Baltimore City Council - Regular Meeting

Call to Order

Invocation

Rev. Dr. Alvin Gwynn, Sharp Leadenhall Baptist Church

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

Approval of the Journal

June 22, 2026 June 24, 2026 (Special Meeting)

Ordinance of Estimates for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2027

FOR the purpose of providing the appropriations estimated to be needed by each agency of the City of Baltimore for operating programs and capital projects during the Fiscal 2027 year.

Annual Property Tax – Fiscal Year 2027

FOR the purpose of providing a tax for the use of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; and setting the semiannual payment service charge for that period.

Charter Amendment – Procurement Reform

FOR the purpose of repealing the requirement for the Board of Estimates to make a bid award to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder; setting a special effective date; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.

Charter Amendment – Budget, Veto, and Board of Estimates Reform

FOR the purpose of amending certain processes, requirements, and permissions relating to the adoption and rejection of ordinances and resolutions; amending certain processes, requirements, and permissions relating to the adoption and rejection of the City's budget and certain tax rates; removing certain improper, non-essential, obsolete, and redundant provisions; setting a special effective date; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.

Charter Amendment – Minor Privileges

FOR the purpose of providing for the grant of certain minor privilege rights under a process established by ordinance; removing certain improper, non-essential, obsolete, and redundant provisions; setting a special effective date; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.

Operating Budget for the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2027

FOR the purpose of approving the budget estimated to be needed for the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners for operating programs during Fiscal 2027; providing for certification of the approved budget to the State Superintendent of Schools; and providing for a special effective date.

Charter Amendment – Department of Water and Wastewater

FOR the purpose of establishing a Department of Water and Wastewater among the Executive Departments; providing for the powers and duties of the Department of Water and Wastewater; transferring certain powers and duties from the Department of Public Works to the Department of Water and Wastewater; repealing certain obsolete provisions; conforming, correcting, and clarifying related provisions; and submitting this amendment to the qualified voters of the City for adoption or rejection.

Fair Election Fund – Update

FOR the purpose of updating certain provisions regarding the Fair Election Fund; amending the list of elections eligible for the Fund; clarifying procedures for candidate withdrawal from an election; amending post-election procedures; and generally relating to the Fair Election Fund.

Parking Tax – Special Fund for Fair Elections Surcharge

FOR the purpose of imposing a surcharge on the City’s parking tax; directing the proceeds of the surcharge to the special fund for fair elections; and repealing an obsolete moratorium.

Study and Report – Licensing and Registration Status of Non Owner Occupied Rental Dwelling Units

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Planning, and the Department of Finance to submit a report to the Mayor and City Council that details the licensing and registration status of all non-owner-occupied dwelling units in the City, the number of non-owner-occupied dwelling units in the City and each Council District, the number of non-owner-occupied dwelling units that meet certain requirements of the Code, the number of non-owner-occupied dwelling units that have been cited for failure to comply with certain requirements of the Code, and the number of non owner-occupied dwelling units that are owned by City residents.

Rental Dwellings – Pricing Algorithm Use – Disclosure

FOR the purpose of requiring a landlord to disclose certain information regarding rental fees to current and prospective tenants; defining certain terms, establishing certain penalties; and granting the Department of Housing and Community Development authority to promulgate certain rules and regulations.

Vehicle Towing from Private Lots and Parking Facilities – Revisions

FOR the purpose of establishing certain maximum charges for towing services; specifying certain required information to be included on towing service receipts and daily logs maintained by each towing service; specifying certain limitations on incomplete tows; requiring that a towing service accept credit cards; prohibiting certain instances of patrol towing; making certain stylistic changes; conforming, clarifying, and correcting related provisions; and generally related to the regulation of vehicle towing from private lots and facilities in Baltimore City.

Data Centers Over 5 Megawatts – Moratorium

FOR the purpose of establishing a data center capable of using 5 megawatts or more of electricity as a prohibited use Citywide; and defining certain terms.

Transit-Oriented Development – Downtown Baltimore

FOR the purpose of supporting a State Transit-Oriented Development designation for the area surrounding and including the Lexington Market, Charles Center, and Shot Tower Metro Stations; the Mount Vernon, Lexington Market, Baltimore Arena, Convention Center, and Camden Station Light Rail Stations; and the Camden Yards MARC Station.;and providing for a special effective date.

Transit-Oriented Development – Rogers Avenue

FOR the purpose of supporting a State Transit-Oriented Development designation for the area surrounding and including the Rogers Avenue Metro Station; and providing for a special effective date.

Informational Hearing – Affordable Housing Trust Fund

FOR the purpose of requiring the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Commission, and inviting relevant stakeholders to appear before the City Council and to provide annual reports on the accomplishments of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, including units produced and residents helped, the income level of residents served, the required items to be reported upon that are specified in both the Charter amendment that established the Fund and in the ordinance that created the funding source, and any additional information the Council may request.

Informational Hearing – Cannabis Licenses

FOR the purpose of requiring representatives from the Baltimore City Health Department, the Department of Planning, and the Office of the Zoning Administrator, and inviting representatives from the Maryland Cannabis Administration, the Maryland Office of Social Equity, and any interested stakeholders, to appear before the City Council to discuss: (1) the approval process for cannabis businesses located in the City; (2) the City's role in compliance with the requirements for cannabis businesses under State law; and (3) the experience of cannabis businesses operating or seeking to operate in the City, including those that have been granted a social equity license by the Maryland Cannabis Administration.

