Zoning

Baltimore County Zoning

Quadrennial Comprehensive Rezoning Process
On September 4, 2007 open filing began for the 2008 Baltimore County Comprehensive Zoning Map process cycle. As of today (10/3) 18 issues have been filed in which 3 issues are in the HRA area. We will continue to monitor this process and provide an update at the October 10, 2007 meeting. There will be additional applications for zoning change in our area before the open filing closes on October 15, 2007. Some applicants feel it is to their benefit to wait until the last days of the cycle to file.

We have reason to believe that Wal-Mart and other commercial developers are looking for property in the Reisterstown area. In past years there have been several requests to change zoning on properties in the area north of 795 running from Westminster Pike across to MD 30. With the increase in traffic and the growth in Southern Carroll County and Reisterstown, these corn fields and woods will continue to be an attractive area to investors requesting zoning changes to allow for future commercial development.

In 2000 there were 164 issues to be reviewed in the third district. While in 2004 there were 133 issues reviewed for zoning changes. We believe some of the decline in issues for the third district was due to an adjustment of the district lines. Community Associations have increased there efforts in requesting zoning changes in controlling growth and maintaining a rural character of the third district. In 2000 there were 16 issues from community organizations and an increase to 25 in 2004. This is an option the HRA has not exercised in the past but should be considered in the future. We currently depend on the Hanover Road Corridor Study that was developed 20 years ago as the guide to land usage for our area.