Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-401 Purpose.
§ 4-401. Purpose.
Design review is intended to provide a procedure to ensure that certain development proposals comply with the design standards established under this Code.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Design Review
Baltimore City Code art. 32, tit. 4, subtit. 4
in effectBaltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-402 Design Manual.
§ 4-402. Design Manual.
The Planning Commission must develop and may revise from time to time a Design Manual that sets forth required design standards in accordance with the goals and objectives set forth in this subtitle.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-403 Goals.
§ 4-403. Goals.
The goals governing development of the Design Manual are:
(1) to enhance the quality of the City’s built environment, architectural character, and sense of place;
(2) to foster economic vitality of the City’s neighborhoods and commercial districts;
(3) to enhance the overall urban design of Baltimore’s neighborhoods; and
(4) to enhance the quality of life of City residents with development that is sensitive to its context and adjacencies in the public realm.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-404 Objectives.
§ 4-404. Objectives.
The objectives governing development of the Design Manual are:
(1) to provide clear guidance for the design of residential, commercial, and mixed use development throughout the City;
(2) to facilitate the process for design review and approval of structures within the City’s development review process;
(3) to ensure that the public realm is as thoroughly considered and articulated as principal structures;
(4) to articulate spatial relationships, provide image, develop sense of place, and improve the aesthetics of the built environment; and
(5) to provide flexibility and encourage creative solutions to meet the intents and purposes of the Design Manual.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-405 Applicability.
§ 4-405. Applicability.
(a) In general.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, design review is required for the following types of development:
(1) new construction of dwellings;
(2) upper floor additions and roof decks on existing rowhouses;
(3) additions on street-front facades, to include deck, porch, and balcony additions;
(4) when exterior modifications are proposed for residential conversions in the R-7, R-8, R-9, and R-10 Districts;
(5) the establishment of a non-residential use within the R-MU Overlay District;
(6) all new construction and additions in the C-5 District;
(7) all substantial modifications of the facade of a structure in the C-5 District;
(8) planned unit development;
(9) any sign that is conditional on Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals approval, but without regard to its copy or message;
(10) any painted/mural sign, but without regard to its copy or message;
(11) any sign over 100 square feet in area;
(12) any electronic sign, freestanding sign, or roof sign, but without regard to its copy or message;
(13) any freestanding sign in the C-5 or PC District, and any banner sign, projecting sign, or wall sign above the ground floor in the C-5 or PC District, but without regard to its copy or message;
(14) any Signage Plan and any sign, but without regard to its copy or message, within an Area of Special Sign Control;
(15) multiple principal structures on a residential lot per § 15-203;
(16) any new construction that involves:
(i) a proposed development over 15,000 square feet;
(ii) a multi-tenant commercial development, including mixed-use development;
(iii) alteration to a street-front facade in a C-1 District; or
(iv) construction in a TOD District or in the W Overlay District; and
(17) new construction or substantive modifications that include a shared-use path.
(b) Exception.
Design review is not required for development projects that are subject to review by the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation.
(Ord. 25-015 Section 1; Ord. 22-181; Ord. 18-216; Ord. 18-171; Ord. 17-015; Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-406 Approval prerequisite to permit.
§ 4-406. Approval prerequisite to permit.
Design review approval is required before any permits may be issued for any development to which § 4-405{“Applicability”} of this subtitle applies.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-407 Submittal requirements.
§ 4-407. Submittal requirements.
Submittal requirements for design review are:
(1) as provided in § 5-201 {“Filing”} of this Code; and
(2) as required by the Director of Planning.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-408 Procedures.
§ 4-408. Procedures.
(a) Director to review.
Once it is determined that an application is subject to design review, the Director of Planning must review the project for compliance with the design standards of this Code.
(b) Time for completion.
(1) Design review must be completed within 15 days of receipt of a complete application.
(2) If, in the Director’s judgment, the application does not contain sufficient information to complete design review, the Director of Planning may request additional information from the applicant. In that event, the 15-day period will be suspended pending receipt of all requested information. A decision must be rendered within 15 days of receipt of the additional information.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-409 Administrative exceptions.
§ 4-409. Administrative exceptions.
(a) Purpose and applicability.
(1) This Code recognizes that the design standards cannot address every anticipated architectural design element of a development. Accordingly, an administrative exception to the design standards of the district may be requested during the design review process.
(2) This administrative exception allows the Director of Planning to approve exceptions to the design standards within each of the districts.
(b) Authority.
(1) The Director of Planning may approve an administrative exception in cases where the proposed architectural design of a structure meets the intent of the design review provisions but fails to meet 1 or more specific design standards.
(2) The Director of Planning may not approve any administrative or other exception for any of the use, bulk, or yard standards of the zoning district.
(c) Standard for exceptions.
In order to approve an administrative exception, the Director of Planning must find that:
(1) the administrative exception is generally compatible with the intent of the design standards and the area of the development; and
(2) the design integrity and details of the building are acceptable within the context of a specific site and need not be achieved through a strict response to the details of the design standards contained in this Code.
(Ord. 16-581.)
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, § 4-410 Administrative appeals.
§ 4-410. Administrative appeals.
(a) Appeal to Commission.
An applicant who is aggrieved by the final design review decision of the Director of Planning may appeal that decision to the Planning Commission.
(b) When filed.
Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the Planning Director’s final decision on the design review.
(c) Hearing.
The Planning Commission must review the decision at a public hearing held within 45 days of receiving the appeal.
(Ord. 16-581.)
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/32/4/4Fetched: 10/25/2026