THE "PUBLIC INTERPRETATION PROGRAM" WHICH MENTIONS PAMPHLETS, MAPS, BROCHURES, A WEBSITE, AND ARTIFACTS IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR A SITE THAT DATES BACK TO WITHIN A QUARTER CENTURY OF OUR NATION'S FOUNDING AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. BIRELY IS THE LAST OF 55 TANNERIES IN FREDERICK COUNTY, AND CERTAIN ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS ARE WORTH SAVING, LIKE THE ICONIC SMOKESTACK. AT THE 14 NOV MEETING OF THE HPC, A MAJORITY OF COMMISSIONERS VOICED SUPPORT FOR MAKING THE PROPOSED HISTORIC EXHIBIT MORE ROBUST, AND INCORPORATING A PROFILE OF THE SMOKESTACK.AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE BIRELY FAMILY OPERATED A TANNERY ON THE SITE FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY, FROM THE EARLY 1800S TO 1924. TANNING WAS SECOND ONLY TO AGRICULTURE, AND FREDERICK WAS CENTRAL TO THE TANNING INDUSTRY. THE CURRENT TANNERY WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1909, AND IN 2017, IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS THE LAST TANNERY IN MARYLAND. SURELY, THIS RATES MORE THAN A 'SMOOTH CONCRETE WALL' AS DESCRIBED IN THE DEVELOPER'S LATEST SITE PLAN. AT A MINIMUM, THE SITE SHOULD INCLUDE THE SMOKESTACK FROM THE EXISTING BUILDING. AS WRITTEN, THE MOA IS FULL OF EXCEPTIONS, EASY OUTS AND LACKS SUBSTANTIVE CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY UNDER ARCHITECTURE SALVAGE AND REUSE WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM WILL REPURPOSE STONE INTO THE TERRACE "AS FEASIBLE." (END QUOTE) ELSEWHERE, THE DEVELOPER IS TO PROVIDE BROCHURES, MAPS AND A WEBSITE. WE CAN DO BETTER. IF A HOUSE AND TWO CHIMNEYS ON THE CONLEY FARM MILLHOUSE CAN BE PICKED UP AND MOVED DOWN BAUGHMAN'S LANE, CERTAINLY A SINGLE SMOKESTACK CAN. AS SHARED IN HEARINGS OF 2017, MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS—YOUR NEIGHBORS—HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF BOTH THE TROLLEY BUILDING AND TANNERY. THE TANNERY ITSELF PROVIDED LEATHER FOR MAKING SHOES, PULP FOR PRINTING THE NEWS-POST, AND ANIMAL HAIR IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLASTER WALLS FOR MANY OF FREDERICK'S HISTORIC STRUCTURES. ONCE THE TANNERY SITE IS GONE, HOWEVER, IT'S GONE ... ALONG WITH ITS 224-YEAR HISTORY. HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS SHELVED ON DUSTY BOOKSHELVES, SHINY PLAQUES ON A WALL, AND ELECTRONIC ARCHIVES ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR. HOTELS AND CONVENTION CENTERS COME AND GO, AND THEY ARE RARELY AS CONSEQUENTIAL AS PROMISED. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN BALTIMORE AND THE INNER HARBOR. NOTWITHSTANDING, AND IN CLOSING, I URGE THIS BODY TO CONDITION ANY DEMOLITION, AND TO PRESERVE THE TANNERY CHIMNEY SMOKESTACK AS IT STANDS NOW, FOR THE NEXT 200 YEARS.
THE "PUBLIC INTERPRETATION PROGRAM" WHICH MENTIONS PAMPHLETS, MAPS, BROCHURES, A WEBSITE, AND ARTIFACTS IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE FOR A SITE THAT DATES BACK TO WITHIN A QUARTER CENTURY OF OUR NATION'S FOUNDING AND THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. BIRELY IS THE LAST OF 55 TANNERIES IN FREDERICK COUNTY, AND CERTAIN ARCHITECTURAL ASPECTS ARE WORTH SAVING, LIKE THE ICONIC SMOKESTACK. AT THE 14 NOV MEETING OF THE HPC, A MAJORITY OF COMMISSIONERS VOICED SUPPORT FOR MAKING THE PROPOSED HISTORIC EXHIBIT MORE ROBUST, AND INCORPORATING A PROFILE OF THE SMOKESTACK.AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE BIRELY FAMILY OPERATED A TANNERY ON THE SITE FOR WELL OVER A CENTURY, FROM THE EARLY 1800S TO 1924. TANNING WAS SECOND ONLY TO AGRICULTURE, AND FREDERICK WAS CENTRAL TO THE TANNING INDUSTRY. THE CURRENT TANNERY WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1909, AND IN 2017, IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS THE LAST TANNERY IN MARYLAND. SURELY, THIS RATES MORE THAN A 'SMOOTH CONCRETE WALL' AS DESCRIBED IN THE DEVELOPER'S LATEST SITE PLAN. AT A MINIMUM, THE SITE SHOULD INCLUDE THE SMOKESTACK FROM THE EXISTING BUILDING. AS WRITTEN, THE MOA IS FULL OF EXCEPTIONS, EASY OUTS AND LACKS SUBSTANTIVE CONDITIONS, PARTICULARLY UNDER ARCHITECTURE SALVAGE AND REUSE WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM WILL REPURPOSE STONE INTO THE TERRACE "AS FEASIBLE." (END QUOTE) ELSEWHERE, THE DEVELOPER IS TO PROVIDE BROCHURES, MAPS AND A WEBSITE. WE CAN DO BETTER. IF A HOUSE AND TWO CHIMNEYS ON THE CONLEY FARM MILLHOUSE CAN BE PICKED UP AND MOVED DOWN BAUGHMAN'S LANE, CERTAINLY A SINGLE SMOKESTACK CAN. AS SHARED IN HEARINGS OF 2017, MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS—YOUR NEIGHBORS—HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF BOTH THE TROLLEY BUILDING AND TANNERY. THE TANNERY ITSELF PROVIDED LEATHER FOR MAKING SHOES, PULP FOR PRINTING THE NEWS-POST, AND ANIMAL HAIR IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLASTER WALLS FOR MANY OF FREDERICK'S HISTORIC STRUCTURES. ONCE THE TANNERY SITE IS GONE, HOWEVER, IT'S GONE ... ALONG WITH ITS 224-YEAR HISTORY. HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS SHELVED ON DUSTY BOOKSHELVES, SHINY PLAQUES ON A WALL, AND ELECTRONIC ARCHIVES ARE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR BRICKS AND MORTAR. HOTELS AND CONVENTION CENTERS COME AND GO, AND THEY ARE RARELY AS CONSEQUENTIAL AS PROMISED. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN BALTIMORE AND THE INNER HARBOR. NOTWITHSTANDING, AND IN CLOSING, I URGE THIS BODY TO CONDITION ANY DEMOLITION, AND TO PRESERVE THE TANNERY CHIMNEY SMOKESTACK AS IT STANDS NOW, FOR THE NEXT 200 YEARS.