Communications Committee

OpEd Published in Baltimore Sun, July 26, 2005:
Planning and Preservation Go Together

The forces of historic preservation and opposing interests have manned the trenches again, and the bodies have begun to pile up. This particular conflict is being fought over CHAP, the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation, in an apparent attempt to weaken its influence as it relocates from the Department of Housing and Community Development to the Planning Department. The Baltimore component of the American Institute of Architects, AIABaltimore, believes that this clash is entirely unnecessary and completely avoidable. Preservation is an excellent planning tool, and planning is inseparable from preservation; any attempt to weaken one will unavoidably weaken the other.

AIABaltimore has been a strong supporter of CHAP and continues to believe that the Commission should remain strong and independent. CHAP has helped to preserve our City's historic neighborhoods and sites since 1964, with one of the strongest Preservation ordinances in the country. Such preservation powerhouses as Boston have looked on with envy as Baltimore has amassed an enviable track record -- currently over 8000 buildings are protected in 26 historic districts, and 120 local landmark structures have been designated. Since 2000 alone, Baltimore has established five new local historic districts (Ten Hills, Railroad, Jonestown, Hunting Ridge and Better Waverly) and eleven additional local landmarks. Preservation in Baltimore has been a key to neighborhood stability, and has played a part in the economic success of almost all of the “hot” neighborhoods -- Federal Hill, Fells Point, Bolton Hill, Mt. Washington, Roland Park, Guilford, Ten Hills, Canton, and now Locust Point, Mt. Vernon, Reservoir Hill, the West Side -- any Baltimorean can recite this list. Economic vitality and historic preservation have progressed hand-in-hand, and most, including the majority of the business community, have now acknowledged the effectiveness of this partnership.

CHAP has been the defender of our historic heritage. In addition to other roles, it reviews projects in historic districts as well as proposals for individual historic properties and ensures that they are compatible with the character of the district or structure. It was created to protect our valuable built heritage from those who would diminish it for temporary economic or political gain, as illustrated by the recent proposal for the wholesale demolition of West Side architectural treasures to make way for a mass of retail big boxes that would be outmoded in five years. The primary purpose of its appointed, volunteer Commissioners is to protect our valuable built inheritance. An independent CHAP has played a crucial part in maintaining the flavor of our city -- the essential humanity, authenticity, and charm that tells us that we are in Baltimore, not Houston.

CHAP’s position within the city hierarchy has not been without its problems, however. CHAP has often been reduced to fighting rear-guard actions isolated from the rest of the City administration. Demolition permits have been issued for important buildings without CHAP’s knowledge. Historic district regulations have been ignored by building inspectors, who often have had little or no background in preservation. Worst of all, Neighborhood and district plans have been created without CHAP input or any consideration for the positive role that preservation plays.

The lack of front-end input from CHAP has meant that its decisions have sometimes seemed at cross purposes with the opinions of other agencies and review panels, to the frustration of landowners and developers. This structure has also set up artificial oppositions between preservation and economic advancement. This false dichotomy has often been used as a smokescreen for personal political agendas or individual economic interests.

Against this backdrop, the CHAP staff and administration were relocated from the Department of Housing and Community Development to the Planning Department last year, along with proposed changes to the enabling legislation. The move has incited suspicion among many in the Preservation community, justifiably so, as administrative actions have in the past been used to disguise actions taken for the benefit of the few. They protested the City’s unilateral action, and as a result a Task Force was created by the City Council and its report was issued in January of this year. Its members included representatives from the City Council, CHAP, the neighborhoods, city agencies, the business community, preservation organizations, and AIABaltimore. It surveyed best practices from around the country and issued recommendations for incorporation into the amendments to the CHAP ordinance and for the operations of CHAP in its new home. These were a carefully considered balance between CHAP independence and its empowerment as part of the Planning Department.

In the latest developments, several parties have made proposed changes to the legislation that do not agree with the intent of the recommendations of the Task Force, even though these same parties were at the table during its deliberations. They include a plan to have the Planning Commission hear all appeals to CHAP decisions (which could effectively end any power that CHAP has to shape our city). These proposals have once again raised questions about the motivations of those suggesting the changes, which now threaten the entire process.

AIABaltimore believes that the move to Planning has enormous potential, as it will place the Commission in the center of the City’s policy-making process, instead of at the periphery. AIABaltimore believes that one of the most historic cities in America deserves a Planning Department with preservation as one of its central tenets. AIABaltimore believes that the current independence of CHAP should be maintained, as recommended by the Task Force. Anything less will be a great loss for the entire City.

On Wednesday, July 27, at 5 p.m., a City Council hearing will be held in the Clarence “Du” Burns Chamber on the fourth floor of City Hall for the purpose of public comment on the proposed legislation. This is the last planned public session before Council enacts legislation that will have a permanent impact on all of our lives.

James Determan, AIA
President, AIABaltimore

Gordon T. Ingerson, AIA
Past President, AIABaltimore

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