[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6193437,"mediaKeyId","3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c","parentId",3867266,"title","BMZA approves conditional use for 12‑child home daycare at 619 Birchwood Avenue","audioSeconds",268,"startMs",570000,"endMs",838000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c&start=570&end=838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c/thumbnail_570000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6193437/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/BMZA-approves-conditional-use-for-12child-home-daycare-at-619-Birchwood-Avenue","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193437-b02b26f259b9ad0c437e53e8367ca26b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775797427&Signature=k36plb-9FPT7TovwJN2yjDaBKz6YYEBcXcVhQ4Zn090LTDbhrjHNohlVGvOT37oNW5ybW-I1Fg0sCXjGprPxGACX6hACQ~L5KouiIiVq3gyDBHXa9IGF-KdshPWBlETz5-Ksf0CGfVTN~9N5qnfIuc9Los0rNk8CDfapB5BNsppAeYIU-kMFiOZQPeXevN2UyUOiCqUWTsr2SzXdEm9hkV-N1~YlZDuFy6JVHXEj4td2uJJpQzhTuotgqvl8w7DLZ5EvK954MsGPvb2sQnGlgQZIzhHZbI1HihxeM-lTZoJfi2O7VdFvUQQ5kGrc0qnFcvavhW9kHK74E0bbwmHCKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Baltimore, MD","date","2025-06-17T20:12:08Z","article","The Baltimore City Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals approved a conditional use to allow a home daycare for up to 12 children at 619 Birchwood Avenue. The board voted to approve the applicant’s conditional use request after hearing from planning staff and the applicant.

Planning staff recommended approval and noted the property has a double‑wide driveway and about 80 feet of street frontage; no loading zone request was required. The board asked the applicant questions about hours and drop‑off procedures; the applicant said the daycare is licensed already and operates daily pickup and drop‑off from the driveway.

Felicia Alexander, the applicant, told the board the facility’s hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, and that parents generally pull into the driveway and use a gate for single‑child pickup/drop‑off. Planning staff flagged typical concerns such as loading‑zone needs, exterior lighting and outdoor play areas but reported no objection in this case because the site configuration accommodates the operation.

Board members expressed that the expanded occupancy to 12 children would not cause impacts beyond those typical for daycare centers in the zoning district and voted unanimously to approve the conditional use. The board reminded the applicant not to expand operations until the written resolution is issued; staff said the formal resolution will be drafted and uploaded to the applicant’s case file or emailed in a few weeks.

Clarifying details in the record: hours of operation are stated as 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week; the property is in an R‑3 zoning district and has a double‑wide driveway and approximately 80 feet of frontage on the street. Planning noted usual topics for consideration are pickup/drop‑off, off‑street parking for employees, exterior lighting and recreational/open space for children. No formal conditions were stated on the record at the hearing; the board’s approval will be followed by staff’s written resolution that may include standard conditions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Municipal & Zoning Appeals; June 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Board granted conditional use approval to Felicia Alexander to operate a 12‑child home daycare at 619 Birchwood Avenue after planning staff raised no objection and the board discussed hours, pickup/drop‑off and site layout.","taxTitle","Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Maryland","taxId",4816,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193442,"BMZA grants side‑yard variances for proposed two semi‑detached homes at 4518 Keswick Road",855,2495000,3350000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c&start=2495&end=3350","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c/thumbnail_2495000.jpg","/articles/6193442/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/BMZA-grants-sideyard-variances-for-proposed-two-semidetached-homes-at-4518-Keswick-Road","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193442-a872c480761311a4f474231c119ee6fc/orig.mp4?Expires=1775797427&Signature=Z7l9JTbqo32iTx6IOVKqPrsDpKX38QWkqEzIoKtzySW4WrJKl1Rixqr-KObnvAcNRd0DsS9n6KqCJoFBiCGD-fO3v2C2o3Dpu0XX~AZJhj4zMakjzejCwsfQO0fHTXRsPcooX2~zeEWjGCo4M51RVU-DXU12Z9x-AlFU42x4yzyO3jp9hGOOnMgQ9B9JcOhPwZXAnuAs58hsuAHq~PZLiITthZTPRt77lqwWUMVgkgB1Chex1lrc-fnAyqg4DMzQaoGUTtFFkzFxnHF3nPruTZjzi-s0Jo0FwXJd5qkcFz0ngHoyKI4gTLy~C5CGrQYLYcsL4wlL0rhzXkEz4tgnzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Baltimore City Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals approved requests for interior side‑yard variances to permit subdivision of 4518 Keswick Road into two 25‑foot lots and construction of two semi‑detached houses that would match the block’s prevailing scale.

