Planning Commission - 2026-02-26

City Council Bill 26-0147 designating St. Peter's Cemetery as a Baltimore City landmark was recommended for approval. The 175-year-old cemetery at 3501 Taylor Avenue in the Bridgeview Greenlawn neighborhood was established in 1851 by St. Peter the Apostle Church. The cemetery served Irish, German, and African American Catholics including burials from historically black Catholic churches St. Peter Claver, St. Gregory, and St. Francis Xavier. Notable burial includes civil rights activist Philip Berrigan. The Archdiocese of Baltimore opposed the designation citing religious freedom concerns. Vote was unanimous 7-0.

The Walter P. Carter Elementary-Middle School INSPIRE plan was adopted covering the Pen Lucy and Wilson Park neighborhoods near York Road corridor. The plan includes 9 strategies and 20 recommended actions addressing housing, community connectivity, safety, and environmental sustainability. Key recommendations include traffic calming improvements around the school, food access workshops, security enhancements at Walter P. Carter pool, and stormwater drainage investigation. The school serves 850 students K-8 plus 40 students at co-located Lois T. Murray school for disabled students.

Five CIP transfers were approved as not consistent with the CIP, including transfers for DPW consent decree project management and four related transfers totaling funds for the Palm House project at Druid Hill Park to match Maryland DNR Program Open Space grants. Source accounts included Sewer Overflow reserve, consent decree management, construction reserve wastewater, Clifton Mansion site improvements (on hold pending Morgan State master plan), Druid Park Community Center reptile house (on hold), and athletic fields account.

Approved forest conservation easement modification for Maryland School for the Blind at 3501 Taylor Avenue. The modification of 5,000+ square feet to an easement of at least 15,000 square feet is part of a public safety project. The school is providing two-to-one replacement ratio and establishing a forest management plan, exceeding minimum requirements.