Baltimore County Council Establishes 21st Commercial Revitalization District In Owings Mills To Boost Infrastructure, Aesthetics, And Provide Tax Relief

OWINGS MILLS - The Baltimore County Council has established the region's newest Commercial Revitalization District (CRD) in Owings Mills. Resolution No. 10-23, establishing the Owings Mills CRD, was passed by the council on May 25.

The newly minted CRD, the county's 21st, covers areas of Red Run Boulevard between Owings Mills Boulevard and Cherry Hill Court and a section of Reisterstown Road from Painters Mill Road to Dolfield Boulevard. These areas have long been recognized as significant employment centers, housing approximately 1,600 businesses and drawing over 23,000 workers daily.

Credit: Baltimore County Government

Intended to support beautification projects and aid shopping centers in retaining tenants, the new CRD designation will unlock four major programs that help in infrastructure improvement, tax relief, and area aesthetic enhancement. Beneficiaries include local businesses within the CRD boundary, such as Cherry Valley Plaza and Hammershire Square, both targeted for façade improvements.

Each CRD is staffed by a planner who works closely with the business and property owners, business associations, and the local communities to provide a range of services to maintain the health and vitality of neighborhood commercial areas.

Emily M. Winters, Executive Director at the Northwest Chamber of Commerce praised Baltimore County Council member Julian Jones for his commitment to the project, and expressed enthusiasm for the future of the local economy. 

“We at the Northwest Chamber have been working on this community initiative for almost two years with Baltimore County Department of Planning and are thrilled to see it come to fruition. Councilman Jones has been a great ally to both the Northwest Chamber and Owings Mills community, helping us to see this through to the end. We are thrilled to offer such robust Baltimore County support to the many small businesses that we are pleased to serve in our town," Winters said in a statement. 

Additionally, the designation unlocks access to four major programs to improve infrastructure, ease taxes, and revamp the area's aesthetic.

• The Architect on Call (AOC) program offers local businesses up to 10 free hours of professional architectural design services for exterior improvements to their buildings.
• The Building Improvement Loan Program (BILP) provides $30,000 in interest-free loans, which can be used for exterior improvements such as awnings, landscaping, and signage.
• Larger projects within the CRD can access the Commercial Revitalization Tax Credit. This benefit provides a five-year real property tax credit if physical improvements increase the assessed property value by $50,000 or more. A 10-year credit is available if improvement costs exceed $10 million.
• The Commercial Revitalization Action Grant (CRAG) annually awards a $10,000 grant to business associations for projects that benefit the overall districts. Examples include holiday lighting, welcome signs, website development, street trees, security cameras, farmers' markets, and more.