The Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel’s goal is to achieve the highest quality for the planned and built environment of Baltimore City by providing the Planning Commission and the Department of Planning with design review expertise in the areas of urban design, architecture, and landscape design for all proposed master planning efforts and significant development projects.
UDARP’s mission attests to its critical importance within the Department of Planning’s design review process. This review process entails presentation interactions between Department staff, the Panel and the professional architects and landscape architects representing project development teams and leads to departmental approvals.
The Urban Design and Architecture Review Panel advises the Department of Planning, the Planning Commission and other City agencies on matters of urban design, architecture and landscape architecture and are professional staff of the Department of Planning. Specifically, the Panel is empowered to provide review and professional design assistance of signature sites, significant projects that are proposed in renewal and/or conservation areas, planned unit developments (PUD), and master plans. City sponsored projects and those in which the City is providing financial or legislative support may be required to have Panel review. Additionally, projects that require zoning changes or variances and/or Planning Commission final design approval may be reviewed by the Panel.
The genesis of the Urban Design and Architectural Review Panel began in 1964 under the Baltimore Urban Renewal and Housing Agency (BURHA), the predecessor to the City’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). In 1997, the Panel was brought to the Department of Planning. Throughout its history, the Panel has helped the City to achieve its national recognition for the high quality of design that public and private development have brought to Baltimore.
The Panel is comprised of six individuals who bring expertise in various aspects of architectural, urban, and landscape design. Members are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Director of Planning. They are compensated on a per meeting basis and serve staggered terms. Members are not allowed to provide comment on projects for which they may have a perceived or real conflict of interest. Regular attendance is required of all Panel members. The Director of the Department of Planning, the President of The Baltimore Development Corporation, and the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development may participate on the Panel as ex officio members.
All proposed development projects in Baltimore City that require Department of Planning Site Plan Review also require design review. At a pre-development meeting, Department staff shall determine the extent of review that will be required. All projects will require at the minimum staff review. Significant development projects will additionally require UDARP review. There are two official stages of Panel review – Schematic and Final. These reviews coincide with the typical stages of development that design professionals follow through project design. Each stage requires the Panel’s approval before the next stage of design development should be undertaken. Minutes are sent to the development team after each presentation and response to Panel comments is a requirement for the following presentation. Agendas for upcoming meetings are e-mailed a week in advance to interested parties and posted on the Department of Planning’s web page.
While attendance is open to the public and members of the press, their attendance is to observe. If a stakeholder group would like to advise the Panel of their concerns, it is encouraged to submit a written statement in advance of the meeting date for its timely distribution to Panel members. At the Panel’s discretion, attending observers may be recognized to make a brief statement related to design issues only.
The following format for the Panel presentations is recommended to ensure a complete and concise review within the typically allotted 60 minute review period. Special presentations of City owned properties or projects of significant size and scale may be allotted additional time:
The following requirements and guidelines will ensure that the development team understands the various review phases. Projects do not move forward from one stage of the review to the next phase until Panel approval is received. The Department of Planning staff is available to assist with any questions or comments about Panel guidelines or policy. Failure to provide adequate submission material will result in the loss of opportunity to present to the Panel or withheld approval.
Concept Staff Review:
All development projects in Baltimore City require development and design review with Department staff. At a pre-development meeting, staff will review the concept design of the project and may make recommendations. If the project requires Planning Commission approval or is otherwise considered significant, further design review by UDARP will be required. In the case of UDARP review, staff will establish a list of Urban Design Goals that the project must address during the review process. Once staff is comfortable with the concept plans for the development, an initial Schematic UDARP Presentation will be scheduled. Large-scale projects may require an introductory Discussion session with the panel to provide background information before Schematic Review. Discussion sessions do not result in a decision making outcome, but are meant to provide guidance to development teams relative to conceptual design issues.
Schematic Presentation Requirements:
Planning Staff will introduce the project and its established Urban Design Goals to the Panel at the beginning of the presentation. It is important for the development team to provide to the Panel adequate information about the development program and design concept(s). The following is required:
This is the most important presentation a development team will make to the Panel. It is an introduction of the team players, the project program, the design rationale and the site itself. A schematic presentation should be made early enough in the design process to afford the possibilities of significant changes, if requested by the Panel. Site context should be clearly illustrated to the Panel through rendered area plans, scaled site plan and massing studies that portray building bulk, height and setbacks. Photographs or images of the site and surrounding context must be included with this presentation. If alternative site plans or massing studies were considered, those must also be presented. The Panel will judge the concept plans using the established Urban Design Goals for the project as well as the following general guidelines:
If the Panel withholds schematic approval at the first presentation, subsequent meetings with Planning Staff will be required. When the Department is comfortable with resubmitting the project to the Panel again, another presentation will be scheduled.
Final Presentation Requirements:
At the final stage, it is important to indicate changes made relative to previous Panel comments. Structuring a presentation based on responses to previous minutes and project modifications is required. The following must represent the project if it is to proceed to working drawings and permit application:
The final phase of Panel review is important because it completes the review process. The Panel judges final plans using to the following guidelines:
Attaining a recommendation of Final Approval concludes the UDARP process. The final recommendations of the Panel may be presented to the City’s Planning Commission.
Lastly, an electronic set of final plans must be submitted to the UDARP coordinator within one week of the Final Presentation.
Master plans are typically required for proposed Planned Unit Developments (PUD) and institutions with proposed development opportunities. They set the stage for individual buildings or phased components of larger planned development. Often, master plans are submitted first to the Department with subsequent detailed design development following thereafter.
The UDARP process for master plans is similar to the aforementioned process with the exception that there is just one UDARP phase after staff review and urban design goal setting. Development teams are asked to present their plans to the Panel and seek a recommendation of approval for the master plan.
The significant components of a Master Plan that are considered by the Department and the Panel are as follows:
Master Plans require a recommendation of approval by UDARP before Planning Commission scheduling may occur.
DBM/bq - May, 2007