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 1pm, 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:

• By emailing to CHAPGuidelineUpdates@baltimorecity.gov,
• By calling 410-396-5933, or
• By mailing comments to:  

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 1pm in the Phoebe Stanton Boardroom of the Department of Planning (417 E. Fayette Street, 8^th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202).