City crafts first zoning overhaul in 40 years

Hearings where public testimony will be taken (doors open one hour before time listed for individuals to ask questions of Planning Department staff):

Thursday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. — War Memorial Building (101 N. Gay St.)

Thursday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. — BCCC, Liberty Campus (2901 Liberty Heights Ave.)

Saturday, Jan. 5 at 11 a.m. — Polytechnic Institute (1400 W. Cold Spring Lane)

Thursday, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. — Southeast Regional Library (3601 Eastern Ave.)

Thursday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. — Morgan State University

Thursday, March 7 at time to be announced — Planning Department (417 E. Fayette St., 8th Floor)

Wednesday, April 3 at 5 p.m. — City Council Hearing at City Hall

Open Space Zoning District. Permanently preserves open space "as an important public asset and critical environmental infrastructure" in order to "enhance the quality of life for city residents." Many park areas are currently zoned for residential use, according to the Planning Department.

Bio-Science Campus Zoning District. Allows for a "broad mix of uses" including office, research and development, limited retail, educational facilities and some high-density residences. An earlier version of this zoning district was amended to allow for limited retail, according to the department.

Rowhouse Mixed-Use Overlay District. "Intended to address those areas of rowhouse development where a mixed-use environment is desired, where some rowhouse structures are used for residential uses and others for first-floor commercial uses." East 25th Street between North Calvert and Barclay streets in the Barclay neighborhood is a good example of this zoning overlay, the department said.

• Maritime Industrial Zoning District. Will preserve "deep-water frontage of the Port of Baltimore for maritime use by delineating an area where maritime shipping can be conducted." This new district will prevent waterfront residences from cropping up on land important to the city's shipping industry, the department said.

Transit-Oriented Development Districts. Four district types with varying building height, residential density and mixed-use requirements for areas around current and future transits hubs. The districts are designed to encourage development that will increase the use of public transportation.