Planning staff recommended approval; the board found the lot’s size and a severe front‑of‑lot slope created a peculiar condition and a practical difficulty that justify the requested relief. The motion passed with four yes votes.

Applicant testimony explained the lot measures about 50 by 125 feet — roughly double the typical block‑face lot of 25 by 125. The developer’s representative, Nate Priddle, and contract purchaser Alexander Mavroulis described plans to subdivide the property and build two semi‑detached dwellings that mirror nearby lot widths and building spacing. Priddle told the board the front of the lot contains a steep slope and specimen trees, limiting development toward the front; moving structures forward to avoid the side‑yard variance would either conflict with design guidance or create off‑street parking challenges.

The Department of Planning’s memo noted the proposed semi‑detached houses would be similar in size and spacing to other homes on the block; planning also stressed the proposal must still complete subdivision review and subsequent design review. The applicant said the proposal arose from on‑site meetings with the community association and neighbors; the contract purchaser lives nearby and the team distributed informational materials before the hearing.

Board discussion focused on the McLean/variance findings: uniqueness of the property, the practical difficulty caused by the slope and lot configuration, and whether the relief would injure nearby properties. One board member said the proposal would convert a vacant lot into homes “in harmony with the community” and observed the requested relief would create housing stock that fits the Evergreen neighborhood’s character. No opposition speakers appeared at the hearing.

The requested variances were minimum interior side yards: the code requires 15 feet and the applicant proposed roughly 5 feet 3 inches on each side, producing variances of about 9 feet 9 inches per side for each new lot, as stated in the staff presentation. The board recorded its decision on the record and directed staff to draft the written resolution reflecting approval; the project still requires subdivision approval and design review before building permits can be issued.","Baltimore’s BMZA approved interior side‑yard variances to allow subdivision and construction of two 25‑foot lots with semi‑detached houses at 4518 Keswick Road, concluding the lot’s double width and a front slope create a practical difficulty and the design matches neighborhood character.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6193446,"BMZA approves rear‑addition variance at 306 West Lorraine after owners cite subsurface 'Ghost River' damage",1662,843000,2505000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c&start=843&end=2505","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3867266-873e20c3cb037f395306e80c92b80c4c/thumbnail_843000.jpg","/articles/6193446/Baltimore-City/Baltimore-County/Maryland/BMZA-approves-rearaddition-variance-at-306-West-Lorraine-after-owners-cite-subsurface-Ghost-River-damage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6193446-4fc78a0c614c46e62296224ae05acb98/orig.mp4?Expires=1775797427&Signature=ZNjgx4cqO~1AHUTtcggEzU3eABZU6IUgla3bxRfPUgf3DJjuIqYuQxMYPj~rlEe9Ffn9n8hsk0O7A6kZo2AKn8DRV6fAMPvolVFLKhsrMCDUXx8CnFCLBo8xhuAK-JcCOw2liUGUBlgToUL8GpFSWIFeEQZ9QVlJH1lMZ6WGxElbtnUjsEEvFUkBz5tx2ocnwBegw1R2B7ZxdH~C2AIyOK5V2VSU1oXvAukKLSI1-9kZqUVbyD75TcaByL68rqktrDHZbhuo~UciGFKavESo4m0O4hRBVmXiJW3vgnMFhm-8H5VwoYq5VTuVbCcRUrktu6g8wrZtSAV4oZzHT~S3yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Baltimore City Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals approved variances enabling a two‑story rear addition with a third floor at 306 West Lorraine Avenue after the applicant presented engineering and neighborhood testimony that the property is structurally compromised by a historic underground stream, known in testimony as the Sunwalt Run or a local “Ghost Rivers” feature.

