Last Monday, December 14, the Land Use and Transportation Committee held four hours of amendment voting sessions. We had asked our constituents to take action on a series of amendments we believed to undermine the purpose of Transform Baltimore--to create a uniform zoning code that encourages sustainable growth and livable streets.
The voting sessions got through all of the Title 14 amendments and the bulk of Title 15. In our email we had requested opposition to amendments in Title 10, 14, 15 and 16. Voting on the text amendments will continue after the holidays.
Of the six Title 14 amendments we opposed all were either withdrawn or failed to pass.
Withdrawn: T-487, T-488, T-496, T-628
Failed due to no motion to proceed: T-499, T-504
Failed due to lack of votes: T-511
It should be noted that prior to going to a vote, Councilwoman Clark had revised T-499--the amendment that blocked the adoption of neighborhood commercial by creating an elaborate finding of fact to get approved--so that the findings of fact were agreeable to our demands. However, at that point it seemed that no committee member wanted to even be associated with it to move it to a vote.
Title 15 amendments that we opposed were revised to become more amenable to livable streets or withdrawn.
Withdrawn: T-528
Passed with revisions: T-523. T-522
amendment revisions
Bikemore didn't plan on becoming so engaged in the discussion on Transform Baltimore, but when it became clear that members of council and outside interests were introducing amendments harmful to the livable streets spirit of an improved form based code, it became important for us to take action.
We will continue to monitor the amendment voting process that will likely stretch on for a few more months. We will continue to keep you apprised of opportunities for action, and ways you can communicate to our city's leaders how important vibrant, safe, bikeable and walkable places are to the future of Baltimore.
Thank you for taking action.