Once every four years, Bal-
timore County goes through the
Comprehensive Zoning Map
Process (CZMP) during which
anyone may propose rezoning of
any property in the county. Balti-
more County might be unique in
the US for having such a process.
This is the time to correct cases of
bad zoning; that is, situations that
are contrary to the adopted Master
Plan or which threaten environ-
mentally sensitive area or nearby
properties. Unfortunately, compre-
hensive rezoning may also be used
to request upzonings (allowing for
greater development potential) of
individual properties, without any
requirement to submit plans or
document intended usage.
As part of its mission, GKCA
proposes some downzonings
and opposes upzonings which it
believes are not in the best interest
of our community or neighboring
properties. Often, opposition to an
upzoning is called for simply be-
cause the CZMP does not require
the applicant to describe what the
actual plans are for the property.
The following is a brief summary
of CZMP Issues in our area and the
GKCA position on each. More in-
formation can be found at our web
site, gkca.info, which also provides
links to the County web site.
Issue 3-044, 12021 Belair Rd
(owned by St Paul's Church)
requests change from ROA (Resi-
dential Office) to BL CR (Business
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Local). GKCA opposes this change
as it would encroach further into
the neighboring residential prop-
erty. The current property contains
a house, which is suited to the
present ROA zoning.
Issue 3-049, 12607 Fork Rd
(Sunshine Grill) requests to change
the back third of the property from
RC 5 (Residential) to BL CR.
GKCA opposes this change, since
two thirds of this parcel is already
entirely impervious surface. Such
a request for upzoning should be
done through the cycle zoning
process(as opposed to the CZMP)
with submission of plans for use,
parking, and landscaping of the
entire property.
Issues 3-066 and 3-073 are for
adjacent parts of the 24 acre vacant
property on the southeast corner
of Harford Rd and Sunshine Ave.
GKCA requested downzoning of
the small corner part from BL CR
to RC 2 and the owner requested
upzoning of the major part of
the property from RC 2 to a com-
bination of RC 5 (to build houses)
and BL CR (along Harford Rd)
Issue 3-068 at the end of
Hutschenreuter Rd was requested
by GKCA to implement a zoning
change that was agreed to in 2000.
Issue 3-080 (Belko in Franklin-
ville) was submitted by GKCA to
downzone the old factory from
MH (Manufacturing Heavy) to
RC 8 to ensure that no industrial
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use would ever again be allowed.
On-going discussions between a
potential buyer and Councilman
McIntire will likely determine the
final zoning.
Issue 3-082 (G&M Auto) was
requested by the owner to upzone
the house property to the south
of the business and the vacant lot
behind it to BM CR. The same
request was denied in 2004. GKCA
strongly opposes this change, since
it would be a further encroach
ent into the adjacent residential
neighborhood.
Issue 3-089, 12231 Harford Rd
(Bonaparte property), was requested
by the owner to change from RC 2
to RC 5, apparently to allow addi-
tional houses on this 32 acre prop-
erty. GKCA opposes this change,
since the surrounding area is RC 2
and further development would be
damaging to the environment.
Issue 3-090, the old State High-
way Garage behind the Kingsville
Liquor store, was requested by
the buyer after the building was
auctioned off in August 2007 for
$167,000. Most of the property is
RC 5, as was strongly pointed out
before the auction. Since then, that
buyer backed out and the prop-
erty was again auctioned in March
2008, this time for $215,000,
apparently to a building and home
contractor. GKCA opposes this up-
zoning from RC 5 to BL CR since
it would encroach further into the
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