Sykesville commission approves retroactive rear-step repairs and conditions garage-door replacement

The Sykesville Historic District Commission on March 1 approved application 2026-03 seeking retroactive approval for new rear steps and repairs to the detached garage at 7332 Springfield Avenue, but required that any future alterations bring the stair assembly and railings into closer compliance with the district's design guidelines and that the garage door be finished to resemble the original design.

Kevin, a town staff member, told the commission the applicant had already installed a wooden stair and landing with posts covered by sleeves and what appeared to be plastic/PVC pickets, and proposed replacing the garage's wooden doors with aluminum overhead doors that have a wood-grain finish and decorative hardware. He said the application lacked detail on original materials for the removed stairs and on exact materials for the newly built structure, and noted HTC guidelines prefer like-for-like repairs for contributing buildings and more restrictive materials for accessory buildings.

The applicant, identified in the record as Pat, said he had the stairs built quickly so an elderly tenant could safely access the house and described the previous steps as non-historic and in poor condition. "I had the carpenter rebuild those old stairs ... so that the lady could use the stairs with her father," Pat told the commission, adding he was open to future improvements to make the work more period-appropriate.

Commission members discussed whether the PVC-wrapped posts and plastic pickets fit the guidelines's expectations for wood or wrought-iron railings. Several members emphasized the stair assembly is at the rear elevation and largely not visible from Springfield Avenue, but said materials still matter for contributing properties. One commissioner urged a cautious compromise: approve the existing, removable structure now but note that "at any specific time when this starts to fail, it's rebuilt in a historic manner that matches the facade."

On the garage, members described the old doors as rotten and partly removed and explored options that balanced historic character with practical clearance and cost constraints. Commissioners suggested vendors that offer wood-grain embossed doors, a single wide door that appears as two panels, or custom wooden doors, and advised the applicant to seek options that approximate the original two-over-two window proportion in the upper panels.

A motion to approve application 2026-03 carried. The approval requires that any later changes to the rear steps be brought into closer compliance with the Historic District Design Guidelines and that the garage door be a matte finish with wood grain and window proportions compatible with the original design. The commission did not specify a fine or timetable; the condition leaves follow-up to future staff or commission review if the elements fail or the owner proposes a deck or more-permanent addition that would require a new application.

The commission noted the Historic District Design Guidelines were adopted by the Town of Sykesville in accordance with Article 6B, 8.06A of the Maryland Code and follow the Secretary of the Interior's recommendations.