The board found that strict application of the zoning code would create a practical difficulty for the owner and that the requested relief would not injure neighboring properties; the motion to grant the variances passed with four yes votes.

Applicant testimony and supporting documents described visible cracking, subsidence and structural damage. Nate Priddle, representing the applicant, told the board the property “is experiencing significant structural deterioration” and submitted a civil engineer’s letter and photographs showing foundation and wall cracking. Owner Michael Francis Colligan testified about observed movement, saying the house’s elevations differ by as much as “a foot,” and described interior cracking that has worsened since he bought the property. Colligan said the engineer advised either an extensive geotechnical study with deep borings or enlarging the foundation footprint; the latter was presented as the feasible remedy because deep borings and underpinning could be prohibitively expensive and might render neighboring houses difficult to finance.

Planning staff submitted a memo of no objection. The board discussed required findings for variances, focusing on peculiarity of the parcel and practical difficulty in developing it without relief. The applicant argued the site sits on slope/fill associated with the Sunwalt Run and an escarpment that produces uneven subsurface conditions on this lot, and offered an engineer’s explanation that expanding the foundation footprint would distribute loads more safely than concentrated underpinning. The application record included multiple letters of neighborhood support; counsel said there are 11 letters of support from neighbors, including adjacent property owners.

Board members repeatedly emphasized the engineering evidence and neighborhood support in their votes. One board member summarized the reasons on the record: the property’s subsurface conditions tied to the historic stream cause structural problems that make strict compliance with the rear‑yard and lot‑coverage standards an impractical hardship; granting the variance would allow the owner to stabilize and improve the house, consistent with city policy goals for retaining families in Baltimore.

The variances approved included relief from the minimum rear‑yard setback and from maximum lot coverage as presented in the application materials. Planning had identified a discrepancy in the proposed rear setback: the applicant’s team described a 5‑foot proposed setback, while staff noted the existing first‑floor rear deck extends to the lot line and the staff report listed 0 feet. The application record also listed maximum lot coverage of about 98 percent versus an 80 percent limit (an 18 percentage‑point variance as presented in testimony).

The board instructed staff to draft a resolution reflecting the decision; the resolution will be issued in a few weeks and is the board’s final written action. The owners and their representative were advised not to commence the addition until they receive that resolution and any subsequent permits. No additional formal directions to staff were recorded at the hearing, and no appeal outcome beyond the BMZA action was reported at the hearing.

Clarifying details recorded in the hearing record include: required rear yard 20 feet (zoning standard cited by staff), proposed rear‑yard condition noted as either 5 feet (applicant) or 0 feet (staff, due to an existing deck), maximum lot coverage allowed 80 percent and proposed coverage about 98 percent per the applicant’s filings, and engineering recommendations that underpinning could require depths on the order of 30 feet or more in some scenarios (engineer’s letter in the record). The applicant submitted an engineer’s report, photographs, and a neighborhood support packet for the board’s review.

The board’s vote was recorded as four yes votes and no recorded no/abstain votes. The applicant was reminded that the board’s grant becomes effective only after staff drafts and issues the formal resolution and that building permits and any required geotechnical or civil work remain subject to separate permitting and inspections.","The Baltimore City Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals granted variances to allow a two‑story rear addition with a third floor at 306 West Lorraine Avenue, citing significant structural deterioration tied to a historic underground stream and engineering advice that expanding the foundation is a practical remedy.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

BMZA approves conditional use for 12‑child home daycare at 619 Birchwood Avenue

BMZA grants side‑yard variances for proposed two semi‑detached homes at 4518 Keswick Road

BMZA approves rear‑addition variance at 306 West Lorraine after owners cite subsurface 'Ghost River' damage