Zoning Report

Baltimore, MD Zoning

Baltimore City’s zoning framework is organized through Article 32 of the City Code, with base districts, special purpose districts, and overlay districts layered onto the zoning map. The available sources show a modern code that relies heavily on use tables, conditional-use review by the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA), and targeted overlay tools for waterfront, transit-oriented, campus, and mixed-use areas. The source set provided supports only a partial citywide analysis, so this report focuses on the districts, approvals, overlays, and procedures that were explicitly documented in the gathered materials.

Last researched May 2026

Use tablesConditional usesBMZA appealsTransit-oriented developmentWaterfront overlayFloodplain constraintsSite plan reviewCampus districtsParking reviewHistoric district review

Zoning Districts in Baltimore, MD

OS Open-Space

Open-space district intended for parks, preserves, recreation, and similar low-intensity open land uses.

Allowed uses: Caretaker's dwelling, Government facility, Community-managed open-space garden, Forest and nature preserve, Park or playground

R-1A through R-4 Detached and Semi-Detached Residential Districts

Residential districts intended for detached and, in some districts, semi-detached housing, with a limited set of compatible accessory, civic, and community uses.

Allowed uses: Detached dwelling, Semi-detached dwelling in R-2 and R-4, Day-care home: adult or child, Home occupation, Residential-care facility

OR Office-Residential

District intended for areas with a mix of office and residential uses while keeping office activity compatible with a more residential character.

TOD-1 / TOD-2 / TOD-3 / TOD-4 Transit-Oriented Development

Transit-oriented districts intended to support higher-density, transit-friendly, pedestrian-oriented residential and commercial development near transit stations.

EC Educational Campus

Campus districts for educational facilities, with base regulations plus the ability to use a Campus Master Plan approved by ordinance for additional flexibility.

H Hospital Campus

Campus districts for hospitals and medical campuses, with base regulations plus the ability to use a General Development Plan approved by ordinance for additional flexibility.

T Transportation

District intended to preserve, protect, and enhance road, rail, and other transportation corridors.

Recent Zoning Changes

The provided Baltimore City sources did not include a clear list of adopted 2025 or 2026 zoning text amendments or rezonings. The code excerpts do show prior ordinance citations embedded in the code text, but the research package does not establish what citywide changes were newly adopted or pending as of the report date.

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This summary is AI-generated from public municipal sources and is not legal, engineering, or land-use advice. Always verify zoning with Baltimore, MD officials before making decisions.