DEVELOPMENT & ZONING
3 Digit Sign Code
The requirement for posting signs with large three digit codes was enacted under Council Bill 16-2007. The purpose is to provide easy identification of land development and zoning matters in the county. Posted signs advertise and identify upcoming cases and presubmission community meetings. The large sign code is located in the upper left hand corner of the sign. The code can be observed while driving by. It can then be referred to in order to get more information on the case or meeting by either calling DPZ or looking the code up on the County website.
Public Hearing Notice (Red Sign with White Lettering)
B 01-99: Board of Appeals
D 01-99: DPZ Cases, Administrative Adjustments, Temporary Uses, Non-Conforming Uses
H 01-99: Hearing Examiner
P 01-99: Planning Board
Z 01-99: Zoning Board
Pre-Submission Community Meeting (Blue Sign with White Lettering)
C 01-99: Conditional Use
R 01-99: Residential Development
M 01-99: Zoning Map Amendment Request
Public Notice of New Subdivision (White Sign with Black Lettering)
These signs are posted at the proposed entrance to a new subdivision. It does not include a code, but provides information on the proposed number of lots and references the associated file number.
Adequate Public Facilities Ordinace | Jeff Bronow | 410-313-4370
Detailed Allocations: For all projects by planning area.
Housing Unit Allocation Chart: Includes available allocations for the current 2010 allocation year and future years as well as the total number of tentative allocations granted and requested aggregated by Planning Area. The chart is updated weekly reflecting all new plan submissions and approvals. (Note that available allocations for future years are subject to change based on the rolling average provision).
Bin Closed Status
Housing Unit Allocations Not Available
School's Test
Open/Closed School Chart
Bin charts indicate projects on hold in the waiting bin due to housing unit allocations not being available and closed schools for the current year. Charts are updated as new plans are added.
| School District Bin Closed Status | School District Maps |
| Elementary | Elementary |
| Middle | Middle |
| School Regions | High |
Our public service counter serves as a customer service center, which is the first point of contact for citizens who are seeking planning related assistance and information, would like to submit plans and applications, or want to make contact with specific department staff. Documents, plats, maps, and other items can also be purchased through the customer service center.
- Building Permit Processing (Zoning review only; general questions on building permit applications should go to the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits)
- Verify zoning of particular properties (Official, formal written verifications may be obtained by writing to Zoning Administration)
- Interpret the Zoning Regulations (Official, formal written interpretations may be obtained by writing to Zoning Administration.)
- Review and give zoning authorization for grading permits, business licenses, and various other permits.
 Maps & Development Tracking: Search Plans & Waivers Pre-Submission Meetings |
Forms, Fees and Applications Publications and Reports |
The Division of Land Development administers the development plan review process in an efficient and consistent manner to ensure that proposed development plans conform to all County regulations and are functional.
Additionally, the Division helps property owners, business owners, community associations, realtors, prospective homeowners and others obtain the information they need on development regulations and or plan approvals.
The Development Engineering Division is another integral part of the development process by reviewing plans for compliance with current County and State stormwater management criteria.
Development Plans Submitted | Archives: | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
Summarizes all new development plans submitted including sketch, preliminary equivalent, final, and site development plans. Activity is reported over a two week period.
Mapping: Tracks development plans currently in process as well as approved.
Current Year: All in-process, approved and recorded plans are shown.
Archived Previous Years: All approved and recorded plans shown.
For projects with significant economic development benefits, the Division of Land Development oversees and coordinates a 30-day fast track process. Recent fast track efforts have facilitated the development of buildings withina number of the County's industrial parks, including Columbia Gateway, Troy Hill, Montpelier Research Park, Meadowridge Business Park and Gateway Commerce Center, as well as independent sites, such as the Baltimore-Washington Tech Center and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Related forms, fees and applications
Pre-Submission Community Meetings | Requirements
| Notification Form | Development Review Process | Public Meeting Places Locator
Current Meeting Notices
One Year History
Required prior to the initial submittal of plans for any new residential development (Sec. 16.128, Subdivision & Land Development Regulations).
Meeting Times: Between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, weekday evening or between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on Saturday.
Meeting Location: Within approximately 5 miles of the proposed development site in a public or institutional building.
Also required prior to the submittal of a petition for a Conditional Use (Section 131.F) or a zoning map amendment. Notification Form
Mapping: Tracks conditional use (C), zoning board (M) and residential infill (R) meetings.
The Development Engineering Division is responsible for the redline review process which is used when minor modifications or revisions are required for active or inactive commercial site development plans, residential site development plans, road construction plans or public water and sewer plans.
The Construction Inspection Division or the Department of Public Works/Bureau of Engineering is responsible for all redline revisions during the as-built process after construction is complete.
Related Forms, fees and applications
Subdivision Review Committee | SRC Agency Contacts
The Subdivision Review Committee or SRC consists of representatives from various County agencies, the State Highway Administration, the Bureau of Environmental Health and the Howard Soil Conservation District. Each SRC agency reviews subdivision and site plans from the perspective of that agency's area of responsibility. The SRC compares and coordinates these comments at its weekly meeting, and the Division of Land Development determines the appropriate plan action and transmits the SRC comments to the applicant. This SRC coordination ensures that applicants do not have to respond to contradictory demands from different review agencies and that plans can adequately address all basic requirements.
Waiver Petitions | Archives: | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003
Bi-weekly reports summarizing all new waiver petition applications submitted over a two week period. Associated file reference numbers for each waiver petition and associated plan are included where applicable.
Mapping: Tracks waiver petitions currently in process as well as approved.
Current Year: All in-process and decided waiver petitions are shown.
Archived Previous Years: All decided waiver petitions for that year.
The Division of Public Service and Zoning Administration operates the customer service center, conducts general Zoning Administration functions and zoning enforcement, and evaluates petitions for administrative hearings and hearings before the Hearing Examiner, Board of Appeals and Zoning Board.
[IMPORTANT NOTE: THE SIGN REGULATIONS ARE NOT ADMINISTERED BY THIS DIVISION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PART OF THE ZONING REGULATIONS. PLEASE CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTONS, LICENSES AND PERMITS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SIGN REGULATIONS.]
- Issues official, formal written Zoning Verification Letters confirming the zoning and other relevant information on properties. Related Forms,Fees and Applications.
- Issues official, formal written interpretations of the Zoning Regulations. Related Forms,Fees and Applications.
- Evaluates applications for Administrative Adjustments, Temporary Uses, and Nonconforming Uses (Confirmations Only), conducts administrative hearings, and prepares Decisions on these cases.
- Evaluates applications for the Hearing Authority (Conditional Uses, Variances, Nonconforming Uses (Alterations and Enlargements), the Zoning Board (Rezoning/Map Amendments), the County Council (Zoning Regulation Amendments) and prepares the Technical Staff Reports on these cases.
- Prepares the Planning Board Recommendations on Rezoning/Map Amendments and Zoning Regulation Amendments cases.
- Manages the Historic District Commission process.
- Investigates violations of the Zoning Regulations and conducts the legal enforcement procedures to effect compliance with those regulations. Forms, Fees and Applications
- Issues various zoning permits (Christmas Tree Sales, Snowball Stands, Farm Produce Stands, Home-based Contractors, Agritourism Permits)
Department of Planning and Zoning | 3430 Court House Drive | Ellicott City, MD 21043
Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm | Phone: 410-313-2350 | Fax: 410-313-3467
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