ZONING REGULATION TEXT AMENDMENTS (ZRA)

Process for Amending the Text of the Zoning Regulations
How Do I Access Information concerning text ZRAs?
Pending text ZRAs

Process for Amending the Text of the Zoning Regulations
(see also Howard County Code, Section 16.208 )

Zoning regulation text amendments (ZRAs) may be proposed by individual citizens, businesses, their attorneys, members of the County Council, or the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ). Following are the steps in the process of amending the zoning regulation text:

• A person interested in changing the zoning regulations files a petition with the County Council through the Administrative Assistant for Zoning. Individuals may file petitions in two period of the year: between February 1 and February 28 and between August 1 and August 31. Council members and the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) may file petitions to amend the regulations that are in the public’s interest at any time.

• The Administrative Assistant for Zoning collects the required fees and assigns a number to the petition. She forwards copies to the member of the County Council and to the Department of Planning and Zoning and requests that the Planning Board schedule a meeting to consider the petition.

• The Department of Planning and Zoning circulates the petition to appropriate County departments for comment. After receiving those comments, the DPZ prepares a technical staff report, which includes recommendations to the Planning Board from the Department. It forwards the technical staff report to the Planning Board and to the County Council.

• After it receives the technical staff report, the Planning Board holds a public meeting to consider the proposed ZRA.

• The Planning Board forwards the ZRA with its recommendation to the County Council. The Planning Board may recommend approval, modification, or disapproval.

• The Chairperson of the County Council introduces a Council bill to place the ZRA before the Council for consideration. The Chairperson may file this bill anytime after the Council receives the recommendation of the Planning Board and the technical staff report. The bill filed by the Chairperson may introduce the ZRA as it was submitted by the petitioner or with amendments recommended by the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Planning Board, or members of the County Council.

• The County Council follows the normal procedure for considering and passing a bill. After introduction, a public hearing is scheduled. At a subsequent legislative session, the Council will give final consideration to the ZRA and send it to the County Executive for signature.

• If the ZRA is approved by the County Council, the Administrative Assistant for Zoning forwards a copy of the bill to DPZ, who amends the regulations as soon as the bill is effective (generally 61 days after it is enacted).

How Do I Access Information concerning text ZRAs?

• If you are unable to find the ZRA you are looking for on this page, please click here to direct you to the Zoning Regulation Amendments Archived page.

Pending text ZRAs

• ZRA 102, Wilde Lake Business Trust, to permit any owner of property within a Village Center to petition the Zoning Board to amend the various previous plan approvals for the purpose of redeveloping the Village Center.

• ZRA 113, General Growth Properties, to amend the New Town Zoning District and other sections of the Zoning Regulations to facilitate the revitalization and redevelopment of Downtown Columbia. Also submitted are Supplemental materials, including a General Plan Amendment, Adequate Public Facilities Amendment, Sustainability Framework, Merriweather and Crescent Environmental Enhancements Study, Design Guidelines, Generalized Traffic Study and Technical Appendix, Best Management Practices for Symphony Stream and Lake Kittamaqundi Watersheds, and a letter from Gregory Hamm/General Growth Properties, Inc., GGP Planning Board Response Matrix. 1965 General Plan Text Supplement General Plan. GGP ZRA Response To DPZ Jan 22, Matrix Jan 22, GGP GPA Response To DPZ Jan 22, GGP Exhibits Jan 22,Planning Board Testimony Matrix 4/9/09

ZRA 113 Application	Technical staff report
Planning Board Date = 01/08/09 03/19/2009* cont.	Planning Board Recommendation Part 1. GPA Recommendation Part 2. ZRA Recommendation
Downtown Columbia Plan (GPA) Council Bill 58-2009	10/14/09 Briefing Documents HC EDA Impact Study
Downtown Columbia Fiscal Results Downtown Columbia Assumptions Document	Downtown Columbia FIA
Zoning Regulation Amendment ZRA(113) Council Bill 59-2009	Public Hearing Date = 11/14/09 at 9:00 a.m. @ BOE 10910 State Route 108 Ellicott City, MD
Work Session 113009 Downtown Development Process	Development Process Created in CB59-2009

• ZRA 114, Tim Keane, to amend the Zoning Regulations of Howard County to amend Section 103.A.122 to add wording to provide that a preserved parcel need not contain a residential improvement.

ZRA 114 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 10/22/2009	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date= ___/___/___

• ZRA 115 Forest Motel, Inc., to amend the Zoning Regulations of Howard County to amend Section 117.3 (OT District) to add new Section C for the addition of an ice cream store and allow long term uses to continue in an OT zone.

ZRA 115 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date= 10/22/2009	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date= ___/___/__

• ZRA 116, Erickson Retirement Communities, to amend Section 103: Definitions and Section 127.1: PSC (Planned Senior Community) to provide appropriate regulations for a campus style Continuing Care Retirement Community ("CCRC").

ZRA 116 Application	Technical staff report
Planning Board Date = __/__/____	Planning Board recommendation
Council Bill XX-2008	Public Hearing Date = __/__/___

• ZRA 117, to amend the Supplementary Zoning Regulations Section of the Zoning Ordinance to allow apiaries to be located within the current 200 foot setback on residential lots, under certain conditions.

ZRA 117 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 02/04/2010	Planning Board recommendation
Council Bill XX-2008	Public Hearing Date = __/__/___

• ZRA 118, MDG Companies to amend the Zoning Regulations, Section 127.2 (Corridor Employment Zoning District), to increase the flexibility of uses within this zone in the Route 1 corridor by increasing the amount of first floor retail in office buildings and to decrease the minimum size of Parcels within the zone permitting uses allowed in larger CE zone properties.

ZRA 118 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date= 12/03/2009	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date= ___/___/___

• ZRA 119, Add new Conditional Use for Boutique Hotels

ZRA 119 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 02/04/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 120, Sec. 117.1 (BR) or RR properties in Marriottsville Area to be eligible for the BR floating zone

ZRA 120 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 01/07/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 121, Sec. 127.5(CAC) - to permit higher density of residential housing on CAC parcels located within 2000' of MARC station

ZRA 121 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 03/18/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 122, Sec. 118.B.37 (B-1) & 119.B.63 (B-2) re: Dwelling Units

ZRA 122 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 12/10/2009	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 123, Sec. 100.G.2.g. to provide Zoning Bd. authority to approve a variance in addition to Conditional Use

ZRA 123 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 12/10/2009	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 124, Sec. 103.A. to add new Section 139.2. (Route 40 Manual)

ZRA 124 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 03/18/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 125, Sec. 118.B. to add "kennels" as a matter or right in B-1 District

ZRA 125 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 01/07/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

• ZRA 126, To permit farmers markets & produce stands as conditional uses in R-20

ZRA 126 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 02/04/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

ZRA 127, To amend Section 122.B. of the Zoning Regulations to add the use category Hospitals, intermediate care facilities and residential treatment centers (the "Hospital Use Category") as a use permitted as a matter of right in the M-1 District.

ZRA 127 Application	Technical Staff Report
Planning Board Date = 01/07/2010	Planning Board Recommendation
Council Bill XX-2009	Public Hearing Date = __/__/__

* Cases not heard on the given date will roll over to the next meeting. For more information go to the Planning and Zoning Website