Informational Hearing – Impact of Brownouts

FOR the purpose of requiring the Health Department, the Department of Public Works, and the Office of Emergency Management, and inviting representatives from the Maryland Public Service Commission, the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, and any interested energy experts and stakeholders, to appear before the City Council to discuss the public health, safety, and economic impact of electrical brownouts in the City, including an assessment of the City's brownout response preparedness to protect communities burdened by environmental and infrastructural inequities

Informational Hearing – Land Value Tax

FOR the purpose of requiring the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Finance, the Mayor's Office of Small and Minority Business Advocacy and Development, and the Department of Planning, and inviting Live Baltimore, the Baltimore Development Corporation, the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, and other relevant stakeholders to a hearing to evaluate the benefits of implementing a split-rate property tax system in Baltimore City, including its effect on absentee property ownership and speculation, vacant residential and commercial properties, owner-occupant homeowner property taxes, and housing production.

Informational Hearing – Law Enforcement Memoranda of Understanding

FOR the purpose of requiring the Baltimore Police Department to appear before the City Council to provide: (1) a summary and documentation of all currently active memoranda of understanding governing mutual aid, concurrent jurisdiction, related law enforcement coordination, as well as any amendments, renewals, or superseding agreements; (2) a summary and documentation of any supporting materials the Department relies on in managing those agreements, including implementation schedules and related process updates; and (3) a status update on the Department's process for reviewing, revising, publishing, and implementing those agreements.

Consent Calendar

(See Section A at back of Agenda)

Zoning – Conditional Use – Retail Goods Establishment (With Alcoholic Beverage Sales) – Variances – 600 West North Avenue

FOR the purpose of permitting, subject to certain conditions, the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a retail goods establishment (with alcoholic beverage sales) on the property known as 600 West North Avenue (Block 3435, Lot 001), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat; granting variances from certain bulk and yard regulations and off-street parking maximums; and, providing for a special effective date.

Measurement of Building Height – Gambrel Roofs

FOR the purpose of amending the calculation of building height measurement for buildings with gambrel roofs.

Sale of Property – 220 Guilford Avenue

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to sell, at either public or private sale, all its interest in certain property that is located at 220 Guilford Avenue (Block 0612, Lot 010) and is no longer needed for public use; and providing for a special effective date.

Street Names – Authority to Change Suffix

FOR the purpose of granting to the City Council the authority to change the suffix of a street name.

Zoning – Conditional Use Conversion of a Single-Family Dwelling Unit to 2 Dwelling Units in the R-8 Zoning District – Variance – 812 N Carey Street

FOR the purpose of permitting, subject to certain conditions, the conversion of a single-family dwelling unit to 2 dwelling units in the R-8 Zoning District on the property known as 812 N Carey Street (Block 0089, Lot 057), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat; granting a variance regarding certain bulk regulations (lot size area); and providing for a special effective date.

Rezoning – 901 S Caton Avenue

FOR the purpose of changing the zoning for the property known as 901 S Caton Avenue (Block 2108C, Lot 001), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat, from the OR-2 Zoning District to the C-2 Zoning District; and providing for a special effective date.

Baltimore Harbor – Transfer of Authority to Department of Transportation

FOR the purpose of repealing obsolete provisions of Subtitle 5 {“Harbor”} of the Public Local Laws of Baltimore City and Article 10 {“Harbors, Docks, and Wharves”} of the Baltimore City Code regarding Baltimore Harbor; transferring the authority to regulate Baltimore Harbor from the Department of Housing and Community Development to the Department of Transportation; establishing the Office of the Harbormaster and all attendant authorities and duties under the Department of Transportation; and otherwise relating to the use and management of Baltimore Harbor

RPP Area 48 (Riverside) – Revisions

FOR the purpose of increasing the allotment of parking permits for churches and increasing the hours for those permits in the Parking Management Plan Restatement for RPP Area 48.

Zoning – Conditional Use – Retail Goods Establishment (With Alcoholic Beverage Sales) – Variances – 600 West North Avenue

FOR the purpose of permitting, subject to certain conditions, the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a retail goods establishment (with alcoholic beverage sales) on the property known as 600 West North Avenue (Block 3435, Lot 001), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat; granting variances from certain bulk and yard regulations and off-street parking maximums; and, providing for a special effective date.

Sale of Property – 220 Guilford Avenue

FOR the purpose of authorizing the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore to sell, at either public or private sale, all its interest in certain property that is located at 220 Guilford Avenue (Block 0612, Lot 010) and is no longer needed for public use; and providing for a special effective date.

Zoning – Conditional Use Conversion of a Single-Family Dwelling Unit to 2 Dwelling Units in the R-8 Zoning District – Variance – 812 N Carey Street

FOR the purpose of permitting, subject to certain conditions, the conversion of a single-family dwelling unit to 2 dwelling units in the R-8 Zoning District on the property known as 812 N Carey Street (Block 0089, Lot 057), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat; granting a variance regarding certain bulk regulations (lot size area); and providing for a special effective date.

Rezoning – 901 S Caton Avenue

FOR the purpose of changing the zoning for the property known as 901 S Caton Avenue (Block 2108C, Lot 001), as outlined in red on the accompanying plat, from the OR-2 Zoning District to the C-2 Zoning District; and providing for a special effective date.

RPP Area 48 (Riverside) – Revisions

FOR the purpose of increasing the allotment of parking permits for churches and increasing the hours for those permits in the Parking Management Plan Restatement for RPP Area 48.

Committee Announcements

Announcements

THE NEXT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026, AT 5:00 P.M.

Adjournment

Thank you all for attending this meeting. Please check the area around your seat to make certain that you have everything that you brought with you. We will be closing the room shortly and ask that everyone exit promptly to the 1st floor main entrance. Thank you for visiting City Hall.