Street Lines and Grades Required for Construction

Baltimore City Code art. 26, subtit. 26

in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-1 True lines required before construction.

§ 26-1. True lines required before construction. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to dig or lay the foundation of any building or to construct or reconstruct any building or any premises binding or abutting on any existing or proposed public or private street, lane, or alley, or to construct any wall or fence binding or abutting on any such street, lane, or alley before the true lines of all such streets, lanes, and alleys have been duly ascertained, fixed, and marked on the ground, either by the Department of Public Works as authorized in § 1-6 or § 1-7 of this article or by a duly licensed private land surveyor, unless the Director of Public Works certifies that in his opinion the true lines of all such streets, lanes, and alleys are already sufficiently marked on the ground by the existing physical improvements or landmarks. (Ord. 76-139; Ord. 49-504.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-2 Grades required before construction.

§ 26-2. Grades required before construction. (a) In general. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to dig or lay the foundation of any building or to construct or reconstruct any building on any premises binding or abutting on any existing or proposed public or private street, lane, or alley or to construct any wall or fence binding or abutting on any such street, lane, or alley before the grades of all such streets, lanes, and alleys have been duly established, as provided for in §§ 18-1 through 18-4 of this article and before the said established grades have been duly marked on the ground by or with the approval of the Department of Public Works, unless the Director of Public Works certifies that in his opinion the said duly established grade lines or lines are already sufficiently marked on the ground by the existing physical improvements or landmarks. (b) Compliance required for building permit. The Commissioner of Housing and Community Development shall not issue any permit to dig or lay the foundation of any building or to construct or reconstruct any building on any premises binding or abutting on any existing or proposed public or private street, lane, or alley or to construct any wall or fence binding or abutting on any such street, lane, or alley before the grades of all such streets, lanes, and alleys have been duly established as provided for in §§ 18-1 through 18-4 of this article. (Ord. 76-139; Ord. 48-504.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-3 Conformance required when building.

§ 26-3. Conformance required when building. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to do or perform any of the foundation, construction, or reconstruction work mentioned in §§ 26-1 and 26-2 of this article unless the said work shall be in conformity with the lines and grades ascertained, fixed, marked, and established as provided in said §§ 26-1 and 26-2. (Ord. 48-504.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-4 Housing Commissioner to enforce.

§ 26-4. Housing Commissioner to enforce. (a) In general. It shall be the duty of the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development to see that any such foundation, construction, or reconstruction work mentioned in §§ 26-1 and 26-2 of this article shall be dug, laid, constructed, or reconstructed in conformity with the lines and grades ascertained, fixed, marked, and established as provided in said §§ 26-1 and 26-2. (b) Stop work order. The Commissioner of Housing and Community Development is hereby authorized and empowered to stop, at any time or times, any such foundation, construction, or reconstruction work mentioned in §§ 26-1 and 26-2 of this article which the Department of Public Works certifies is not in conformity with the lines and grades ascertained, fixed, marked, and established as provided in said §§ 26-1 and 26-2, and to keep said work stopped until such nonconformities are corrected by and at the cost and expense of the person, firm, or corporation for whom said work is being done or constructed. (Ord. 76-139; Ord. 48-504; Ord. 00-083.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-5 {Reserved}

Baltimore City Code, Article 26, § 26-6 Penalties.

§ 26-6. Penalties. Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this subtitle, or violating the provisions of any order of the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development stopping nonconforming work as provided for in § 26-4 of this article, shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of $50 for each such offense, and a like sum of $50 for each and every day such violation shall continue. (Ord. 76-139; Ord. 48-504.)

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/26/26Fetched: 10/25/2026