40 Thomas St Bel Air, MD 21014

B-2A Central Business Gateway District. [Amended 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 Gateway District is established to: (1) Allow reuse, infill and redevelopment in areas bordering Bel Air's traditional Town Center in a manner that retains the small-town scale of development and provides a sense of arrival to the Town's historic core. (2) Encourage efficient use of land and compact development that establishes a logical extension of the traditional downtown, reinforces pedestrian connections and is compatible with existing buildings within and adjacent to the B-2A District. (3) Strengthen the pattern of land use that integrates services, offices, civic uses, residences and public amenities. (4) Provide for safe and convenient pedestrian, demolition and automotive travel. (5) Require the use of building components that are human in scale. (6) Encourage protection of mature vegetation and establishment of landscaping to reinforce the existing network of open space, lawns, gardens and landscaped areas. (7) Provide transitions or buffers so that new development is compatible with and protective of surrounding residential uses. 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, canopy, and/or window. Signs shall be designed to project the image of the business or service while complementing the design of the subject property and other buildings in the district. All signs, including banners, require a permit. Signs shall conform to regulations specified in Article XV of this chapter. (4) The regulations in the B-2 District, Article III , § 165-30D , Architectural standards, and § 165-30E , Site elements, shall apply to the B-2A District. (5) 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-2A District. [1]