HARB handled a Certificate of Appropriateness request for 302 Gettysburg Pike to replace an outbuilding roof in the Shepherdstown Municipal Historic District. The Board discussed roofing materials and recommended approval with a condition that the replacement be a standing seam metal roof with a flat panel. During public comment, Eric Fairchild presented historical materials he had researched about the McCormick Road area. The members listed in attendance included Joseph Botchie, Natasha Adler, Susan Sears, and Frank Grottola, with Jennifer Boyer and Scott Finkenbiner listed as Township staff.

This meeting focused on 814 McCormick Road in the Yellow Breeches Historic District. Rachael Pham, with Maureen Pham and contractor Ted Zinn, sought approval to replace all windows and the front door. The discussion centered on cost, lead-paint concerns, energy efficiency, appearance from the street, and whether replacement materials should remain historically compatible. Public comment included Eric Fairchild, who encouraged preserving the historic appearance. HARB ultimately approved the door as proposed and approved wood-clad aluminum or vinyl-clad wood windows rather than fully vinyl windows.

This was one of the most significant HARB meetings in the posted record. Jennifer Boyer presented the Navarro & Wright historic district reassessment and explained that the Township’s four historic districts — Rosegarden, Trout Run, Yellow Breeches, and Shepherdstown — had been created in 1975 but lacked clearly documented original criteria. The consultant recommended dissolving Rosegarden, Trout Run, and Yellow Breeches, while keeping Shepherdstown with a redrawn map. 

HARB’s recommendations differed from the consultant’s in key ways. The Board voted to maintain Rosegarden, retain Trout Run, retain Yellow Breeches, and amend the Shepherdstown boundary rather than dissolve most of the districts. Public comment came from individuals including Phil Walsh, Terri Johnson, Eric Fairchild, Dr. Chin Pham, Bob Morrison, Karen Cruse, and John Esser. The discussion focused on historic significance, modern infill, district integrity, consistency of standards, buyer awareness, and whether the Township should use other preservation tools if districts were changed.

This meeting included a project review for 443 McCormick Road, where the applicant sought an in-kind replacement of a cedar shake roof. The minutes available through search confirm the meeting date, attendees, and the fact that this application was the main item of new business. The listed participants included Matthew Taylor, Natasha Adler, Virginia LaFond, Susan Sears, John Esser, Frank Grottola, Jennifer Boyer, Scott Finkenbiner, and Commissioner Ginnie Anderson.

This meeting centered on an interview with Joe Botchie for the vacant architect position on HARB. According to the minutes, Botchie discussed his architectural background, including work on the Capitol and licensure in multiple states. Commissioner Phil Walsh and Commissioner Kenneth Martin asked him questions about the future of Upper Allen’s historic districts. Botchie said he believed the Township should keep three districts and remove Rosegarden, because the mill that had driven that district’s significance was no longer there. The meeting therefore focused more on Board composition and future historic-district direction than on a property-level application.

The Township’s HARB page confirms posted minutes for this meeting. A later Board of Commissioners record provides the clearest verified summary: HARB reviewed an application for 336 Gettysburg Pike in the Shepherdstown Municipal Historic District to replace existing windows and approved the request with two conditions — that the new windows match the size and style of the originals, and that four wooden windows be set aside for future reference. The later BOC discussion shows this meeting continued HARB’s regular role of reviewing exterior work in a historic district while balancing historic character and practical homeowner concerns

This was another major HARB meeting. The Board reorganized and re-elected leadership, discussed historic district signs and street sign toppers, and returned to the long-running issue of historic district ordinance and map changes. The minutes show discussion about using signs to better inform residents and homebuyers that they are entering or living within a historic district. 

The Board also discussed each historic district and moved toward concrete recommendations. The directly retrievable text shows HARB considering whether Rosegarden should remain after the loss of the historic mill, and the meeting record includes a motion to recommend keeping Shepherdstown as currently drawn. The same meeting also referenced the challenge of producing a historic-district reference guide, including a quoted cost of about $47,000 from the only responding company. Matthew Taylor, Joseph Botchie, Susan Sears, John Esser, Christina Rockey, Jennifer Boyer, Scott Finkenbiner, and Commissioner Phil Walsh appear in the meeting record.