TransForm Baltimore (Article 32 of the City Code, 2017) replaced a 1971 zoning code with modern districts, overlays, and form-based standards. It governs permitted uses, density, parking, signage, and design citywide and is administered by the Department of Planning and BMZA.
TransForm Baltimore took effect June 5, 2017 after years of Council and Planning Commission work. Article 32 establishes residential, commercial, industrial, and special-purpose districts plus overlays for transit, historic, environmental, and design priorities. The code introduces use tables, bulk standards, and parking ratios calibrated to Baltimore's existing fabric. The Department of Planning maintains the official parcel-level zoning map. Permits route through Building, Permits, and Code Enforcement (Housing) with zoning sign-off. The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA) hears variances, conditional uses, and appeals from zoning decisions.
Operating without proper zoning approval: stop-work orders, civil penalties starting around $200 per day, and potential Circuit Court action. Repeat violations may result in lien recordation and use revocation.
Baltimore, MD
TransForm Baltimore (Code Art. 32, effective 2017) created Transit-Oriented Development overlays around Light Rail, Metro Subway, and MARC stations. These zo...
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore's Transform Baltimore zoning code establishes setback requirements that vary by zoning district, with rowhouse and dense urban areas having minimal...
See how Baltimore's specific plans overview rules stack up against other locations.
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