1 Main St Bel Air, MD 21014-3592

B-2 Central Business District. [Amended 2-21-2012 by Ord. No. 748-12 ; 4-3-2017 by Ord. No. 780-17 ; 9-16-2019 by Ord. No. 792-19 ; 7-17-2023 by Ord. No. 813-23 ; 3-3-2025 by Ord. No. 840-25 ] A. Purpose. The Central Business District is established to: (1) Promote reuse, infill and redevelopment in Bel Air's traditional Town Center. (2) Encourage efficient use of land and compact development. (3) Retain and strengthen the land use pattern that includes a mix of shops, services, offices, civic uses and residences. (4) Encourage increased economic vitality through the addition of new downtown residences and uses that attract visitors, such as specialty shops, restaurants, theaters and overnight accommodations. (5) Encourage mixed-use buildings with retail and service uses at street level and office or residential uses on upper levels. (6) Retain and create attractive streetscapes with a lively, pedestrian-oriented character. (7) Provide for safe and convenient pedestrian, bicycle and automotive travel. (8) Promote building forms that respect and reinforce the historic streetscape. (9) Require the use of building components that are human in scale. (10) Ensure that new, expanded or rehabilitated buildings are compatible with the scale of historic buildings in close proximity. B. General regulations. (1) Customary home occupations and professional services may be permitted in accordance with the performance standards set forth in Article VII . A home occupation certificate is required. (2) Street trees shall be required along the street edge of the primary access road, with clustering of smaller trees encouraged throughout the developed areas. (3) A comprehensive coordinated sign plan shall be submitted at the time of site plan review. This shall include one or a combination of the following signage styles: freestanding, directory, projecting, wall, roof, awning and/or window. Signs shall conform to regulations specified in Article XV of this chapter. (4) Permitted uses are listed in the use and classification charts located at the end of Article III . [1] Applicable regulations contained in other articles shall apply in the B-2 District. [1]