and do the administrative side of it all. But I don't want to unleash the D and the S if we're doing something fundamentally wrong. You know, like let's let's admit William Winchester's a patriot, but he never picked up a rifle. He was too old to actually fight. He's given veteran status because he was so enabling and so supportive and financially made things happen. But in a way, he's sort of dual. So I still call him a patriot. He still gets a veterans flag every Memorial Day. But let's see what they say. Well, the founding fathers never picked up a rifle. That's right. See Ben Franklin or John Adams out on battlefield. So Right. So, next discussion, we've got it on the radar for the proclamation of May preservation month. We've already done it. That's I and I was saying that earlier today. I was like that probably should have been reworked to say 250th. Do you know what I mean? Like um so I guess my my question is when should the next proclamation be? Probably should be next May. Okay. Also in May. Okay. Yeah. I mean, that one's the one we'll have done a few things, but then that one's the one to kind of say, okay, the signing of the Declaration of Independence

is hopefully we'll have a significant portion of our re-evaluation of the city's resources to announce then, too. Hopefully, I mean, we can make that a goal of that proclamation to say, "Hey, we've got it all digital. It's going to be great. Where's the Westminster Cemeteries project?" Okay, it's it's just taken longer than you and I hope frankly, I'm running out of steam. I send him stuff and it gets lost and then I send him stuff, ask for it six months later and running out of steam. I've had so many emails back and forth. I'm just like, "Oh, well, it's just magically get done." So, we're already close. They want to be done. I don't want to be done, that's for sure. The Liberty Tree plaque, I think, is waiting for the rest of the plaques. And um the event programming is what we were gonna the event programming is what we were going to talk about a little bit with the city um council and mayor. Right. And then the last thing is 250th meeting updates. Did you have anything you want to share? I probably should have prepared something. Let's see. I'm going to just peruse quickly. um to see if there's any uh speaker series events coming up. Of course, there is the Carol250 website where we're featuring all the events that are coming up in the city. All right. So, well, the next big thing we have coming up is here on this site, our um 162nd Corbett's Charge anniversary event. Great. Yep. So, great. Planning

to attend that? excited. Okay, good. When is that? It's the last Saturday in June. When is that? For the public. You didn't say the date. June 28th. 5. Thank you, Melissa. From 10 to 5. Yeah. Right here at city hall. And that's with our Pipe Creek Roundt books. Yep. All righty. Good. Good. Good. Good. All right. So, uh, is there anything else 250th we should go over? No, I don't think so. All righty. So, we can now move to historic district commissioner uh comments. What's been done in the last month for the good of the public? Got anything, Chris? No. Nope. All right, me just the D signage that we're pushing and that's it for me. Um, any staff discussion from that go the realm? Just signs, historic district signs. So, we were citing individuals in downtown for some of the signage violations for commercial. Um that has led to the mayor coming council um looking at updating the sign ordinance for downtown historic district and having you know discussions about what would be acceptable and what is not acceptable sign downtown but they already have an ordinance that just needs to be enforced right yes so when I go downtown there are more neon on in the windows than there was a

month ago. So like if they're being cited, they're not paying attention to it. I mean, and I I've seen things put back in the windows. Mhm. So what how is it being enforced as we're moving forward as we're moving towards updating the sign ordinance as to what determine what is we there needs to be some guidance. I think that's what it comes down to um what is acceptable what isn't and there isn't much guidance as to um especially the historic district you want to get specific to the historic district. So I think that's the goal is provide what is acceptable and provide guidance and yeah it's it's the ordinance is old and it's been questioned as to whether it's being interpreted the right way. So just that so but the the goal is that the hope would be we come out with a better product with clear direction as to and clear examples as to what is acceptable for historic district what other historic districts are doing they find acceptable. Um that would be my hope that we get out of this. What can we do to help? Yeah and and it's not old. It's three I mean I was on that sign commission or committee whatever 3 years ago and that's like the latest. So how's that old? Not to but not to the historic district. I think that we have we have additional signage for historic district more allow that's the only place we allow blade signs in historic district and in the city. That's other other elements. That's where it talks more about where signs can be placed on a building in downtown and it generally talks about the type of sign but it allows you know it it's not clear as to whether they can be illuminated. Not I

can go one more about that. So I think it's updating having clear direction and clear path as to what uh is accepted for downtown Westminster. So, I guess the way you can help if you have examples of other signed ordinances from other historic districts um that you found that would that worked that uh provided you know clear information provided elements that you know you like don't like that that would be helpful we do that research as well but you know we I was I want to hit the major ones Frederick from the I would guess that MHT would has some helpful I mean I go to Frederick I use them as the shining or El city or something like that maybe trust All right let's let's try and do a little support for you see what we can come up with um and how are we doing with master planning the first um oh with the downtown master plan. I think it I think it's the the historic district inventory is a catalyst for that. So that moving forward, I would see us starting to ramp up um looking for consultants as to uh for the bidding out of the master plan. Then uh I think I must have forgotten after our last meeting. Do I need to resurrect the master plan um implementation strategies that we brought up a year or two ago? Do you still have it or do I still No, I still have that. Yeah. Okay, good. that was specifically slotted into each part of our existing master plan. And they were simple amendments to be more specific about implementating

