As part of the 2025 Comprehensive Zoning Review, Friends of Harford has compiled the following charts, organized by District, as a resource for the community.
Each chart includes: the application number, map link, property address, total acres, acres proposed for rezoning, current zoning, requested zoning, Planning Advisory Board (PAB) recommendation, County Executive recommendations (Bill 25-002), and Friends of Harford’s (FoH) assessment.
At the conclusion of the review process, Friends of Harford will update the charts to reflect each County Council member’s vote on each application. Any changes to Bill 25-002 will be voted on by the County Council as individual issues.
Now is the time for public input—please take a moment to review the information. Once a property is up-zoned, it is rarely reversed.
What’s next for the 2025 Comprehensive Zoning Review—and what does your community need to do?
Join us to review the properties in your area that are being considered for changes. Discuss what these changes could mean for your community. Outline the steps your community will need to take moving forward.
This is your opportunity to connect with Friends of Harford, gain insight into the zoning process, learn how to advocate effectively for your community, and ask questions.
Your voice matters—stay informed, get involved, and take action!
On January 21, 2025, the Harford County Council voted 5-2 to reject Bill 24-037, which sought to permit liquor stores within B1 neighborhood business districts. This decision aligns with community concerns about the proximity of liquor stores to residential areas.
Bill 24-041, which proposed amending Chapter 267 of the Harford County Code to align the county’s quarry extraction and blasting regulations with the less protective standards outlined in COMAR Title 26, was withdrawn during the February 4, 2025, legislative session. Friends of Harford had opposed this bill, as it would have weakened safeguards for residents and overlooked the unique needs and circumstances of Harford County.
Scorecard Update February 4, 2025. See how your County Council voted!
All land in Harford County is zoned. There are 16 existing zoning categories. The Harford County Code requires that a Comprehensive Zoning Review occur every 8 years to determine if changes should be made to the existing zoning. § 267-13
During the Comprehensive Zoning Review, developers, residents, and other interested parties may apply to alter their zoning classification. The Department of Planning and Zoning reviews these applications and prepares revisions to the zoning maps. These changes are then submitted for consideration and approval by the County Council and, ultimately, the County Executive.
The first round of public meetings are held by the Planning Advisory Board in November. The next opportunity for public input will be in Spring, 2025 when the changes go before the County Council.
The Department of Planning and Zoning has scheduled two community input meetings with the Planning Advisory Board (PAB) to allow citizens to provide feedback on the 66 Comprehensive Zoning applications received by the Department.
The meetings will be held from 7pm to 9pm at Aberdeen High School on Monday, November 4th and Bel Air High School on Monday, November 18th. Citizens must sign up to speak prior to the start of the meeting.
Department of Planning and Zoning staff will be available starting at 6pm to answer questions about the Comprehensive Zoning process or assist citizens with locating Zoning Issues on a map of the County.
The meeting will start promptly at 7pm with an introduction from Shane Grimm, Director of Planning and Zoning.
Citizens will have 3 minutes to address the PAB. Citizen representing groups will be given 5 minutes to speak. The members of PAB are present to listen to citizen comment and will not be answering questions. Citizens will also have the ability to leave written comments at each meeting.
Friends of Harford (FoH) thanks the Council for withdrawing Bill 24-018, which proposed allowing liquor stores to operate in B1 areas. FoH had several concerns about this bill:
A zoning change for one business, described as the reason for this legislation, would affect all of Harford County.
Evolving state laws could allow cannabis dispensaries next to liquor stores.
Passage of this bill could have created serious problems throughout the B1 districts in the County.
The Council’s decision to withdraw this legislation is a crucial step in preserving our zoning process, ensuring community input, and maintaining the character of our neighborhoods.
Friends of Harford Land Use Legislative SCORECARD.
Stephanie Flasch wrote to Harford County Council sponsors of Bill 24-001: Councilman Penman, Councilwoman Tsottles and Councilman Guthrie on behalf of Friends of Harford. The letter outlines concerns regarding Bill 24-001, particularly its implications for impacts to our communities.
Friends of Harford Letter to Harford County Council Re: Bill 24-001
All are welcome to attend the Friends of Harford Annual Meeting. Join us Saturday, April 22, 2023 at the Anita Leight Estuary Center located at 700 Otter Point Road, Abingdon, Maryland from 1pm-3pm.
Friends of Harford continues to support community-based advocacy, provide up-to-date resources for land use development procedures and advocate for policies for responsible land use.
Spring kick-starts the Friends of Harford (FOH) 2023 fiscal year! Harford’s quality of life remains our priority!
Your support helps Friends of Harford to:
Publish a Scorecard – tracks land use legislation and voting records of County Council representatives. Recent Action: Bill No. 23-005 – As Introduced Moratorium-Warehouse
Issue Alerts to Citizens: Development Advisory Committee (DAC), Community Input Meetings (CIM), Special Exceptions for development and Legislation. Recent Action: Eva Mar, Price Property.
Educate Community Groups about the Zoning Code and Development.
Provide Testimony at Public Hearings. Public Input Action: Bill 22-003 – Perryman Peninsula Moratorium, Bill 21-003 – Gas Station.
Maintain an Informative Website with Topics on Navigating the Land Use Process in Harford County.
“Today the court recognized the importance of the state’s forest protection law and ensured attempts to bypass the law can be easily challenged in court.” Chesapeake Bay Foundation Director of Litigation Paul Smail
Maryland Court of Appeals rules that Chesapeake Bay Foundation may appeal the forest conservation plan from the Abingdon Woods development-AEGIS, August 27, 2022
The Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its five citizen co-plaintiffs, allowing them to appeal the forest conservation plan for the Abingdon Business Park development.
According to a statement from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the organization “plans to contest the forest conservation plan for the Abingdon Woods project in Circuit Court. If successful, CBF will seek relief for citizens affected by the significant amount of forest clearing already conducted by the developer while this Court of Appeals case was pending.”
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation originally filed in Harford County Circuit Court in January 2020. The circuit court dismissed the case in August 2020, saying the plaintiffs had appealed prematurely because “there was more for the [Harford County planning and zoning] agency to do,” and that they could not appeal until a final decision was made on the development’s final site plan.
However, Judge Brynja Booth holds that the Maryland Forest Conservation Act of 1991 allows for a forest conservation plan to be appealed before it approved and that the forest conservation plan is, in fact, a “‘final decision’ for appeal purposes.”
According to the court opinion, “a forest conservation plan indicates the limits of disturbance for the proposed project and how the existing forested and sensitive areas will be protected during and after development.”
Project opponents maintain that the forest conservation plan for the Abingdon Business Park would allow for the clearing of more trees than allowed by state and local law.
