Subtitle 6 – Notices
Current through 2026-07-17. Source: City of Balt., Md., Ord. 26-129. Published by the Baltimore City Department of Legislative Reference.
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-601 (2026)
§ 5-601 Map or text amendments; PUDs.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Hearing required.
For a bill proposing a zoning map amendment, a zoning text amendment, or the creation, modification, or repeal of a planned unit development, the City Council committee to which the bill has been referred must conduct a hearing at which:
(1)
the parties in interest and the general public will have an opportunity to be heard; and
(2)
all agency reports will be reviewed.
(b)Notice of hearing required.
Notice of the hearing must be given by each of the following methods, as applicable:
(1)
by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the City;
(2)
for the creation or modification of a planned unit development and for a zoning map amendment, other than a comprehensive rezoning:
(i)
by posting in a conspicuous place on the subject property; and
(ii)
by first-class mailing of a written notice, on forms provided by the Zoning Administrator, to each person who appears on the tax records of the City as an owner of the property to be rezoned and each person that appears on the tax records of the City as an owner of property that is within the planned unit development to be amended; and
(3)
for a comprehensive rezoning:
(i)
by posting in conspicuous places within and around the perimeter of the subject area or district, as the Department of Planning designates; and
(ii)
by first-class mailing of a written notice, on forms provided by the Zoning Administrator, to each person who appears on the tax records of the City as an owner of property within the subject area or district.
(c)Contents of notice.
The notice must include:
(1)
the date, time, place, and purpose of the public hearing;
(2)
the address of the subject property or a drawing or description of the boundaries of the area affected by the proposed rezoning; and
(3)
the name of the applicant.
(d)Number and manner of posted notices.
(1)
For a zoning map amendment or the creation or modification of a planned unit development, the number and manner of posting is as follows:
(i)
for an individual property, at least 1 sign must be visible from each of the property’s street frontages;
(ii)
for a comprehensive rezoning, a change in the boundaries of a zoning district, or the creation or modification of a planned unit development, at least 2 or more signs are required, as the Department of Planning designates;
(iii)
each sign must be posted at a prominent location, near the sidewalk or public right-of-way, so that it is visible to passing pedestrians and motorists;
(iv)
a window-mounted sign must be mounted inside the window glass and placed so that it is clearly visible to passing pedestrians and motorists; and
(v)
each sign must be at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size.
(2)
Nothing in this subtitle prevents the voluntary posting of more notices than required by this subtitle.
(e)Timing of notices – In general.
The notice must be published, mailed, and, except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, posted:
(1)
at least 15 days before the public hearing; or
(2)
for a comprehensive rezoning, at least 30 days before the public hearing.
(f)Timing of notices – Posting for map amendment or PUDs.
For a zoning map amendment or the creation or modification of a planned unit development, the posted notice must be:
(1)
posted at least 30 days before the public hearing; and
(2)
removed within 48 hours after conclusion of the public hearing.
(g)Additional notice for proposed rezoning in MI District.
If an application is made to rezone any property in the MI District, the Director of Planning must notify the Maryland Port Administration and the owners of any adjacent property of the application.
History: Ord. 16-581
History: Ord. 17-015
History: Ord. 19-252
History:
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-602 (2026)
§ 5-602 Major variances; Conditional uses.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Hearing required.
For major variances and conditional uses, the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals or the City Council, as the case may be, must conduct a hearing at which:
(1)
the parties in interest and the general public will have an opportunity to be heard; and
(2)
all agency reports will be read.
(b)Notice of hearing required.
Notice of the hearing must be given by posting in a conspicuous place on the subject property.
(c)Contents of notice.
The notice must include:
(1)
the date, time, place, and purpose of the public hearing;
(2)
the address of the subject property or a drawing or description of the boundaries of the area affected by the proposed variance or conditional use;
(3)
the name of the applicant; and
(4)
how additional information on the matter can be obtained.
(d)Number and manner of posted notices.
(1)
The number and manner of posting is as follows:
(i)
for an individual property, at least 1 sign must be visible from each of the property’s street frontages;
(ii)
each sign must be posted at a prominent location, near the sidewalk or public right-of-way, so that it is visible to passing pedestrians and motorists;
(iii)
a window-mounted sign must be mounted inside the window glass and placed so that it is clearly visible to passing pedestrians and motorists; and
(iv)
each sign must be at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size.
(2)
Nothing in this subtitle prevents the voluntary posting of more notices than required by this subtitle.
(e)Timing of notice.