implementation of the historic district commission's preferences for the master plan for the city. I zoned in on three or four sections of the master plan. I think I read over the whole dang thing and then we all worked together to make sure that um we had it very specifically line by line placed within the context of the master plan. Yes, we did. So, um I think I think unless there's something we need to do further and that that should be helpful to your consultant. Yeah. And ultimately at the end of the day, I'd still see the master plan as somewhat being somewhat of a regulatory product as well. Sure. So the guide saving buildings what do you Yeah. So it's kind of roundabout way of doing having the actual ordinance and regulation in the ordinance you have in it master plan and still get the the goal is still achieved, right? Becomes part of what is regulated. Yep. Sounds good. All right. Anything else, Mr. Be? Uh, just potential new businesses downtown. Um, do you want to talk about those? Sure. You might have seen some activity. Um, we have, of course, I don't know if I mentioned Pilates West. Oh gosh. West. Sorry, what is it? Pilates studio. West Village. Village West. Let's start over. Village West Pilates at 18 West Main Street. This what you is between Palmer Jewelers and Mercer Carpet building back a little bit. Sure. Used to be God's TV. Is that what that was? Yeah, it had. And then there is another use they're working on in the in the back grocery store. And then at 51 East Main Street next to Global Media and um Aaron Robert Hair Studio is uh I I I don't know the

pronunciation but it will be a Filipino grocery store as well or Filipino market I should say. Um so that is coming in and did I miss anybody else? Just an update on 7173 and the funds that we've received for the some of this downtown. I don't know if you've seen this. We're awarded. We haven't received Oh, I'm sorry. We awarded but um but that seemed that project's coming along really well. They already have a business that they're anticipating to go into the space. Um I forget what the name of the business is. Cooper's Golden Hour Portraits. So, it's it's dog photography. That sounds fantastic. Very unique. So, but so that but the but the the work is going along as planned and and I think it's turning out really nice and so that Yeah. Melissa, how about that site visit that we you and I did. I forgot about that. I wanted to mention that. Good. Yeah. So, we did do something. You did. Uh we both went to 219 East Main Street. Uh the city received a demolition permit for the back summer porch, if you will, um that is deteriorated significantly and determined um that there was a historic structures report required for this project and we've actually received one already. And um so now there is review happening to see um what is included maybe what needs to be included and then I will kick it to you all with um some thoughts. Great. And then um hopefully we will be able to schedule something. There is talks about and this project being emergent um and we've we've suggested that the owner reach out to

the county to secure or work to secure certain elements of the building. Uh but this potentially could be a project where we might ask if there is some time that you could slot in for a special meeting so that we could review it quicker. Um, but I'm I just want to make sure that we we have time to review it. I think in the past we've we've um kind of gosh, we've we've had them before us within a week or so. I can't recall, but it was too soon. Right. So, um, it's an enclosed porch from the rear of the house. Um, did you take a look at it? I did. And one thing that I found somewhat concerning is that the description didn't really match what I saw. And that's one reason why I asked Melissa to be sure that they get a historic structures report because you know is it is it a 5 inch gap or if you look on the front the wood is continuous and it's historic and there doesn't seem to be structural issues. If you look at the peers, there doesn't seem to be structural issues. They're not sinking. Um, I think one thing that's a little offputting is that most historic porches, and these are two porches, you know, sleeping porch and a lower porch, they're on an angle, so the water rolls off of them. They're perfectly flat. The water would pull and rot. Witness this building. So they're on an angle on purpose and I think that kind of upsets the use of the building because for example handicapped folks are in danger of rolling down 219 east main. Okay.

So it's described it's the one with porch on the front and the uh there used to be large banners on this that building in particular. the previous owner was the attorney was Steve Brex office. This Yeah, it's it's just it was dilapidated and assistance with gambling, assistance with other issues kind of therapy. The building was not looking good even when he was operating. Well, so yeah, I've actually seen animals. I mean, that I've seen animals climb in and out of broken windows. Oh, yeah. For a long time, the window was missing. There was We actually thought it was appropriate. There was a vulture that was nesting in there. When you go home from work, we'd see the vulture come flying out. Vulture, get on the office. So, it's good. So, it's great. It's been purchased and this gentleman's trying to renovate it. Yeah. This is a nice building. I just I just feel that love. You know, if he did an HSR, somebody would tell him, you know, maybe it's not as bad as it looks, that it's actually designed to have angles like that off so the water rolls off and maybe, you know, consider maybe less drastic than what I heard. And of course, I didn't hear from the actual land owner. I heard from Melissa, but it sounded like just trying to blow off everything and replace it. And it's like, I don't think that's necessary to blow off all that history. Yeah. So, he he did his due diligence and he went in and got pictures and some historical context here. So, I'm hoping to get this to you very soon so that we can all read it and provide comment back on it. Yeah. So I did do one site

visit but yeah. Okay. So is there anything else from city staff? Anybody else get triggered? Did remembering anything from this last month? No. So hearing no other scheduled business, I will declare