Baltimore Zoning Map & Districts 2026
Explore zoning districts, official map resources, and recent rezoning activity in Baltimore, MD. ZoneWire monitors council meetings to track every zoning change.
Live records updated through July 16, 2026
Key facts: Baltimore land-use record
- Baltimore approved 93% of 27 land-use decisions in the last 24 months.
- Baltimore has 81 rezoning-related records across 5 recent public meetings tracked by ZoneWire.
- The most recent tracked meeting in Baltimore was on July 16, 2026.
Updated with meetings through July 16, 2026.
Recent Rezoning Activity in Baltimore
Official Baltimore Zoning Resources
Zoning Districts in Baltimore
Zoning classifications used in this jurisdiction, from the adopted local code.
Low-density residential district for detached single-family houses on larger lots, with lettered sub-variants for different lot sizes.
Residential district allowing detached and semi-detached single-family homes at modest suburban-style densities within the city.
Moderate-density residential district for detached and semi-detached houses on smaller lots than the lower R districts.
Lower-density rowhouse district, the first tier of Baltimore's rowhouse and multi-family residential zoning categories.
Higher-density district covering many of Baltimore's classic rowhouse blocks, also permitting multi-family dwellings.
The densest residential district, intended for large apartment buildings and intensive multi-family development.
Small-scale commercial district for neighborhood-serving shops, services, and corner stores compatible with adjacent homes.
Mid-scale commercial district for shopping areas and services drawing customers from several surrounding neighborhoods.
General commercial district for a broad range of retail, service, and auto-oriented business uses.
Heavy commercial district for intensive business uses with greater traffic, storage, or outdoor activity than typical retail.
High-intensity downtown district for dense office, residential, hotel, retail, and mixed-use development in the city center.
Light industrial district for lower-impact manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution operations.
General industrial district accommodating heavier manufacturing and industrial operations away from residential areas.
Waterfront industrial district reserving harbor land for port terminals, shipping, and other maritime-dependent industry.
District protecting parks, recreation land, cemeteries, and other permanent open space from development.
What gets approved in Baltimore
In Baltimore, 93% of land-use board decisions were approved over the last 24 months. Special exception / conditional use clear 100%, Industrial / warehouse 83%. ZoneWire analyzed 27 land-use board decisions in Baltimore over the last 24 months. Here are the most active project types and how often each one clears.
| Project type | Decisions | Approval rate |
|---|---|---|
| Special exception / conditional use | 6 | 100% |
| Industrial / warehouse | 6 | 83% |
Frequently Asked Questions
The official Baltimore zoning map is maintained by the local planning department. You can access the interactive GIS map at https://mapgallery-baltplanning.hub.arcgis.com/. ZoneWire also tracks rezoning activity discussed in council meetings.
Zoning districts in Baltimore include R-1 (Detached Residential Zoning District), R-2 (Detached and Semi-Detached Residential Zoning District), R-4 (Detached and Semi-Detached Residential Zoning District), R-5 (Rowhouse and Multi-Family Residential Zoning District), R-8 (Rowhouse and Multi-Family Residential Zoning District), R-10 (Rowhouse and Multi-Family Residential Zoning District), C-1 (Neighborhood Business Zoning District), C-2 (Community Commercial Zoning District). Each district has specific permitted uses, setbacks, and density requirements set by the local code.
ZoneWire reads every council meeting in Baltimore to detect rezoning discussions, variances, and zoning amendments. Start a free trial to receive alerts when rezoning activity is detected.
Baltimore City Council, the Planning Commission, and the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals are all tracked by ZoneWire for urban renewal plan amendments, PUD approvals, rezoning under the Transform Baltimore zoning code, variances, and conditional use permits across Baltimore.
Baltimore City Council meets weekly, with the Planning Commission holding hearings twice per month and the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals meeting weekly. This generates a high volume of zoning and land use decisions throughout the month.
Transform Baltimore is the city's comprehensive zoning code rewrite that modernized Baltimore's land use regulations. It replaced the previous 1971 code with updated zoning districts, use standards, and development rules. Rezoning applications and variances filed under Transform Baltimore are key signals for new development, especially around the Inner Harbor and waterfront areas.
Key zoning terms for Baltimore include urban renewal plan, PUD (Planned Unit Development), rezoning, Transform Baltimore, variance, conditional use, design review, and waterfront overlay district. ZoneWire tracks all of these automatically across every Baltimore governing body.
Yes. ZoneWire Free sends New Meeting Alerts for Baltimore at no cost, with the agenda for each meeting. ZoneWire Pro adds full transcripts, zoning and development analysis, and keyword alerts for $129 per market per month.
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