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Baltimore zoning board approves multiple housing and neighborhood-business appeals
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Summary
The BMZA approved a series of variances and conditional uses on March 17, greenlighting projects ranging from a 21-unit affordable multifamily building on Pennsylvania Avenue to small-business relocation in Locust Point. Several approvals were unanimous; some approvals included conditions such as minimum parking or waste-disposal plans.
Baltimore Citys Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals on March 17 approved a slate of variances and conditional uses aimed at rehabilitating vacant lots and supporting neighborhood businesses.
The board unanimously approved a conditional-use request for live entertainment at an existing tavern on East Cross Street after planning recommended approval and the applicant described limited DJ and karaoke offerings with security in place. "This isn't a big dance floor... Metallica is not gonna play," applicant Abraham Hurd said, emphasizing the proposed entertainment would be consistent with the Cross Street entertainment corridor.
The board also approved a variance for a proposed 21-unit multifamily development at 2033–2041 Pennsylvania Avenue. Planning staff said two variances were needed (insufficient lot area and a gross-floor-area cap in the C-1 district) and recommended approval. Consultant Nate Bridal described the project as 21 affordable units targeted below 60% AMI and said lot consolidation, green roofs and stormwater measures increase development costs and justify variances to enable affordable housing.
Other approvals included a small lot-area variance to reauthorize four dwelling units at 1802 Madison Avenue (planning noted the structure already had four finished floors and recommended a modest variance) and variances allowing seven units at 1218 McCullough Street and rear-yard/setback relief for a seven–row-home subphase in the Bakersview project led by the Druid Heights Community Development Corporation. The Park Heights appeals for two duplex lots also received votes to permit reasonable interior-side-yard encroachments to enable for-sale redevelopment.
The board approved a conditional-use request for a neighborhood personal-service business at 1632 East Ford Avenue after owner Racy Sanawai presented historical records (a 1963 Evening Sun listing and Sanborn mapping) and letters of neighborhood support, including from the Locust Point Civic Association and a councilmember.
Board members repeatedly cited planning department findings when approving items and in several cases added mitigation conditions such as a minimum of three off-street parking spaces and commercial waste-disposal measures where neighborhood impacts were a concern. The BMZA chair and members emphasized their decisions adopted plannings recommended findings and that written resolutions would follow.
