Rowhouse and Multi-Family Residential Districts – Bulk and Yard Regulations
Baltimore City Code, Article 32, Table 9-401
in effectTable 9-401 Rowhouse and Multi-Family Residential Districts – Bulk and Yard Regulations
Categories | Specifications (Per District)
R-5 | R-6 | R-7 | R-8 | R-9 | R-10
Minimum Lot Area
Community ... Open-Space Garden or Farm | None | None | None | None | None | None
Dwelling: Detached | 3,000 sq.ft. | 3,000 sq.ft. | 3,000 sq.ft. | 3,000 sq.ft. | 3,000 sq.ft. | 3,000 sq.ft.
Dwelling: Semi-Detached | 2,500 sq.ft. | 2,000 sq.ft. | 2,000 sq.ft. | 2,000 sq.ft. | 2,500 sq.ft. | 2,000 sq.ft.
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 2,500 sq.ft. | 1,500 sq.ft. | 1,100 sq.ft. | 750 sq.ft. | 750 sq.ft. | 500 sq.ft.
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 1,500 sq.ft./du | 1,000 sq.ft./du | 750 sq.ft./du | 500 sq.ft./du | 550 sq.ft./du | 200 sq.ft./du
Dwelling: Multi-family (Age-Restricted) | 1,500 sq.ft./du | 1,000 sq.ft./du | 750 sq.ft./du | 500 sq.ft./du | 550 sq.ft./du | 200 sq.ft./du
Park or Playground | None | None | None | None | None | None
Residential-Care Facility | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD
Residential-Care Facility (Age-Restricted) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd) | Lot area to be comparable to that for a like-sized M-FD (Age-Restrctd)
Rooming House | N/A | N/A | N/A | 375 sq.ft./ru | 275 sq.ft./ru | 100 sq.ft./ru
Urban Agriculture | None | None | None | None | None | None
All Other Uses | 3,000 sq. ft. | 3,000 sq. ft. | 3,000 sq. ft. | 3,000 sq. ft. | 3,000 sq. ft. | 3,000 sq. ft.
Maximum Bldg Height
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 feet
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 feet | 35 or 45 feet 1 | 35 or 45 feet 1 | 35 or 45 feet 1
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 45 or 60 feet 3 | 3.0 FAR | 6.0 FAR
All Other Uses | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 35 or 45 feet 2 | 45 or 60 feet 3 | 45 feet | 45 feet
Maximum Lot Coverage
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 35%
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% or 100% 4 | 40% | 80%
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% or 100% 4 | 40% | 80%
All Other Uses | 40% | 40% | 70% | 70% | 40% | 70%
Maximum Impervious Surface
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60% | 60%
Dwelling: Rowhouse (Rear Yard) | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65% | 65%
Minimum Front Yard
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | Lesser of 25ft. or blockface average 5 | Lesser of 20ft. or blockface average 5 | Lesser of 20ft. or blockface average 5 | Lesser of 20ft. or blockface average 5 | Lesser of 40ft. or blockface average 5 | Lesser of 20ft. or blockface average 5
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 25 feet | 20 feet | 10 feet | None | 25 feet | None
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 25 feet | 20 feet | 10 feet | None | 45 or 65 feet 6 | None
All Other Uses | 25 feet | 20 feet | 10 feet | None | 25 feet | None
Minimum Interior-Side Yard
Dwelling: Detached | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet
Dwelling: Semi-Detached 7 | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet
Dwelling: Rowhouse | None | None | None | None | None | None
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 10 feet or None8 | 10 feet or None8 | 5 feet or None8 | 5 feet or None8 | 5 feet or None8 | 5 feet or None8
All Other Uses | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet
Minimum Corner-Side Yard
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet | 5 feet
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | None | None | None
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | None | 15 feet | None
All Other Uses | 10 feet | 10 feet | 5 feet | None | 5 feet | None
Minimum Rear Yard
Dwelling: Detached or Semi-Detached | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet
Dwelling: Rowhouse | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 16 feet or None9 | 10 feet | 10 feet
Dwelling: Multi-Family | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 16 feet or None9 | 10 feet | 10 feet
All Other Uses | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 25 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet
1 A height higher than 35 feet – up to a maximum of 45 feet – is allowed for: (i) a rowhouse located on an interior lot that adjoins a street right-of-way of at least 40 feet wide; or (ii) a rowhouse located on a corner lot at which each of the adjoining street rights-of-way are at least 40 feet wide. 2 For a structure located on an interior lot, the maximum height is 35 feet. For a structure located on a corner lot at which each of the adjoining street rights-of-way are at least 30 feet wide, the maximum height is 45 feet. 3 For a structure located on an interior lot, the maximum height is 45 feet. For a structure located on a corner lot at which each of the adjoining street rights-of-way are at least 30 feet wide, the Zoning Board may allow a height of up 60 feet as a conditional use. 4 For a lot with a depth of less than 80 feet, if the rear property abuts an alley, the maximum lot coverage is 100%. Otherwise, the maximum lot coverage is 80%. 5 In this listing, “blockface average” means the average of the front-yard setbacks of the improved lots on the blockface. 6 For a structure that comprises 6 or fewer stories, the minimum front-yard requirement is 45 feet. For a structure that comprises 7 or more stories, the minimum front-yard requirement is 65 feet. However, a structure designed with a courtyard is allowed a reduction of the minimum front-yard requirement, as provided in § 9-403 {“Setback reduction for courtyard design”}. 7 For semi-detached dwellings, interior-side yards are required only along the interior-side lot line where the party wall between dwellings is not located. 8 If a Dwelling: Multi-Family is attached or on the attached side of a semi-detached structure the required Minimum-Interior Side Yard is none. 9 Where 100% lot coverage is allowed, no rear yard setback is required.
(Ord. 25-063 Section 1; Ord. 18-171; Ord. 17-015; 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/zoning-tables/9-401Fetched: 10/25/2026