# Subtitle 2 – Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation
Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
## § 2-1 CHAP established.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-1 (2026)
There is a Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation, constituted as an independent unit of the Department of Planning.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-2 Composition.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-2 (2026)
(a) The Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation comprises 13 members.
(b) 11 members are appointed by the Mayor, in accordance with City Charter Article IV, § 6, as follows:
(1) 1 member to be nominated by the Greater Baltimore Committee;
(2) 1 member to be nominated by Baltimore Heritage;
(3) 1 member to be nominated by the Board of Directors of Preservation Maryland;
(4) 1 member to be nominated by the Board of the Baltimore City Historical Society, Inc.; and
(5) 7 members appointed at-large.
(c)
(1) 1 member is a Councilmember, to be designated by the Council President.
(2) 1 member is the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development or the Commissioner’s designee.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 68-319*
*History: Ord. 93-169*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 06-247*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-3 Qualifications.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-3 (2026)
(a) Each member:
(1) must be a resident of Baltimore City; and
(2) must demonstrate a special interest, knowledge, or training in such fields as history, architecture, preservation, African-American history, or urban design.
(b) Of the 11 members appointed by the Mayor under § 2-2(b) {“Composition: Appointed members”} of this subtitle:
(1) at least 1 member must be an historian knowledgeable in the architecture, history, and culture of Baltimore City;
(2) at least 1 member must be an historian knowledgeable in the African-American history and culture of Baltimore City;
(3) at least 2 members must be licensed architects knowledgeable in architectural preservation;
(4) at least 1 member must be a licensed real estate broker doing business in Baltimore City;
(5) at least 1 member must own and occupy a contributing residence within an Historical and Architectural Preservation District;
(6) at least 1 member must own and operate a contributing commercial property within an Historical and Architectural Preservation District; and
(7) each of at least 2 different members must demonstrate a special interest, knowledge, or training in 1 of the following fields, not otherwise within the special interest, knowledge, or training of the other member:
(i) landscape architecture;
(ii) archeology; and
(iii) construction or engineering.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 68-319*
*History: Ord. 93-169*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-4 Term of appointed members.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-4 (2026)
(a)
(1) Each of the 11 members appointed under § 2-2(b) {“Composition: Appointed members”} of this subtitle serves for a term concurrent with the Mayor’s term of office and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(2) The Councilmember designated under § 2-2(c)(1) {“Composition: City representatives”} of this subtitle serves a term concurrent with that Councilmember’s service on the Council.
(b) A member appointed to fill a vacancy in an unexpired term serves for the remainder of that term.
(c) A member may not be appointed under § 2-2(b) or (c)(1) of this subtitle to serve more than 2 consecutive terms.
(d)
(1) Any member who, during any period of 12 consecutive months, fails to attend 6 regularly scheduled monthly meetings of the Commission is considered to have resigned.
(2) The Chair of the Commission must forward the member’s name to the member’s appointing authority as soon as practicable following the 6th unattended meeting.
(3) The appointing authority must then appoint a successor for the rest of the term.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 93-169*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-5 Officers; Compensation.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-5 (2026)
(a)
(1) The Mayor designates one of the Commission members to serve as the Commission’s Chair.
(2) The Commission elects one of the Commission members to serve as the Commission’s Vice-Chair.
(b) The members of the Commission:
(1) serve without compensation; but
(2) are entitled to reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, as provided in the Ordinance of Estimates.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-6 Executive Director.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-6 (2026)
(a)
(1) The Executive Director for Historical and Architectural Preservation is appointed by the Commission.
(2) The appointment must be made from a list of at least 3 qualified candidates provided by the Director of Planning.
(3) If the list is not satisfactory to the Commission, the Director of Planning must provide a new list until a satisfactory list of candidates is submitted.
(b)
(1) The candidates must meet the qualifications specified in a position description developed by the Commission that conforms to the “Professional Qualifications Standards” of the Secretary of the Interior’s “Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation”.
(2) The Executive Director may not also serve as a member of the Commission.
(c) The Executive Director:
(1) must perform the duties set forth in this article and as otherwise required by the Commission; and
(2) also serves as Division Chief of the Planning Department’s Historical and Architectural Division.
