Baltimore County (Map, News) - Baltimore County lawmakers are considering a bill they said will streamline the process for reviewing potentially historic properties slated for demolition.

The bill creates a county inventory of all structures on the state’s Maryland Inventory of Historic Places — which does not require owner notification and has no regulatory effect — plus properties nominated thereafter at the county level. If a property owner tries to remove a structure from the county inventory, or requests a demolition permit, the structure automatically receives protection as an addition to a preliminary landmarks list.

The changes stem from a 1996 “storm of controversy” after a developer bulldozed one of the oldest homes in Baltimore County, owned by Owings Mills namesake Samuel Owings, officials said. The proposal was drafted by a task force that included preservation advocates and members of the county’s landmarks preservation commission, which under the bill will have sole authority to recommend and deny demolition permits.

“It forces the commission to right off the bat to decide whether or not the property merits landmarking,” Assistant County Attorney Michael Field said. “That’s the only reason we should be saying no.”

Under the proposal, the only requirement for addition to the county inventory is that the structure is at least 50 years old. The commission will use a set of five criteria to determine placement on the preliminary landmarks list, Field said.

In past cases, the county’s zoning commissioner determined demolition of structures on the state’s inventory.

Historic preservation advocate and task force member Patricia Bentz said the bill is problematic, but a step in the right direction.

“Just because I was on the taskforce doesn’t mean I agree with everything,” Bentz said. “There are still some issues that need to be ironed out.”

The proposal is slated for discussion at the County Council work session on Tuesday and a vote next Monday.

jmalarkey@baltimoreexaminer.com