Hagerstown holds public hearing on annual Land Management Code amendments, record open 10 days

Hagerstown zoning staff on Jan. 28 presented an annual package of proposed text amendments to the city’s Land Management Code and asked the mayor and city council to leave the public record open for 10 days for additional comment.

The presentation, given by Steven Bachmiller, the city’s development review planner and zoning administrator, outlined about 17 discrete proposals ranging from technical cleanups to new regulatory options for downtown signs and limits on group homes. Bachmiller said the city bundles suggestions once a year rather than amending the code piecemeal and that the council can accept or reject any individual proposal before an ordinance is introduced.

Why it matters: the package would change rules that affect street geometry and public safety (cul‑de‑sacs and roundabouts), how downtown signage is reviewed, where and how recreational vehicles may be stored on residential lots, conversions of existing buildings to mixed use, and limits on…