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Land Use committee clears 14‑bill package including street closings, easements and neighborhood rezoning
Summary
The Land Use & Transportation Committee on April 30 voted to report a package of 14 bills favorable to full council, approving multiple street closings and sales, an easement to serve Mercy Medical Center, and several rezonings. Most items passed with routine agency support; a few generated public questions about process and appraisal timing.
A majority of the 14 bills on the Land Use & Transportation Committee docket on April 30 were reported favorable to the full Baltimore City Council.
Key actions and outcomes
- Alley and street closings for a proposed cultural facility (CB 250039): DOT and planning recommended favorable; three DOT amendments were adopted and the bill was reported favorable with amendments.
- Remington Avenue closing and sale (CB 25130 and CB 25131): The committee approved a closing and a companion sale to enable redevelopment of the Remington triangle (a proposed 60‑unit multi‑family building). A resident raised concerns that private construction had begun under a right‑of‑entry agreement; DOT and the applicant said the agreement allows work at the developer’s risk. Finance and BDC said an appraisal will be obtained after the closing and proceeds will go to the surplus property fund.
- Ruth Kirk Recreation Center (CB 25132): A closing to consolidate property for a relocated recreation center was recommended favorable by planning and reported favorable by the committee.
- Falls Road opening, closing and sale (CB 25133–25135): DOT and planning said the opening will align a front property line and subsequent closing and sale will clear title for redevelopment; the committee reported the bills favorable.
- Easement enabling chilled water to Mercy Medical Center (CB 25140): Vicinity Energy and Mercy testified in support of an easement for an underground chilled water line to provide redundancy for hospital systems. DOT and relevant agencies recommended favorable and the committee reported the bill favorable.
- Sale of surplus lots (CB 26‑0156): Several small vacant lots originally purchased for highway projects were authorized for sale; proceeds will be deposited in the surplus property fund. Agencies recommended favorable.
- Rezoning and conditional uses: Several land‑use items (including a conditional use to convert a single‑family to three units in Lafayette Square and rezoning of a Hickory Avenue industrial building to IMU1 to allow a distillery and restaurant) were recommended favorable by planning and reported favorable by the committee.
Questions and public concerns
Two topics drew sustained public questions: the Remington Avenue sequence (a resident alleged construction occurred prior to an ordinance closing and asked how the city protects public property) and the larger, high‑profile 600 West North Avenue grocery proposal (a separate, extended hearing that was not resolved on April 30). On Remington the applicant and DOT said a right‑of‑entry agreement was in place and that the city requires an appraisal after closing; the committee pressed DOT and Finance for more detail on appraisal timing. For the North Avenue grocery (the committee heard multiple hours of testimony), members asked DOT and MTA to supply written traffic analysis and clarifications before taking a vote.
Next steps
Most of the items will appear on the next full city‑council docket with favorable recommendations. The two exceptions that require further technical follow‑ups at committee were the West North Avenue grocery conditional‑use/variance and remaining technical questions about transportation impacts; the committee requested DOT/MTA written follow‑ups before any vote.
All quotes in this roundup are taken from the April 30, 2026 transcript of the Land Use & Transportation Committee meeting.
