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Anne Arundel County Unincorporated
City Zoning Code

TITLE 7

MARITIME DISTRICTS

§ 18-7-101. Scope.

   This title applies to all maritime districts.
(Bill No. 4-05)

§ 18-7-102. Maritime Districts.

   (a)   MA1. The MA1-Community Marina District serves only the residents and guests of a recorded residential riparian subdivision and is owned by a homeowner’s association.
   (b)   MA1-B. The MA1-B-Neighborhood Marina District provides limited watercraft services and lots may not exceed three acres.
   (c)   MA2. The MA2-Light Commercial Marina District provides limited commercial services.
   (d)   MA3. The MA3-Yacht Club District serves only the members and is a non-profit marina owned and operated by the membership.
   (e)   MB. The MB-General Commercial Marina District offers a full range of commercial services.
   (f)   MC. The MC-Heavy Commercial Marina District offers a full service marina or industrial operation.
(Bill No. 4-05; Bill No. 3-24)

§ 18-7-103. Determination of marina basin.

   (a)   Maps. The waterway maps prepared by the Office of Planning and Zoning and adopted in 1979 are adopted as part of this article for the purpose of determining marina basins.
   (b)   Limits of marina basin. The limits of the marina basin are the mean high-water line of the site before development or expansion, two side marina lot line extensions, and a line drawn to connect their channelward ends.
   (c)   Side lot line extensions. The length of each side marina lot line extension shall be limited to the lesser of:
      (1)   one-half the distance from the mean high-water line to the center point of a cove;
      (2)   100 feet less than the distance from the mean high-water line to the edge of the delineated channel and anchorage, except that the channelward extension of the side marina lot line or the line connecting the channelward ends may not be less than one-half the distance from the mean high-water line to the edge of the delineated channel and anchorage; or
      (3)   500 feet from the mean high-water line.
   (d)   Direction of side lot line extensions. The Office of Planning and Zoning shall designate the direction of a marina basin side lot line extension along a line:
      (1)   at a 90-degree angle to the mean high-water line of the property at the intersection of the side marina lot line with the mean high-water line;
      (2)   at a 90-degree angle to the center line of the body of water;
      (3)   extending the side marina lot line past its intersection with the mean high-water line;
      (4)   connecting the point of intersection between the side marina lot line and the mean high- water line with the center point of a cove; or
      (5)   generally parallel to existing piers on adjacent properties.
(Bill No. 4-05)

§ 18-7-104. Use of marina basin.

   The water area used by a marina shall be limited to the marina basin.
(Bill No. 4-05)

§ 18-7-105. Front yard.

   Structures and uses on a lot may not be located in the front yard, except that water-dependent uses and incidental items, such as dock boxes, trash containers, dinghy racks, water safety facilities, fire safety facilities, shoreline protection structures, or signs, may be located in the front yard.
(Bill No. 4-05)

§ 18-7-106. Bulk regulations.

   Except as provided otherwise in this article, the following bulk regulations are applicable in a maritime district:
Minimum site area
One acre above mean high water
Maximum coverage by structures and parking in MA1, MA1-B, MA2, and MA3 Districts
70% of gross area
Maximum dry storage area in MA1, MA1-B, MA2, and MA3 Districts
50% of gross area
Maximum coverage by structures, parking, and dry storage in MB and MC Districts
80% of gross area
Minimum frontage for access
40 feet
Minimum width at waterfront
150 feet
Minimum setbacks for all structures:
   Front lot line
Determined by critical area criteria
   Side lot line
15 feet
   Rear lot line
20 feet
   Road right-of-way
40 feet
Minimum setbacks for commercial piers, piling installations, launching facilities, covered and uncovered slips
25 feet from side limits of marina basin
Minimum setbacks for uncovered slips perpendicular to mean high water line
20 feet from side limits of marina basin
Maximum height limitations:
   Structures
40 feet, except that a structure may exceed the height limitation if all setbacks are increased by two feet for each foot of excess height
   Outside dry storage of cradles and racks, without roof coverage
10 feet
 
(Bill No. 4-05; Bill No. 78-05; Bill No. 93-12; Bill No. 3-24)

§ 18-7-107. Permitted, conditional, and special exception uses.

