Planning board sets June 17 hearing on Loch Raven, East Joppa rezoning petition

The Baltimore County Planning Board on June 5 voted to set an in-person public hearing for 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, on a cycle-zoning petition seeking rezoning of portions of 8635–8641 Loch Raven Boulevard and 1703–1705 East Joppa Road (Case R20250050).

The petition, filed by 8635 Loch Raven Boulevard LLC, requests reclassification from BL (Business Local) to BMCCC (Business Major Commercial Community Core District). Amy Mantay, deputy director of the Department of Planning, said the petitioner cites a significant change in the neighborhood and a technical mapping error and noted the requested parcels are adjacent to the CZMP 2024 issue 6-004 area. "The petition is for reclassification of portions of 8635 Through 8641 Loch Raven Boulevard and 1703 Through 1705 East Joppa Road," Mantay said. "The petitioner is seeking a change in zoning designation from BL, business local, to BMCCC, business major commercial community core district, citing a significant change in the neighborhood and a technical mapping error that the areas currently requested for rezoning were intended to be included in the CZMP 2024 issue 6 dash 0 0 4 to which the sites, listed in this reclassification are adjacent."

Mantay said the petition was filed with the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections and forwarded to the Department of Planning in accordance with the county code, and that after the Planning Board review the matter will proceed to the Board of Appeals for final determination. "You'll also hear from the petitioner at that time," she added.

A board member moved to set a public hearing; the motion specified the case number (R20250050) and the June 17, 2025, 5 p.m. in-person hearing date. The board chair called for those in favor, and members answered "aye," with the chair confirming, "Ayes have it." The Planning Board did not take further action on the merits of the petition at the June 5 meeting.

Why it matters: rezoning petitions submitted through the county's cycle-zoning process can alter permitted uses, development scale and review paths for properties. The Department of Planning will provide a fuller presentation, and the petitioner will speak at the public hearing; the Board of Appeals will make the final determination after the public hearing and any administrative process required by county code.

Next steps: the Planning Board will hold the in-person public hearing on June 17 and record public testimony and staff analysis; the matter will then move to the Board of Appeals for final action. The Planning Board presentation materials and the administrative case file (Case R20250050) are the primary sources for detailed maps and staff analysis.