Lawsuit Challenges Baltimore's $900 Million Harborplace Redevelopment, Citing Illegal Zoning Changes
A new lawsuit has been filed seeking to halt Baltimore's $900 million Harborplace redevelopment project. Seven Baltimore residents and business owners have filed a complaint against Baltimore City, the City Council, Board of Estimates, and developer MCB HP Baltimore LLC. The lawsuit alleges that the city illegally altered zoning rules and public park protections to facilitate the project. Specifically, the complaint targets three bills approved by the Baltimore City Council and signed by Mayor Brandon Scott in March 2024. These bills amended the City Charter to permit multifamily housing and parking on a section of the Inner Harbor previously designated as public parkland, changed zoning regulations to remove a 100-foot building height limit and allow mixed-use development, and modified the Inner Harbor Urban Renewal Plan to accommodate residential and commercial development. The plaintiffs contend these bills were passed specifically to benefit MCB and violate the Maryland Constitution's prohibition on ce...
