The "Highlandtown Business Area Urban Renewal Plan" was Approved by The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore by Ordinance 511 on October 25, 1977. It was further amended on May 5, 1997 and the Amendment was Approved by The Mayor and City Council of Baltimore by Ordinance 209 on November 11, 1997.

The complete Urban Renewal Plan and Amendments document can be mailed to you by contacting coordinator@highlandtownmerchants.com.

What Does The Urban Renewal Plan Mean to Merchants?
The basic goal of the Urban Renewal Plan is the revitalization of the Highlandtown Business Area in order to create a unique neighborhood retail business district with enhanced visibility, attractiveness and convenience for residents of the surrounding community and of the City as a whole. The objectives of the Plan include:

1. establishing a positive and identifiable image for the Highlandtown Business area
2. promoting new retail business activity in the area
3. establishing minimum, comprehensive design and rehabilitation standards that will enhance the business area through private investment
4. bring about the general physical improvement of the area through coordinated public improvements
5. achieve a balance between Neighborhood Business and Community Commercial uses
6. provide a safe and pleasant environment for consumers, merchants and property owners.

Compliance
The first issue is that according to the Plan, all vacant buildings should be in compliance with the Plan by October 1, 1998, and that all occupied buildings must be in compliance with the Plan by May, 2000. Due to a lack of education and enforcement, many buildings and businesses are still not in compliance with the Plan.

What If I Am Not In Compliance?
Any buildings owner or business which is not in full compliance with the Plan is subject to violation notices and fines from the City for each violation. However, violations will be identified to business owners from the HMA prior to any City action, where possible.

What Do I Do Now?
The Merchant’s Association and the Community Review Board is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Plan. The Community Review Board is responsible for ensuring that all new permit requests comply with the Plan and the Merchant’s Association is responsible for the education and assistance to merchants who need to bring their business into compliance.

We are most concerned with helping existing businesses come into compliance with the Plan, and through this newsletter will be discussing various aspects of the Plan, and what this means to individual merchants. If you think that the items being discussed pertain to you, and need help with compliance, please contact our office and someone can assist you.

Urban Renewal Plan "Land Uses"
The words "Land Uses" pertains to the permitted and non-permitted uses of land / buildings within the District. The Plan clearly dictates the types of businesses that may not conduct business within the District.

The following uses, as defined by the Zoning Ordinance for the City of Baltimore are not permitted in any location within the boundary of the Urban Renewal Plan.

• Adult Entertainment
• Amusement Arcades
• Bail Bond Agencies
• Blood Banks or Blood Purchase Centers
• Check Cashing Agencies
• Class "B" Bookstores and similarly oriented retail establishments
• Drive-In Restaurants
• Drug Abuse Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers
• Massage Parlors
• Palmists
• Parole and Probation Field Offices
• Pawn Shops
• Peep Shows
• Poultry and Rabbit Killing Establishments
• Rent-to-Own Services or Sales
• Second Hand Stores and Rummage Shops
• Tattoo Parlors

Any non-conforming use shall be permitted to continue, subject to the provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of Baltimore City governing non-conformance uses.

Property Rehabilitation Standards
The Urban Renewal Plan has some very specific guidelines for the rehabilitation or improvement of property wtihin the District.The guidelines pertain to the following items:

• Windows
• Building Front and Sides Abutting Streets
• Show windows (store front windows)
• Security Grilles
• Awnings
• Rear and Side Walls
• Roofs
• Auxillary Structures
• Rear Yards
• Signs
• Murals and Other Artwork
• Off-Street Parking
• Drive-In or Pick-Up Services

In each newsletter going forward, one of these categories will be discussed, so that you can learn more about what the guidelines are that each building must comply with. If you are considering alterations in any of these categories and would like to discuss your plans with the Community Review Board in advance to ensure compliance, please contact our offices.

Rear and Side Walls
Rear and side walls where visible from the street shall be repaired and painted where necessary to present a neat and fresh appearance. Paint colors must match those used on the building front based upon a palette of colors proposed by the Community Review Board and kept on file with the HMA and Baltimore Development Corporation. Rear walls shall be painted to cover evenly all miscellaneous patched and filled areas or be covered in stucco to present an even and uniform surface.

The most important aspect of this section is that the Community Review Board must approve all paint colors for exteriors of buildings in advance.