Baltimore City Council
File #: 23-0402    Version: 0 Name: Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals - Consent Agenda - Establishment
Type: Ordinance Status: Withdrawn
File created: 6/12/2023 In control: Baltimore City Council
On agenda: Final action: 6/24/2024
Enactment #:
Title: Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals - Consent Agenda - Establishment For the purpose of requiring that the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals establish a consent agenda at certain public hearings; establishing certain standards for the consent agenda; and defining a certain related term.
Sponsors: Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer, Eric T. Costello
Indexes: Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA), Consent Agenda
Attachments: 1. 23-0402~1st Reader, 2. 23-0402 Finance, 3. 23-0402 OECR

Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.

[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.

 

                     * Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.

                     The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.

                     Introductory*

 

                     City of Baltimore

                     Council Bill          

                                                                                                                                                           

Introduced by: Councilmember Schliefer

                                                                                                                                                           

 

                     A Bill Entitled

 

An Ordinance concerning

title

Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals - Consent Agenda - Establishment

For the purpose of requiring that the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals establish a consent agenda at certain public hearings; establishing certain standards for the consent agenda; and defining a certain related term.

body

 

By repealing and re-ordaining, with amendments

Article 32 - Zoning

Section 3-202(g)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Baltimore City Code

(Edition 2000)

 

By adding

Article 32 - Zoning

Section 1-304(n-1)

Baltimore City Code

(Edition 2000)

 

Section 1.  Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:

 

                     Baltimore City Code

 

                     Article 32.  Zoning

 

                     Title 1.  General Provisions

 

                     Subtitle 3.  Definitions

 

§ 1-304.  Chimney to Day-care center: Child”.

 

(n-1)   Consent agenda.

 

“Consent agenda” means 1 or more matters grouped as a single item on a meeting or hearing calendar that are presented for a vote without debate or amendment.

 

 

                     Title 3.  Outline of Code Administration

 

                     Subtitle 2.  Administrative Agencies and Officials

 

§ 3-202.  Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals.

 

(g)  Public hearings - Scheduling, notices, decision.

 

(1)                     The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals must:

 

(i) [(1)] fix a reasonable time and place for the public hearing of an application,

appeal, or other matter;

 

(ii) [(2)] give public notice of the hearing in accordance with Title 5 of this Code;

[and]

 

(iii) [(3)] require the applicant, appellant, or other person initiating the hearing to

 post the subject property with a notice of the time, place, and purpose of the

 hearing, as follows:

 

(A) [(i)] for a hearing on a variance or conditional use, as provided in

§ 5-602 {“BMZA - Major variances; conditional uses} of this

Code; and

 

(B) [(ii)] in all other cases, at least 21 days before the hearing[.]; and

 

(iv) establish a separate consent agenda at every public hearing, as

 follows:

 

(A)  every application, appeal, or other matter for which there is

 no community opposition shall be placed on the consent

 agenda;

 

(B)  every consent agenda item shall be independently reviewed

 by the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals for

 compliance and conformance with the technical requirement

 necessary for filing of such application, appeal, or other

 matter; and

 

(C)  every consent agenda item that complies with item (B) of this

 subparagraph shall be approved by the Board of Municipal

 and Zoning Appeals without any independent scrutiny of the

 Board of the technical legal review requirements that

 would otherwise typically apply to the requisite application,

 appeal, or other matter, if it were to be contested.

 

(2)                     It is the express intent of this subsection that every uncontested  application, appeal, or other matter that is properly filed with the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals shall be approved by the Board.

 

Section 2.  And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.