The posted notice must be:
(1)
posted at least 21 days before the public hearing; and
(2)
removed within 48 hours after conclusion of the public hearing.
History: Ord. 16-581
History: Ord. 17-015
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-603 (2026)
§ 5-603 Minor variances.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Notice of application required.
Notice of an application for a minor variance must be given by posting in a conspicuous place on the subject property.
(b)Contents of notice.
The notice must include:
(1)
the purpose of the application;
(2)
the address of the subject property or a drawing or description of the boundaries of the area affected by the proposed rezoning;
(3)
the name of the applicant; and
(4)
where, how, and by when any objections must be filed.
(c)Number and manner of posted notices.
(1)
The number and manner of posting is as follows:
(i)
for a property with more than 1 street frontage, at least 1 sign must be visible from each street frontage;
(ii)
each sign must be posted at a prominent location, near the sidewalk or public right-of-way, so that it is visible to passing pedestrians and motorists;
(iii)
a window-mounted sign must be mounted inside the window glass and placed so that it is clearly visible to passing pedestrians and motorists; and
(iv)
each sign must be at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size.
(2)
Nothing in this subtitle prevents the voluntary posting of more notices than required by this subtitle.
(d)Timing of notice.
The posted notice must be:
(1)
posted at least 21 days before the Zoning Administrator makes a decision on the application; and
(2)
removed within 48 hours after a written decision is issued.
History: Ord. 16-581
History: Ord. 17-015
History:
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-604 (2026)
§ 5-604 Planning Commission consideration of site-specific projects.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Hearing required.
For any site-specific matter, the Planning Commission must conduct a public hearing at which:
(1)
the parties in interest and general public will have an opportunity to be heard; and
(2)
staff reports and recommendations will be read.
(b)Notice of hearing.
(1)In general.
In addition to any other form of notice required by law or regulation, notice of the hearing must be given by posting in conspicuous places within and around the perimeter of the subject property or area.
(2)Exceptions.
Where a property is added to a proposal by amendment, the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection (b) do not apply if:
(i)
a notice was previously mailed to the owner of record of the property about the proposed inclusion; or
(ii)
the property owner of record has agreed to the proposed inclusion by amendment either in person at a public meeting or in writing.
(c)Contents of notice.
The posted notice must include:
(1)
the date, time, place, and purpose of the hearing;
(2)
the address of the subject property or a drawing or description of the boundaries of the subject area;
(3)
the name and address of the applicant; and
(4)
how additional information on the matter can be obtained.
(d)Number and manner of posted notices.
The number of posted notices and the manner of their posting are as follows:
(1)
For a notice applicable only to an individual property, at least one sign must be visible from each of the property’s street frontages.
(2)
For a notice applicable to more than one property (e.g., a modification to a Planned Unit Development), at least 2 or more signs are required, as the Department of Planning designates.
(3)
Each sign must be at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size.
(4)
Each sign must be composed of waterproof materials sufficient to ensure the sign will last the required posting period (corrugated vinyl and polyurethane banner being acceptable).
(e)Timing of notice.
The posted notice must be:
(1)
posted at least 10 days before the public hearing; and
(2)
removed within 48 hours after conclusion of the hearing.
(f)Copy of agenda to Councilmembers.
At least 4 calendar days before any meeting of the Planning Commission, the Commission must deliver to each member of the City Council, by email or in person, an agenda of all matters that the Planning Commission proposes to consider at that meeting.
(g)Written notice to property owners within PUD.
When applying for the creation of a new planned unit development or for a major change or repeal of a planned unit development, the applicant must provide written notification to all other owners, or their authorized agents, of property within the proposed or existing planned unit development boundaries, as the Department of Planning requires.
History: Ord. 16-581
History: Ord. 17-015
History: Ord. 19-252
History:
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-605 (2026)
§ 5-605LinkCopy Citation
Reserved
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-606 (2026)
§ 5-606 Responsibility for notices.LinkCopy Citation
The notices required by this subtitle must be given by and at the expense of the following:
(1)
the applicant, for applications initiated by or on behalf of a property owner; and
(2)
the Mayor and City Council, for applications initiated by the City.
History: Ord. 16-581
Balt., Md., Code art. 32, § 5-607 (2026)
§ 5-607 Electronic notice.LinkCopy Citation
Additional electronic notice by website or email for public hearings under this Code may be provided. This notice is discretionary, and any defect in or failure to strictly adhere to an electronic notice is not a basis for declaring any legislative authorization invalid or void.
History: Ord. 16-581