Main Street Reisterstown - The Benefits and Constraints of Historic Property Designation
The properties fronting Main Street in the section stretching from Butler Road to Woodley Avenue are within the Reisterstown National Register District. Additionally, four Main Street properties are on the Baltimore County Final Landmarks List. Many of the properties within the National Register District are also included on the County Inventory, that is, they contribute to the district’s historic significance. The National Register designation has no regulatory implications on the properties within its bounds. Likewise, inclusion on the County Inventory has no impact on what an owner can do with his/her historic property, except that Inventory structures cannot be demolished without the approval from the Baltimore County Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC). (Note: The LPC has the right to deny a demolition request, in which case the property will be automatically placed on the Preliminary Landmarks List). Structures on the Landmarks List are subject to Section 32-7-403 of the Baltimore County Code, which requires that any exterior alteration must be approved by the LPC.
Eligible for Tax Credits
Contributing properties within a National Register District and properties on the Final Landmarks List are eligible for a Baltimore County historic property rehabilitation tax credit. They are also eligible for a State income tax credit. For both the State and the County the rehabilitation work has to be significant in order to generate the tax credit. As far as the County is concerned the improvements have to result in a property tax reassessment attributable to the rehabilitation work. The tax credit amount is the difference between the property tax that would be payable after completion of the rehabilitation work and the property tax that would be payable if the improvements had not been made. The tax credit continues for 10 years and can be transferred to a new owner. Applicants to the historic property rehabilitation tax credit program must have their applications approved by the LPC prior to the commencement of the rehabilitation. Additionally, the work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, that is, items have to be repaired or replaced in kind. Additions are not eligible for a tax credit. For more information on the Baltimore County Historic Property Tax Credit program and to download application forms and instructions, please consult the Baltimore County web pages at www.baltimorecountymd.gov/go/historicpreservation and click on tax credits. For information on the State’s tax credit program, go to http://mht.maryland.gov/.
Revised December 15, 2009
