Subtitle 4 – Designation of Landmarks
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. 6, § 4-1 (2026)
§ 4-1 List components.LinkCopy Citation
The Landmark List consists of two components:
(1)
a Landmark List: Exteriors; and
(2)
a Landmark List: Public Interiors.
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-2 (2026)
§ 4-2 Ordinance required.LinkCopy Citation
An ordinance of the Mayor and City Council is required to:
(1)
add a structure and its appurtenant property to the Landmark List: Exteriors or the Landmark List: Public Interiors; or
(2)
for a structure already on the Landmark List: Exteriors, to modify the boundaries of the appurtenant land or other property that is included in the Landmark designation.
History: Ord. 67-939
History: Ord. 99-547
History: Ord. 07-550
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-3 (2026)
§ 4-3 Criteria for designation.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Landmark List: Exteriors.
(1)
The Landmark List: Exteriors comprises those structures that, in accordance with the Commission’s Historic Preservation Procedures and Guidelines, are considered to be of such special historical or architectural significance that, even if not located within an Historical and Architectural Preservation District, those structures and their exteriors (with or without, as the case may be, their appurtenant land and other property) should be extended the same protections as apply to structures within a District.
(2)
The boundaries of a structure on the Landmark List: Exteriors are as indicated by Ordinance, as follows:
(i)
by street address, which indicates that all appurtenant land or other property at that street address and on the same lot is included in and protected by the Landmark designation;
(ii)
by Section, Block, and Lot Number, which indicates that all land or other property on that lot is included in the Landmark designation; or
(iii)
by a metes and bounds description or other clear delineation, which indicates that less than all land or other property at a street address or on a lot is included in the Landmark designation.
(b)Landmark List: Public Interiors.
The Landmark List: Public Interiors comprises those structures with public interiors that, in accordance with the Commission’s Historic Preservation Procedures and Guidelines, are considered to be of such special historical or architectural significance that, even if not within an Historical and Architectural Preservation District, those interiors should be extended the same protections as apply to the exteriors of structures within a District.
History: Ord. 67-939
History: Ord. 07-550
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-4 (2026)
§ 4-4LinkCopy Citation
Reserved
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-5 (2026)
§ 4-5 Council action – Agency referrals.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Required referrals.
On introduction of any proposed ordinance to add a structure to the Landmark List: Exteriors or Landmark List: Public Interiors or to modify the boundaries of a structure on the Landmark List: Exteriors, the City Council must refer the bill to the following for their written reports and recommendations:
(1)
the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation;
(2)
the Planning Commission; and
(3)
any other agency that the Council President designates.
(b)Reports, etc., prerequisite to second reading.
The City Council may not place the bill on the Council’s second reading calendar until the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation and the Planning Commission:
(1)
submit their reports and recommendations to the Council; or
(2)
fail to do so within 100 days of the referral.
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-6 (2026)
§ 4-6 Council action – Public notice and hearing.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Hearing required.
The City Council may not place the bill on its second reading calendar until the Council committee to which the bill is assigned has conducted a public hearing at which parties in interest and the general public are afforded an opportunity to be heard on the bill.
(b)Notice required.
Notice of the hearing must be given as follows:
(1)
by posting in a conspicuous place on the subject property; and
(2)
by first-class mail to each person who appears on the tax records of the City as an owner of the subject property.
(c)Contents of notice.
The notice must include:
(1)
the identifying number of the bill to be heard;
(2)
the name and address of the person requesting the bill;
(3)
the date, time, place, and purpose of the public hearing; and
(4)
the address of the subject property.
(d)Timing of notice.
The notice must be posted and mailed at least 15 days before the public hearing.
(e)Number and manner of posted notices.
The number of posted notices and the manner of their posting are as follows:
(1)
at least 1 sign must be visible from each of the property’s street frontages;
(2)
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;
(3)
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
(4)
each sign must be at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size.
(f)Responsibility for notice.
The notices required by this section are the responsibility of the following:
(1)
for a bill requested by the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation, the notices must be given by and at the expense of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore;
(2)
for a bill requested by or on behalf of an owner of the subject property, the notices must be given by and at the expense of the requester; and
(3)
in all other cases, the notices must be given by and at the expense of the City Council.
History: Ord. 67-939
History: Ord. 76-022
History: Ord. 99-547
History: Ord. 07-550
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-7 (2026)
§ 4-7 Council action – Disposition.LinkCopy Citation
Subject to the requirements of <cite data-path="|6|§4-8">§ 4-8 {“Council action – Limitations”} of this subtitle</cite>, the City Council may:
(1)
adopt, reject, or modify an ordinance proposed to add a structure to the Landmark List: Exteriors or the Landmark List: Public Interiors; and
(2)
as necessary or appropriate from time to time, adopt an ordinance to modify the boundaries of a structure on the Landmark List: Exteriors.
History: Ord. 15-408
Balt., Md., Code art. 6, § 4-8 (2026)
§ 4-8 Council action – Limitations.LinkCopy Citation
(a)Scope of section.
This section applies to any of the following actions by the City Council:
(1)
any modification to the boundaries of a structure proposed by the Commission for addition to the Landmark List: Exteriors, as provided in <cite data-path="|6|§4-3|(a)">§ 4-3(a) {“Landmark List: exteriors”} of this subtitle</cite>; or
(2)
unless by and in accordance with an ordinance initiated at the request of the Commission under this subtitle:
(i)
any initial proposal to add a structure to the Landmark List: Exteriors or the Landmark List: Public Interiors; or
(ii)
any modification to the boundaries of a structure on the Landmark List Exteriors.
(b)Referral to CHAP.
The City Council may not take any action described in subsection (a) of this section without first referring that action to the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation for the Commission’s written report and recommendations.
(c)Action by Council.
If, within 100 days of the referral, the Commission fails to submit its written report or recommendations, the City Council may proceed to hear and consider the action, subject to the requirements of <cite data-path="|6|§4-6">§ 4-6 {“Council action – Public notice and hearing”} of this subtitle</cite>.
History: Ord. 15-408