   The permitted, conditional, and special exception uses allowed in each of the Maritime group districts are listed in the chart in this section using the following key: P = permitted use; C = conditional use; SE=special exception use. A blank means that the use is not allowed in the district. Except as provided otherwise in this article, uses and structures customarily accessory to the listed uses also are allowed.
Permitted, Conditional, and Special Exception Uses
MA1
MA1-B
MA2
MA3
MB
MC
Permitted, Conditional, and Special Exception Uses
MA1
MA1-B
MA2
MA3
MB
MC
Alcoholic beverage uses as accessory to other uses
C
C
C
C
Banquet halls
P
P
P
P
Bed and breakfast homes
C
C
C
Bed and breakfast inns
SE
SE
SE
Commercial telecommunication facilities permanently located on the ground
SE
SE
Commercial telecommunication facilities that are antennas attached to a structure if the antenna does not exceed 15 feet in height above the structure, does not project more than two feet beyond the facade, does not support lights or signs unless required for safety reasons, and accessory structures meet the requirements of § 18-10-118(7) of this Code
P
P
Commercial telecommunication facilities for testing purposes or emergency services for a period not exceeding 30 days if the facility is a monopole not exceeding 100 feet in height and is located at least 300 feet from any dwelling
P
P
P
P
P
P
Community structures and club houses
P
P
P
P
P
Construction of watercraft
P
P
P
Construction or sales trailers, temporary, in an approved development actively under construction
P
P
P
P
P
P
Dwellings, marina caretaker’s residence: one for a marina with less than 250 slips; two for a marina with 250 or more slips
C
P
P
P
P
Heliports
SE
SE
Home occupations
C
C
C
C
C
Hotels and motels
SE
SE
Ice vending machines
P
P
P
P
P
P
Launching ramps and small hoists with a maximum rated lift capacity of 4,000 pounds for the launching and removal of watercraft
P
P
P
Launching ramps, marine railways, travel lifts, fork lifts, hoists, hydraulic trailers, and other similar facilities for the launching and removal of watercraft
P
P
P
Maintenance and repair of watercraft
P
P
P
P
P
Marinas, commercial
P
P
P
Marinas, community
P
Marinas, neighborhood
C
Marinas, yacht club
P
Marine fuel sales
P
P
P
Marine salvage and towing operations
P
Offices and administration facilities necessary for operating the marina
P
P
P
P
P
Outside storage of crab pots, nets, traps, and other similar devices if the total area of storage does not exceed 5% of the marina site
P
P
P
Personal fitness studio, water-based
P
P
P
Pile driving and marine construction operations
P
P
Piers and launching ramps, community
C
Piers, commercial
P
P
P
P
P
Piers, recreational
C
Public utility essential services
P
P
P
P
P
P
Public utility uses
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
Rental of watercraft, including watercraft charter operations
P
P
P
Restaurants
P
P
P
P
Sail making and sail repair
P
P
Sale of groceries, packaged alcoholic beverages, fishing supplies, and watercraft accessories
P
P
P
P
Sale of watercraft, marine engines, and watercraft trailers
P
P
P
Small cell system
C
C
C
C
C
C
Small wind energy systems or meteorological towers on a lot of at least three acres
C
C
C
C
C
C
One small wind energy system or meteorological tower on a lot less than three acres
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
Solar energy generating facility – accessory
P
P
P
P
P
P
Staging areas for County capital projects
P
P
P
P
P
P
Storage of watercraft, covered and dry
SE
SE
C
P
Storage of watercraft, covered and wet
SE
SE
SE
P
Storage of watercraft, outside and dry
P
C
P
P
P
P
Storage of watercraft in excess of 150 feet
P
Storage, multilevel watercraft rack
SE
C
P
Swimming pools, tennis courts, and other similar recreational facilities
P
P
P
P
P
Taverns
P
P
P
Volunteer fire stations
P
P
P
P
P
P
Water taxi landings
P
P
P
Water-related uses, including storage of seafood in live boxes, fish cleaning, and structures for the storage of crab pots, nets, traps, and similar devices
P
P
P
 
(Bill No. 4-05; Bill No. 78-05; Bill No. 69-07; Bill No. 39-10; Bill No. 51-11; Bill No. 68-13; Bill No. 24-16; Bill No. 28-16; Bill No. 30-16; Bill No. 89-18; Bill No. 76-19; Bill No. 3-24)

§ 18-7-108. Ladders and flotation devices.

   (a)   Ladders. Boarding ladders shall be located along the sides of a pier and along each bulkhead where the water depth at the bulkhead exceeds four feet in depth at mean high water. Ladders along piers shall be 100 feet apart on each side of the pier and staggered so that the ladders alternate sides every 50 feet. Ladders along bulkheads shall be placed no more than 50 feet apart.
   (b)   Personal flotation devices. United States Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices shall be located along each pier or bulkhead at intervals not exceeding 100 feet.
(Bill No. 4-05)