Fiscal Years 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program (Fiscal Year 2026 Capital Budget) 

The process to develop the Capital Improvement Program starts with agencies, so one of the best ways to get involved is to engage directly with agencies.  This can take many forms.  Agencies frequently engage the public in planning processes to identify priorities. Agencies also engage stakeholders through plans focused on particular neighborhoods, such as INSPIRE plans and LINCs plans.  In addition to engaging stakeholders through planning processes, agencies value input from residents about failing infrastructure, whether through 311 or direct outreach. Residents can also work directly with agency representatives on particular project ideas. Once agencies have submitted their capital requests there is an extensive process of public hearings related to the development of the capital budget. The Planning Commission, Board of Estimates, and City Council votes all include opportunity for public comment. Stakeholders are encouraged to attend and participate in these hearings. Stakeholders can also communicate support for a particular project or priority by sending a letter to the Planning Commission, care of the Director of Planning. 

The process kicks off in the fall each year. See the table below for dates of important events or milestones for the current process. This table will be updated with dates, times, and locations as they become available. 

Exact times for voting sessions will be updated as they become available and are subject to change. Sign up for the Planning Commission listserv here to get email updates with official Planning Commission agendas, or follow us on Facebook for updates. Check the Board of Finance, Board of Estimates, and City Hall schedules to confirm times for hearing and/or votes.

Agency Briefings for Planning Commission

In January, agencies present their capital budget priorities to the Planning Commission. Presentations last about an hour, including questions and answers. The Commission Chair allows for public comments if time permits. If there is no time for public comments at agency briefings, comments can be made during the Planning Commission voting session on March 13, 2025 or in writing before the voting session care of the Director of Planning (see instructions above). A detailed schedule for agency presentations is  below: 

January 9, 2025

9:00am: Finance and Planning Overview 

10:00am: Baltimore Development Corporation 

11:15am: Baltimore City Recreation and Parks 

1:15 pm: Housing and Community Development 

2:30 pm: Department of General Services 

January 16, 2025

9:00 am: Department of Public Works Solid Waste 

10:15 am: Department of Public Works Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Utilities 

11:30 am: Department of Transportation 

1:30 pm: Baltimore City Information Technology 

More Information
We welcome the opportunity to come to speak to your organization or community group about the capital budget.  Please get in touch with Sara Paranilam (sara.paranilam@baltimorecity.gov)  to schedule a time for a presentation and discussion on the CIP. 

You can also review all of our reports and other resources from previous years’ Capital Improvement Programs on the Reports and Resources tab. 

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