The Anne Arundel County Government consists of Departments and Offices as well as Boards & Commissions and other entities. These entities work together to serve our Citizen's needs.
With almost 54,000 businesses, Anne Arundel County is a major hub of commerce and development. With a $35 billion economy, low taxes, a vast multi-modal transportation system, highly skilled workforce and excellent educational institutions, Anne Arundel County is the premier location to do business.
The Zoning Administration Section of the Office of Planning and Zoning oversees the regulation and interpretation of the Anne Arundel County Zoning Ordinance and processes related applications.
Applicants are required to specify the height and number of stories of any structure shown on the administrative site plan and are encouraged to provide floor plans and/or architectural elevations to assist in the evaluation of any requested variance.
The County Zoning Ordinance, which is Article 18 of the Anne Arundel County Code and Bill Updates govern the use and development of individual property within Anne Arundel County. The Zoning Ordinance is a collection of regulations established to promote desired and mutually compatible patterns of land use within the County. While the first comprehensive Zoning Ordinance was adopted in Anne Arundel County on July 1, 1952, it has been subsequently amended many times by the Anne Arundel County Council. The review and revision of the County Zoning Ordinance is an ongoing project within the Zoning Division.
Zoning districts have been created and applied geographically based on the desired predominant use of land (e.g. residential, commercial, and industrial). Anne Arundel County has eight residential districts, four commercial districts, three industrial districts, five maritime districts that regulate water-dependent uses, and four mixed use districts. There are seven districts in the Odenton Growth Management Area District, five overlay districts, and three special districts. A descriptive summary of the individual Zoning Districts Classifications.
A set of bulk regulations is provided for each District. These set of laws regulate such areas as setbacks, height, lot area, lot width, and density. Overlays provide special regulations for targeted area or environmental features. The most well known overlay is the Critical Area Overlay that regulates development on lands located within 1,000 feet of the Chesapeake Bay and tributary streams. There is also a Bog Protection Overlay, a Commercial Revitalization Area Overlay, a Parole Town Center Overlay, and an Open Space Conservation Overlay.
The Zoning Ordinance is a “permissive” use ordinance; only the land uses specifically listed in the Code are allowed within the specific district. Uses not listed are not allowed. Each District has its own set of uses that are permitted as-of-right (P), permitted with conditions (C), permitted by special exception (SE), or permitted as an auxiliary to a business complex (A).
The zoning classification of property is determined by the official Zoning Maps of Anne Arundel County. To identify the zoning of a particular property you need some basic information: Tax ID number, address, or tax map, block, parcel number call (410) 222-7437 to request this information.
