Baltimore Planning Commission and City Council Committees Convene for Major Policy Reviews

Baltimore Government Sessions Address Renter Safety and City Infrastructure

Today, Thursday, February 5, 2026, Baltimore city officials are convening for a series of high-stakes meetings focused on urban development, housing oversight, and infrastructure improvements. The day’s legislative schedule is highlighted by a full session of the Baltimore City Planning Commission and a critical oversight hearing by the City Council’s Committee on Legislative Investigations.

Planning Commission Tackles Falls Road and INSPIRE Plans

The Baltimore City Planning Commission is scheduled to begin its regular session at 1:00 PM, following a midday briefing session. The agenda features a series of legislative items aimed at reshaping specific corridors and enhancing neighborhood stability. Primary among these are City Council Bills #25-0133, #25-0134, and #25-0135, which involve the condemnation, opening, and potential sale of property at the intersection of Falls Road and West Coldspring Lane in the Sixth District. These measures are expected to facilitate infrastructure modernization and new development in the northern part of the city.

Additionally, the Commission is slated to vote on the adoption of the Walter P. Carter INSPIRE Plan. The INSPIRE program—short for Investing in Neighborhoods and Schools to Promote Improvement, Revitalization, and Excellence—focuses on the area surrounding recently modernized schools to leverage educational investments into broader neighborhood growth. Other significant items on the afternoon agenda include:

• Rezoning considerations for 3009 Greenmount Avenue in the Fourteenth District to facilitate mixed-use development.
• A conditional use conversion for a single-family dwelling unit into three dwelling units at 1118 N Carey Street in the Ninth District.
• Proposed street closings for portions of Light Street, Calvert Street, and East Pratt Street to accommodate ongoing downtown master planning.

Council Oversight of the Strengthening Renter Safety Act

Later this afternoon at 4:00 PM, the Committee on Legislative Investigations will meet virtually to discuss the implementation status of the Strengthening Renter Safety Act. This oversight hearing, designated as LO25-0041, comes just weeks after the landmark legislation officially took effect on January 1, 2026. The committee has invited representatives from relevant city agencies, including the Department of Housing and Community Development, to report on their readiness and the current status of enforcement protocols. The act is designed to enhance protections for tenants by ensuring more rigorous inspection standards and increasing accountability for property owners regarding health and safety violations.

Liquor Board and Administrative Updates

In addition to these sessions, the Board of Liquor License Commissioners is holding its weekly hearings at its headquarters at 200 Saint Paul Place. These proceedings cover a variety of license transfers and renewals for local establishments. These meetings follow a busy start to the month at City Hall, where Mayor Brandon Scott recently released the 2025 CitiStat Annual Report, highlighting a decrease in vacant properties across the city as a core priority for the 2026 legislative year.