Banning Panhandle Lots in Carney, Cub Hill, and Parkville

At the Baltimore County Council meeting on April 2nd, I will introduce legislation with Councilwoman Cathy Bevins that will ban panhandle building lots in the Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville area.

A panhandle lot.

A panhandle is one in which a developer is allowed to “jam” an additional lot onto an existing property without a new road. Panhandle lots are not permitted in the South Perry Hall growth area, and they are allowed in Perry Hall’s Honeygo district and Middle River only under certain circumstances.

Panhandle lots have long been a concern of community leaders in northeastern Baltimore County. The Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville Community Plan, which was adopted by the County Council in 2010, recommends that “the creation of new panhandle lots should not be permitted. Panhandle lots in suburban residential neighborhoods contribute to an undesirable living environment and compromise the stability and overall quality of the neighborhoods.”   The County Auditor’s office has prepared a map showing a prevalence of panhandle lots in the Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville areas. 

This legislation codifies a key recommendation of the Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville Community Plan.  It will prevent units from being sandwiched into small properties throughout this part of northeastern Baltimore County.