Shopping center criteria has been changed to establish Board of Appeals review based on square footage. The Zoning Administrator can approve centers of less than 20,000 square feet. Shopping centers over 20,000 square feet will be developed as Integrated Community Shopping Centers subject to Board of Appeals approval. Shopping centers were added as permitted uses in Commercial Industrial (CI) zoning district.
Vehicle repair shops were added as permitted uses in the CI and General Industrial (GI) districts. Hotels and motels were added as permitted uses in the Light Industrial zoning districts (LI) where they were once Special Exceptions. Building height limits will be measured in feet rather than stories. Height limitations have been modified to 65 feet in the Mixed Office (MO) districts.
The draft zoning code maintains the transfer of development rights, recommending Rural Residential (RR) and Village Residential (VR) as receiving areas. The number of development rights transferred may be equal to the permitted density allowed in those two zoning district. Transfer will be limited to one time.
Two special development sections have been added in the zoning code. One would require that mobile home parks be at least 10 acres in the Urban Residential (R3 or R4) zoning districts.
The other section pertains to corporate office parks. The parks are to be designed to provide employment centers for high-tech industry, research and development facilities, business and corporate offices, with some limited retail, service and residential uses. The parks must have a minimum of 250 acres, unless located next to an existing corporate office park, and be within a priority funding areas.
Priority funding areas include municipalities, enterprise zones, neighborhoods designated by the Maryland Dept. of Housing and Community for revitalization, and other areas targeted for economic development.
A number of changes have been made concerning Special Exceptions.
In the LI district, arenas and stadiums were added and petroleum refining uses, hotels and motels eliminated. Cemeteries, memorial gardens and crematories also were added in the LI district but removed from the MO district.
Riding stables (commercial or club), small engine repairs and tourist homes were added in the Agricultural (AG) district. Continuing Care Retirement Communities, housing for the elderly, health services and medical clinics were deleted as Special Exceptions in AG districts.
Kennels were deleted as Special Exceptions in the Village Business (VB), Neighborhood Business (B1) and Community Business (B2) districts. However, kennels were added as a permitted use in the B2 district.
Miniature golf courses were added in VB district.
Hospitals and specialty shops were eliminated as Special exceptions in Village Residential (VR) district. Hobby and craft supply businesses were deleted from the Residential Office (RO) districts.
The County planning department’s final draft is expected to be sent to the Harford Council in September.
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