With little change from last week’s vote, Council gives final approval to two of Scott’s zoning bills
Audience members waved “Democracy over Developers” and “Neighborhoods Matter” signs. But as expected, the mayor’s rule-relaxing, density-promoting legislation passed.
Above: Councilman James Torrence speaks against two zoning bills he says will hurt Black residents generally. (Fern Shen)
Despite growing opposition by community leaders from across the city, the Baltimore City Council tonight finalized two bills backed by Mayor Brandon Scott that make sweeping changes in zoning rules aimed at increasing housing density and growing the city.
There was little change from last week’s preliminary”second reader” vote. City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton, an opponent, was absent again. Another opponent of the two measures, Councilwoman Danielle McCray, also was absent tonight.
Bill 25-0064, the so-called bulk and yard bill, was approved 10-3.
It upzones tens of thousands of properties in rowhouse neighborhoods to allow structures to be built close to – and in some cases right up to – the property line. It would allow parcels currently zoned for one unit to accommodate two units.
Voting yes: Council President Zeke Cohen and Mark Parker (1st), Ryan Dorsey (3rd), Paris Gray (8th), John Bullock (9th), Phylicia Porter (10th), Zac Blanchard (11th), Jermaine Jones (12), Odette Ramos (14th) and, this time, Antonio Glover (13th).
Voting no: Mark Conway (4th), Yitzy Schleifer (5th) and James Torrence (7th).
Bill 25-0065, which eliminates the parking requirement that new apartment projects, was approved 8-5.
Voting yes: Cohen, Parker, Dorsey, Gray, Bullock, Blanchard, Jones and Ramos.
Voting no: Conway, Schleifer, Torrence, Porter and Glover.
The bills now go to Scott for his signature.
Audience members protest as the Baltimore City Council approves zoning bills 25-0064 and 25-0065. (Fern Shen)
“Wrong direction”
As before, West Baltimore Councilman Torrence tonight leveled scorching remarks at his colleagues, saying that “this council has now ignored the rights of black citizens in Baltimore, but also citizens who actually asked that we move slower.”
The last comprehensive overhaul of the city’s zoning regulations in 2017, Transform Baltimore, took four years, he pointed out. “This took four months.”
“Live Baltimore has done multiple studies that we paid for. It says that people who live here actually want a single-family home,” said Torrence, who argued that tonight’s bills would end up driving Black residents out of the city and hurt those families who remain.
Councilman Jermaine Jones rose to defend his “yes” votes.
“My vote is not in support of gentrification. Is not in support of moving people, but in support of lowering housing prices and creating more housing to help those who are experiencing a housing crisis,” the East Baltimore councilman said.
Speaking of legacy homeowners, Jones remarked that “they deserve more than just parking requirements to protect them, and if that’s the only thing we have to protect them, then shame on us.”
Southwest Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, who voted against Bill 25-0065, had a different perspective on parking.
“Parking requirements – as we’ve seen the oversaturation of substance abuse and mental health clinics in Baltimore – have been the only lever for communities to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ that they want a particular health clinics within their neighborhoods,” she said.
“Most of our Black and Brown communities are seeing that oversaturation. They are seeing their communities in decline,” she continued. “And this is going in the wrong direction.”