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Baltimore committee advances major zoning overhaul to allow 2–4 unit homes citywide; debate sharpens over displacement and process
Summary
The Land Use and Transportation Committee heard presentations and extensive public testimony on council bill 250066, which would permit 2–4 unit "low-density multifamily" homes by right across many residential zones. Agencies generally supported the bill; planning recommended a three-year monitoring report. The committee did not take final action and will return with requested data and amendments.
Chair Ryan Dorsey convened the Land Use and Transportation Committee to consider council bill 250066, the Housing Options and Opportunity Act, on behalf of the mayor—s administration. Tyler Schnella, deputy director of government relations for the mayor, called the legislation "a key part of the mayor's broader $3,000,000,000 plan to fight vacant properties, expand affordability, and make Baltimore City a city where everyone can find a home that fits their needs." The administration framed the proposal as a way to expand the "missing middle" of housing and to reduce barriers that have historically limited multifamily options in many neighborhoods.
Planning staff gave a technical overview: the bill creates a new land use, "multifamily low density" (two to four units), and permits that use by right in R1A through R8 and certain office-residential districts. Eligibility would be determined by gross floor area, not lot area, with thresholds set at roughly 1,500 square feet for two units, 2,250…
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