After a lengthy process of public input and staff support, the Cambridge Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) recently released the draft version of its proposed Design Guidelines for the Historic District (attached below), and seeks additional public input before finalizing the document. The draft was posted on the City website on April 13th, at http://choosecambridge.com
The second and final Public Input Session will be held in City Council Chambers on Tuesday, April 24th at 6pm. Oral comments will be accepted by telephone (410-228-1955). Email comments may be sent to Herve Hamon (hhamon@choosecambridge.com) or Pat Escher (pescher@ choosecambridge.com) by April 18th, or shortly thereafter. Comments may also be mailed to the Department of Public Works, c/o Pat Escher, 1025 Washington Street, Cambridge, MD 21613.
The design guidelines can be summarized in three statements:
(1) Preserve and maintain historic properties to prevent deterioration
(2) If repairs are needed, use in-kind materials (identical or very similar to original) or approved substitute/synthetic materials
(3) If repairs are not feasible, replace using in-kind materials (identical or very similar to original), or approved sunstitute/synthetic materials
The Guidelines have been structured to make them more concise and easier to use. For example, each section of Chapter Four (Guidelines for Buildings) is organized by building feature, i.e. roofs, porches, facades, etc. Within each section there is a list of Guidelines (i.e., requirements) and Recommendations (i.e., suggested, but not necessarily required). A text description follows each section. Chapter Five (Landscapes) and Chapter Six (Additions and New Buildings) are similarly organized.
In addition, valuable information is contained in Chapter One (Introduction), Chapter Two (Processes/Procedures), Chapter Three (Design Principles), Appendix A (Summary of the Guidelines) and the HPC Administrative Review Chart, Appendix B (Architectural Styles found in the Cambridge Historic District), and Appendix C (Development of Cambridge – Economic and Geographic Factors). A final Appendix under development will clarify what substitute/synthetic materials may be used on historic buildings if original materials are not available or are prohibitively expensive.
Key dates for finishing the guidelines:
– April 19 – Public comments due to DPW
– April 24 – Public input session
– May 14 – Presentation to City Council
– June 21 – Final draft due to Maryland Historic Trust (MHT) and City Council
– August 6 – Comments due back from MHT (45 days required)
– August 13 – Final document presented to City Council for vote and approval
Attached below is the full text of the draft (proposed) documents:
– Cambridge Historic Design Guidelines
– Appendix A (HPC Guidelines and Recommendations Summary),
– HPC Administrative Review Chart,
– Appendix B (Architectural Styles in Cambridge), and
– Appendix C (Development of Cambridge – Economic and Geographic Factors)
These documents and more information about the Historic Preservation Commission can be found in the Boards and Commissions listings of the Cambridge City Website at https://www.choosecambridge.com/