Background
Bill No. 11-21 was passed by the County Council on May 3, 2021, which adopted “Plan2040”, the County’s General Development Plan. The 2021 law required that the County be divided into region planning areas. Plan2040 created nine region planning areas in the County.
A region plan is required for each region planning area. Region plans are intended to refine the recommendations for land use made in Plan2040 and are to be implemented through comprehensive zoning. Comprehensive zoning is a holistic way of updating the County zoning map. Under Maryland law, zoning must be consistent with planned land use.
Both the adoption of a region plan and the comprehensive zoning process will be carried out for the nine region planning areas through legislation in 2024 and following years. A change of zoning for a property in a specific region planning area may be made by amendment to a comprehensive zoning bill for that region.
This page is intended to be a guide for citizens and property owners and a pathway to an application to the County Council to request an amendment to change the zoning for a property in a particular region. Specific regions will be added to this page as specific legislation is introduced.
Notice of Applications to County Council to Request a Change to Zoning and Proposed Amendments
View a list of Region 9 applications for zoning changes made to the County Council. This list also includes notice of amendments to bills that will be proposed.
If you need to submit an application for a specific region, please expand the correct section below and follow the link to an application.
IMPORTANT! Applications to Request a Change of Zoning for a Property in Region 9 are BEING ACCEPTED.
On January 14, 2025 the County Council introduced the following region plan and comprehensive zoning bills:
Bill No. 3-25: AN ORDINANCE concerning: General Development Plan - Region 9 Plan
Bill No. 4-25: AN ORDINANCE concerning: Comprehensive Zoning - Region 9
Important Dates:
| January 14, 2025: County Council Introduction of the draft Plan and draft Comprehensive Zoning Map for Region 9 (Bill No. 3-25 and Bill No. 4-25) |
| January 15, 2025: 5:00 p.m. - deadline for applicants to submit request for amendment to be considered at February 3 Council meeting - applications that require a sign will not be considered at the February 3 Council meeting |
| January 24, 2025: 5:00 p.m. - deadline for applicants to submit request for amendment to be considered at February 18 Council meeting |
| February 3, 2025: First hearing for Region 9 bills |
| February 3, 2025: Deadline for posting of sign for any zoning change to be considered at the February 18 Council meeting |
| February 7, 2025 - deadline for applicants to submit request for amendment to be considered at March 3 Council meeting |
| February 13, 2025: 11:59 pm – deadline for applicants to submit certification of posting to Council for February 18 Council meeting |
| February 17, 2025: Deadline for posting of sign for any zoning change to be considered at the March 3 Council meeting |
| February 18, 2025: Second hearing for Region 9 bills |
| February 25, 2025: 5:00 p.m. - deadline for applicants to submit request for amendment that require a sign to be considered at March 17 Council meeting |
| February 27, 2025: 11:59 pm – deadline for applicants to submit certification of posting to Council for March 3 Council Meeting |
| March 3, 2025: Third hearing for Region 9 bills |
| March 5, 2025: FINAL DEADLINE for applications NOT requiring a sign to be considered at the March 17 Council Meeting |
| March 6, 2025: FINAL DEADLINE for posting any sign for any zoning change to be considered at the March 17 Council meeting |
| March 16, 2025: 11:59 pm – deadline for applicants to submit certification of posting to Council for March 17 Council meeting |
| March 17, 2025: Fourth hearing for Region 9 bills |
| April 7, 2025: No substantive amendments can be considered at this council meeting. Bill No. 3-25 and Bill No. 4-25 expire April 19, 2025 |
To view the final recommended drafts of the Comprehensive Zoning Map and the Tables of final recommended comprehensive zoning changes and consistency zoning changes, see the link below.