Committee hears bill to remove off‑street parking minimums as housing fix; residents raise enforcement, equity concerns

Baltimore's Land Use and Transportation Committee on Sept. 11 heard Council Bill 25‑065, the "Spaces for People" Act, which would remove many off‑street parking minimums from the city zoning code. Sponsor Councilman Zach Blanchard framed the change as part of a broader housing package intended to increase housing supply and lower costs without increasing city spending.

The bill would leave current exemptions in place (single‑family homes, buildings up to three units, downtown/main‑street zones and large multifamily projects already covered by the city's inclusionary housing policy) and target gaps the sponsor described as mainly affecting multifamily buildings between four and 19 units and larger C2–C4 commercial zones. "We would have done that already if that was the case. But that is exactly what the housing options and opportunities package does in this bill 25‑065," Blanchard told the committee. He said construction formulas for parking can add significant costs — "probably looking at, you know, anywhere from 25 to $35,000 for a parking space in the city of Baltimore." He and several panelists tied those costs to rents and homelessness: Blanchard said…