Baltimore County approves 23 residential plans adding 450 units in 2024

The Baltimore County Planning Board convened on May 1, 2025, to discuss significant developments in residential and non-residential planning for the year 2024. The meeting highlighted the approval of 23 residential development plans, which included 9 major developments, 7 minor subdivisions, 3 planned unit developments, and 4 limited plans, resulting in a total of 450 new residential units. Notably, 60.8% of these units are multifamily, while 27% are single-family attached, and 12% are single-family detached, with no single-family semi-detached units approved. A substantial 91% of these units are located within the designated growth area known as the Bridal.

In addition to residential developments, the board reported the approval of 40 non-residential development plans, encompassing commercial, mixed-use, industrial, institutional, and office spaces, totaling approximately 2,000,785 square feet. A striking 99% of this approved square footage is also situated within the Bridal. Comparatively, 2023 saw a higher volume of non-residential plans, with 29 approvals and over 4 million square feet of space.

The meeting also addressed occupancy permits, revealing that 889 new residential units received permits in 2024, closely mirroring the 871 permits from 2023 but significantly lower than the 1,230 units permitted in 2022. Among these, 93.6% were located within the Bridal. The board noted that industrial development dominated non-residential construction, accounting for 64.3% of the total floor area among new buildings.

The Planning Board discussed the ongoing development capacity analysis, which is updated following major land use changes or rezoning processes. The latest model predicts a potential range of 8,857 to 23,453 new residential units, depending on various factors, with full build-out expected within 9 to 24 years. However, these figures do not account for redevelopment potential in commercially zoned areas.

Concerns regarding school capacity were raised, as projections indicated that 13 elementary schools, 0 middle schools, and 6 high schools would exceed 115% of their state-rated capacities in the upcoming school years. A school impact analysis will be conducted for each residential development project to assess potential overcrowding.

The Department of Public Works and Transportation reported no deficiencies in public water status for 2024 and highlighted ongoing projects aimed at improving infrastructure. A total of 42 road projects were completed, extending or relocating 6.925 miles of roadways, all within the Bridal area. Additionally, 6.98 acres of land were preserved, contributing to a total of 71,592 acres of preserved land in Baltimore County, which is 89.5% of the Master Plan 2020 goal of 80,000 preserved acres.

The meeting concluded with an invitation for questions, underscoring the board's commitment to transparency and community engagement in the planning process.