Historic Districts shall be designated by the Calvert County Board of Commissioners in accordance with the procedures established by this chapter.
Petition for designation of an Historic District or removal of designation may be initiated by the owner of the site or his agent, by the Historic District Commission or by any interested person.
A. 
In considering unclassified historic resources for designation as a Calvert County Historic District, the following criteria are to be considered:
(1) 
Historic and cultural significance. The historic resource:
(a) 
Has significant character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the county, state or nation;
(b) 
Is the site of an historic event;
(c) 
Is identified with a person or a group of persons who influenced society; or
(d) 
Exemplifies the cultural, economic, social, political or historic heritage of the county and its communities.
(2) 
Architectural and design significance. The historic resource:
(a) 
Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, style or method of construction;
(b) 
Represents the work of a master craftsman, architect or builder;
(c) 
Possesses high artistic values;
(d) 
Represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
(e) 
Represents an established and familiar visual feature-of the county, due to its singular physical characteristics or landscape.
B. 
Should a historic resource meet any of the criteria noted above, it may be eligible to be classified as an Historic District.
C. 
Should an Historic District no longer meet the above criteria and the specific criteria for which it was originally designated, the Historic District designation may be removed by legislative action of the County Board of Commissioners after receipt of a recommendation from the Historic District Commission.
D. 
Should an Historic District have received county authorized or administered preservation grants, loans or special property tax incentives, the Board of County Commissioners may require that those funds received through grants, loans or tax incentives be reimbursed in full to the county prior to the site being removed from the Historic District Designation.
A. 
Petitions for Historic District designation or removal of an Historic District designation shall be filed with the Historic District Commission or its designated representative. The petitions concerning Historic District designation shall include a completed Historic District application form and additional information as required by the Commission or its designated representative to enable the Commission to make a well informed decision.
B. 
For petitions initiated by other than the owner, the applicant must abide by the following criteria:
(1) 
Notify the owner of the property at least 15 days prior to the Historic District Commission's scheduled meeting to discuss the application;
(2) 
Clearly identify the significance of the site with regard to the county;
(3) 
State the need for the site to be designated an Historic District;
(4) 
Demonstrate how the public interest will be served by having the site designated an Historic District;
(5) 
Demonstrate that the designation will not create an undue burden or hardship;
(6) 
Consider the property owner's comments and desires; and
(7) 
A unanimous vote of the Board of County Commissioners will be required to designate the site as a County Historic District.
C. 
The Historic District Commission may obtain comments from appropriate county, state and federal agencies and shall forward its recommendation to the County Board of Commissioners for action.
D. 
The Maryland Historical Trust may be designated by the Commission to make an analysis of and recommendation concerning the preservation of structures of historic and architectural value within the area served by the Commission. Such report may include proposed boundaries of districts and the use recommended to be permitted in the districts as well as identify and designate particular structures recommended to be preserved.
E. 
The Calvert County Board of Commissioners, upon receipt of recommendations from the Historic District Commission, shall:
(1) 
Schedule a public hearing with relation to the case by publishing a notice of the time and place of such hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 15 days in advance.
(2) 
Hold a public hearing at which parties in interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard.
(3) 
Prepare a finding of facts based upon the cultural, social, economic, historical and architectural significance of the proposed district, upon the comments of owners of property within the proposed district, and the criteria identified in § 57-8 of this chapter.
F. 
Upon finding that a proposed site meets the criteria of § 57-8 of this chapter, and that such designation is in the general interest of the citizens of Calvert County, the County Board of Commissioners may designate or remove the site as a County Historic District and cause the site to be posted on or removed from the Official County Zoning Map.
G. 
It shall be the policy of the county government to carefully consider the impact of any proposed zoning, special exception use, permitted uses, such as but not limited to public utility buildings and structures, including radio and television broadcasting stations, and utility distribution lines; public buildings and structures, and public (state and county) roads and right-of-ways; or development upon officially designated Historic Districts, and to the greatest degree practical avoid or minimize any adverse effect.