Frostburg historic commission approves porch, window, rear-exit and backyard modifications for 33 South Water Street

FROSTBURG, Md. — The Frostburg Historic District Commission approved renovations to 33 South Water Street on April 14 that will enclose part of a front porch, replace multiple windows, add a rear exit and small covered landing and stairs, and install a five-foot backyard fence with three gates and a single electric vehicle charging pedestal.

The commission’s decision follows a presentation by applicant Will Coburn, who described the property as a duplex and said he plans to move into the upper unit when a tenant vacates in June. "I'm planning to move into the upper floor, once one of my tenants vacates the property in June," Coburn said, explaining the scope of repairs and alterations. Coburn told the commission that several front-porch windows were rotted and had already been removed and that he intends to replace nonoriginal cedar shakes with fiber-cement siding, repaint trim, and install black vinyl replacement windows across the house.

Why it matters: The work alters visible exterior elements in Frostburg’s designated historic district. Commissioners framed approval around compatibility with nearby buildings’ exterior design, scale, proportion and materials and added a condition to keep window mullion patterns consistent across the rebuilt facades.

Front porch and windows: The commission approved enclosing the right side of the front porch for a storage alcove and preserving one existing window while replacing other porch openings with fiber-cement siding and a door for the enclosed area. Coburn said the siding sample is a concrete-fiber product in a sage-green color with a blue-gray trim and that he plans to paint replacement window frames black. Commissioners added an amendment requiring the upper-window mullions (muntins) be consistent across the rehabilitated windows; that amendment was adopted and the front-porch and window plan was approved pursuant to the district’s design compatibility standards.

Rear of house and egress: The commission approved removing nonoriginal cedar shake siding on the rear addition, insulating down to studs, and installing like-for-like fiber-cement siding and replacement windows trimmed to match the rest of the house. The project includes creating a new rear exit, a small covered landing (roughly a 4-by-4-foot landing was discussed as a likely minimum), and stairs down to the backyard to provide an additional egress for the upstairs unit. Jamie, a staff member, noted the commission was approving design and character; compliance with building code (dimensions, guardrails, stair geometry) will be checked at the permit and inspection stage.

Backyard, parking, fence and EV charging: Commissioners approved a backyard and parking plan that includes a roughly 40-by-22-foot vehicle area, three gates (a small pedestrian gate on Ormond Street, a daily-access pedestrian gate to the rear lot, and a larger vehicle gate for maintenance access), a 5-foot-tall fence built with wooden posts and metal mesh infill, and a single electric-vehicle (EV) charging pedestal set in concrete with underground trenching for utilities. Coburn said utility clearance has been contracted and that the trench will be backfilled and seeded after installation. "As of right now, just 1," Coburn said when asked how many chargers he plans to install; he added future vehicles may be plug-in hybrids or electric but that only one charger will be installed now.

Votes and next steps: The commission approved the front porch and window package, the rear-elevation and egress changes, and the backyard/parking package (including fence, gates and the EV pedestal). Staff will record approvals in the permit application; any code-specific approvals (stair/landing dimensions, guardrail height, grading/excavation) will be finalized through the city’s permit and inspection process.

The commission also reviewed a brief administrative docket of unrelated approvals and adjourned the meeting after roughly an hour.