Baltimore County Council ends 2024 rezoning process, rezones Lutherville Station

The Baltimore County Council voted on nearly 400 zoning requests Tuesday night, ending the yearlong process known as the Comprehensive Zoning Map Process (CZMP).

The CZMP occurs once every four years and lets residents, councilmembers, and officials request rezoning on any property in Baltimore County. This year, the council considered 389 requests across seven districts, including a developer’s proposal to build almost 600 apartments next to a light rail station in Lutherville that residents have fiercely protested.

Councilmembers wield almost unfettered power to propose projects in their districts, a practice known as councilmanic courtesy. Critics say the policy leaves members susceptible to pressure from developers and allows projects to proceed even if they conflict with county planning practices. Last spring, the council shot down a series of proposals County Executive Johnny Olszewski put forth to encourage development, arguing that they should have final authority over land use.

Baltimore County faces state pressure to approve more development as Maryland faces a 96,000-unit housing shortage, a third of which are concentrated in the Baltimore area. Last spring, the General Assembly passed a state law that will allow denser housing projects to bypass local jurisdictions if they meet certain criteria, like being located near public transportation. Baltimore County must also build 1,000 affordable housing units by 2027 to comply with a federal agreement to correct decades of housing discrimination.

One project, Lutherville Station, has become the subject of intense opposition from nearby residents. Developer Mark Renbaum asked to rezone 13 acres on a Ridgely Road property next to the Lutherville light rail station, where he wants to build 560 apartments and a five-story office building. Critics oppose the project because they say it would strain local facilities with an influx of traffic and residents. The planning board voted to approve Renbaum’s rezoning request earlier this year. Olszewski also supports the project as does Council Chair Izzy Patoka.

“We need to look towards the future in Baltimore County,” Patoka said after Tuesday’s hearing.

Councilman Wade Kach, a Timonium Republican, scrapped Renbaum’s request and rezoned it for single-family housing, which caps building heights at 60 feet. Earlier this month, he said Renbaum was not “acting in good faith” after the developer asked Baltimore County to help expedite the project for state approval.

Renbaum declined to comment Tuesday.

Lutherville Station could still move forward if the state Department of Transportation designates it a transit-oriented development, which would allow it to pass through under the state law that takes effect in January.

Jake Day, the state Secretary for Housing and Community Development, sent a letter of support Tuesday to Olszewski.

“I would be hard-pressed to invent a TOD from whole cloth that checks as many boxes for economic development, employment, and
community benefit as this project does,” Day wrote.

Councilman Julian Jones, a Woodstock Democrat, voted against a request that would have let Santo and Debra Mirabile relocate their construction office to a former fire hall in the northern Baltimore County community of Boring . Dozens of Boring residents spoke out against the Mirabiles’ request at a June hearing, arguing it would burden the rural agrarian neighborhood with industrial traffic, noise and pollution.

Santo Mirabile said he and his wife were “understandably disappointed” with Jones’ decision, and “will now start thinking about our next steps forward.”

“We are saved,” said Samuel Blum, whose family owns a property next to the fire hall, via text message. “This is a HUGE relief.”