Baltimore City Proposes Annual Licensing Fee Increase on Commercial Parking Facilities

At the July 6, 2020 Baltimore City Council meeting, Councilmembers Ryan Dorsey and Shannon Sneed introduced a bill which proposes to raise the annual licensing fee for commercial parking facilities for the first time in nearly 20 years.  Commercial Parking Facilities are defined in the City Code as “a garage, structure, or part of a structure for the parking, storage, housing, or keeping of 3 or more motor vehicles in exchange for a fee or other consideration; or (2) parking lot or outdoor area or space for the parking, storage, housing, or keeping of 3 or more motor vehicles in exchange for a fee or other consideration.” Baltimore City Code Art. 15, § 12-1.

Council Bill No. 20-0559 proposes to raise the current license fee from $5.10 to $24 for every 100 square feet (or fraction thereof) of the gross area of the parking facility.  Included in the “gross area” covered by the bill is area designated for parking spaces, offices, ramps, driveways, aisles, toilets, car washing facilities, greasing or other facilities used in connection with the operation of the parking facility.  In addition to the fee increase, the Bill proposes an annual adjustment of the fee to account for inflation, subject to the approval of the Board of Estimates.

The Bill has been referred to the Land Use Committee for review and recommendation, and attorneys at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP are monitoring the Bill.  If you have questions or if we can be of assistance with regard to Bill No. 20-0559, please reach out to Caroline Hecker, Stanley Fine, Justin Williams, or Adam Baker.