(d) The Director of Planning, with the approval of a majority of the Commission, may suspend or dismiss the Executive Director.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 74-677*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-7 Staff; Consultants.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-7 (2026)
(a)
(1) The Department of Planning serves as staff to the Commission.
(2) Staff serving in the Planning Department’s Historical and Architectural Preservation Division must meet the qualifications of a position description that conforms to the “Professional Qualifications Standards” of the Secretary of the Interior’s “Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation”.
(b) The Commission may employ consultants and other personnel necessary or appropriate for the proper performance of its duties, as provided in the Ordinance of Estimates.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 05-123*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-8 Meetings; Records.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-8 (2026)
(a)
(1) 7 members constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by the Commission.
(2) An affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum is needed for any Commission action.
(3) All meetings of the Commission must be conducted in accordance with the State Open Meetings Act, Title 3 of the State General Provisions Article.
(b)
(1) The Commission shall keep records of all its proceedings, showing the vote of each member on each question or, if a member is absent or fails to vote, indicating that fact.
(2) The Commission shall keep a record of all resolutions, transactions, findings, determinations, and decisions.
(3) All records of the Commission are open to public inspection in accordance with the State Public Information Act, Title 4 of the State General Provisions Article.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
## § 2-9 CHAP purposes; Funding.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-9 (2026)
(a)
(1) It is the intent of the Mayor and City Council that the annual Ordinance of Estimates appropriate an adequate sum of money that the Commission may expend for or in connection with the purposes contemplated by this article.
(2) These purposes include:
(i) preparing surveys and maintaining an inventory of historically or architecturally noteworthy structures in Baltimore City;
(ii) recommending the designation of and providing for the perpetual protection of:
(A) preservation and conservation districts, as designated under Subtitle 3 {“Designation of Preservation Districts and Conservation Districts”} of this article; and
(B) individual structures that have special historical or architectural significance, as designated under Subtitle 4 {“Designation of Landmarks”} of this article;
(iii) recommending the designation of and providing for the temporary protection of individual structures that have historical or architectural significance, as designated under Subtitle 5 {“Designation of Potential Landmarks”} of this article;
(iv) reviewing and determining the appropriateness of proposed alterations to or affecting protected properties, as provided in Subtitle 8 {“Alterations, etc., to or Affecting Properties”} of this article;
(v) acquiring, restoring, and possible reselling of properties that have historical or architectural significance;
(vi) implementing the incentive improvement program authorized by § 2-10 {“Incentive improvement program”} of this subtitle; and
(vii) general administration and enforcement of the provisions of this article and of any other duties imposed on the Commission by law.
(b) The Commission may, on behalf of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore and with the prior approval of the Board of Estimates, contract with or accept any grant, loan, or aid of any kind from any federal, state, or private source, to be expended for the purposes contemplated by this article, including the purposes listed in subsection (a)(2) of this section.
(c) If permitted by the City Charter, sums received from the resale of properties acquired and restored by or on behalf of the Commission may be retained by the Commission for the acquisition and restoration of additional properties.
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 76-022*
*History: Ord. 07-550*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
*History: *
## § 2-10 Incentive improvement program.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-10 (2026)
(a) There is an incentive improvement program, as provided in this section.
(b) Subject to appropriations by the Ordinance of Estimates, the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation may contract with the owner or lessee of a structure that is located within a Historical and Architectural Preservation District or a Historical Conservation District or included on the Landmark List to reimburse that owner or lessee of up to 20% of the cost incurred by her or him in the reconstruction, alteration, removal, repair, or painting of an architectural feature in a manner that furthers the purposes of this article.
(c) In no event may the Commission authorize any reimbursement under the program until all of the work to be done and the estimated cost of that work has been approved by the Commission.
(d) In all cases, the Commission retains full discretion to determine the scope, nature, and cost of all work subject to reimbursement under the program.
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 76-022*
*History: Ord. 07-550*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
*History: *
## § 2-11 Rules and regulations.
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 2-11 (2026)
Subject to Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”} of the City General Provisions Article, the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation must adopt, after notice and a public hearing, rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this article.
*History: Ord. 64-229*
*History: Ord. 67-939*
*History: Ord. 15-408*
*History: Text Conformed 02/15/21*