For the average Baltimore County resident, the URDL sounds like boring planning jargon. But for developers, community activists, and County Council members, it is the “third rail” of local politics. Touch it, move it, or even whisper about changing it, and you risk political electrocution.

Here is why that imaginary line dictates your commute, your property value, and the future of the county—and why the fights over it are about to get even uglier.

By: Adam Reuter If you have ever watched a Baltimore County Council live streamed meeting, you have likely heard a language that sounds like English […]

Baltimore County administration officials and council members spent the majority of a Tuesday work session rallying support for a 50-year tax break for a massive industrial project, while also advancing measures to restrict student housing and exempt a specific developer from county fees.

The Baltimore County Council unanimously approved several controversial measures Monday night, including a zoning change for a specific business district and uncapped snow removal contracts, during a legislative session lasting less than 20 minutes. Council members voted 7-0 on Bill 81-25, which modifies zoning rules to benefit a single dog boarding business in the Reisterstown Commercial Revitalization District, a practice critics call “spot zoning.” Furthermore, Chairman Michael Ertel introduced Bill 93-25, proposing to waive development impact fees for certain affordable housing projects, while a resident accused the council of ignoring a year-old law requiring the formation of a public school capacity committee.

There is a large gap in media coverage regarding what the Baltimore County Government is up to. This is where the Baltimore Informer steps in […]