Zoning Regulation Amendments Case Chart

To add Activity Center and Activity Center Housing to the Zoning Regulations to align with the goals of the General Plan, HoCo By Design, and promote diverse housing opportunities within Activity Centers in the TOD and TNC zoning districts.

To revise existing zoning regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADU's) and align them with the broader goals of Howard County's General Plan, HoCo by Design, and the County's Housing Opportunities Master Plan and the State's recently passed ADU law (HB-1466).

To reduce conflicts in the current zoning code, add opportunities for agritourism, and also implement goals and policies of HoCo by Design by: adding new definitions and amending current definitions, amend Agritourism Special Farm Permit, add Incidental Outdoor Stays and Small-Scale Agritourism as a Special Farm Permit use, amend the Bed and Breakfast Inn use on ALPP properties and allow under Special Farm Permit, amend uses and certain restrictions for ALPP properties, amend Limited Social Assembly use and rename to Rural Venue Space, amend the Farm Winery and Brewery use to Farm Alcohol Producer, and increase the allowable lot coverage for detached accessory structures on RC and RR zoned properties developed with single-family detached dwellings.

To add Animal Hospitals as a permitted use in the M-1 (Manufacturing: Light) zoning district.

To amend Section 121.0 "CEF (Community Enhancement Floating) District" by adding language to prevent new petitions for creating CEF Districts from being processed, and to add legacy language for existing CEF petitions.

To create a new conditional use to allow Age-Restricted Adult Housing apartments in the R-ED, PGCC, R-20, R-12, R-SC, R-SA-8, and R-H-ED, provided that the property adjoins a B-1 zone and is within 1,000 feet of the intersection of two arterial roads.  The conditional use would allow up to 20 units per acre and have a 15% MIHU requirement.

To 1) add "Age-Restricted Adult Housing" as permitted use in the Planned Employment Center (PEC) zoning district with additional requirements and 2) amend the Moderate-Income Housing Units requirement for Age-Restricted Units in the R-SI, POR, CCT, CEF and PSC zoning districts to require 10% Moderate Income Housing units and an additional 5% Low-Income Housing Units or Disability Income Housing Units.

To remove the required 50 ft. setback from residentially zoned properties applicable to Nursing Homes and Residential Care Facilities subject to conditional use approval by deleting Section 131.0.N.38.d.  The setbacks imposed by the bulk regulations of the underlying district remain in effect unless otherwise reduced by variance pursuant to Section 130.0.B.2.  The proposed amendment would also modify Section 131.0.N.38.e to provide that the area not being used for buildings, parking areas or driveways would be 35% of the gross site area instead of 20% of the building envelope as currently required.

To amend Section 116 P.E.C. Bulk regulations to provide greater setbacks for research activities that require MDE air emission permits.

To amend the Corridor Employment (CE) zone under Section 127.2.B to add 'Warehousing, within a flex space' as a permitted use.

To amend the Zoning Regulations for the Corridor Activity Center (CAC) zone as follows:
- Amend Section 127.5.B to allow "Self Storage" as a commercial use
- Amend Section 127.5.E.2 to reduce commercial frontage requirement from 50% to 20%
- Delete Section 127.5.E.3.b

To amend Section 117.3.C to add "School, Commercial" as a permitted use, which would allow a low-intensity primary and secondary educational tutoring business to be located in the OT (Office Transition) zoning district.