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Sharpsburg to consider county MOU to expand historic preservation tax credit
Summary
Zoning Administrator Tim Lung told the Sharpsburg Mayor and Council the county’s 2024 reenactment of a historic-property tax-credit ordinance allows municipalities to enter an MOU; the council will consider a resolution in November to adopt the MOU, enabling voluntary owner participation and delegation of permitting review to the W.C. Historic District Commission.
Zoning Administrator Tim Lung told the Sharpsburg Mayor and Council at a Oct. 30 work session that Washington County’s repeal and reenactment of a 1990 ordinance in 2024 expands a historic property tax credit to allow certain municipalities to participate.
Lung said the town must enact a Memorandum of Understanding with the Board of County Commissioners to become a “Qualified Municipality.” The MOU would let property owners opt into the program voluntarily and would delegate permitting review authority to the W.C. Historic District Commission. The council did not take a vote; Lung said a resolution to adopt the MOU will be presented at the regular November meeting.
Mayor Russell Weaver and councilmembers discussed the proposal as an administrative step to give owners of qualifying historic structures access to a county tax credit while preserving local review by the historic district commission. No dollar amounts or specific eligibility criteria were provided during the work session; Lung described the process as voluntary for property owners who wish to participate.
Next steps: Town staff will prepare the resolution for the November regular meeting for council consideration. If the council approves the resolution, property owners would be able to begin the voluntary enrollment process under the county program, subject to the terms of the MOU and any implementing regulations.
