Roland Park Roads & Maintenance

The Roland Park Roads and Maintenance Corporation was incorporated in 1909. Despite the name, the Roads and Maintenance corporation is not responsible for maintenance of roads or paths in Roland Park. Maintenance of the footpaths and other common areas is the responsibility of the Civic League’s Maintenance Committee, and maintenance of roads, alleys, and lanes are the responsibility of Baltimore City.

Roads and Maintenance is responsible for supporting the covenants that bind most houses in Roland Park. These covenants ensure that the neighborhood maintains and preserves the characteristics that help make it such a wonderful neighborhood, and require the property owners to submit applications before making external changes to their property.

Roads and Maintenance now has one division:  the Architectural Review Board.  The board is comprised of volunteers from each Plat who own and live in the neighborhood in properties that are under covenant. The Architectural Review Board meets monthly, usually on the 3rd Wednesday, to review applications.  The board also provides assistance to neighbors who have questions on how to best support the preservation goals of the Board and neighborhood.

The primary service presently provided by the Roads and Maintenance Corporation is Covenant enforcement. The review of applications for exterior changes to properties is handled by the Architectural Review Board of Roads & Maintenance, which comprises volunteers from each Plat whose own properties are under covenant. Legal action to enforce the covenants is taken as needed.  Guidelines for changes to properties and the application form can be found online.

Architectural review is limited to exterior changes to properties and buildings, including hardscaping such as patios, pools, fences, and other outdoor living features. Interior changes do not require an application or approval. Legal action to enforce the covenants is taken as needed. Guidelines for changes to properties and the application form can be found online.

The Architectural Review Board meetings are closed to the public, but the Board president serves on the Civic League Board to give an annual report and to answer questions. The Civic League approves each new Board member, whose own property must be under covenant. Roads and Maintenance shares a phone and office with the Civic League (410) 464-2525. A list of officers and representatives can be found on the Contacts and Addresses page. All residents are encouraged to participate in the Corporation’s effort to maintain and improve Roland Park.

RP R&M By-laws (Amended 2021-01-04)

A Guide to the Covenants in Roland Park

• Roland Park is divided into 6 Plats.
  • A map of the Plats is available on the Roland Park website, rolandpark.org, under the “Community Resources” tab, “maps & paths”.
  • The various Plats were developed at different times, during which ideas about covenants evolved.
  • The original deeds for all properties contained covenants.
• Plat 1 properties are all under covenants which run in perpetuity.
• Plats 2 – 6 were all originally under covenant, but these covenants expired at various times.
  • Several covenant drives to have property owners sign more modern covenants have taken place since the 1950’s in Plats 2 – 6. These newer covenants do not expire.
  • The new covenants have been recorded in the Land Records of Baltimore City.
  • Because these are separate from the original deeds, they are not as easy to locate in a cursory title search.
• Most, but not all properties in Roland Park are under covenant.
  • Having the Land Records online (https://mdlandrec.net/main/) makes it possible to research the covenant status of properties from a computer instead of going to the Circuit Court to find them.
  • The Roland Park office at 410-464-2525 or office@rolandpark.org/is the best source to determine whether or not a property is under covenant.
  • We encourage properties not under covenant to consider adding a covenant to their deed. The covenants of Roland Park ensure the preservation of our beautiful neighborhood. If interested, please contact the Roland Park office.
• The Architectural Review Board of Roland Park Roads and Maintenance meets monthly to review applications for exterior changes to properties, required for all properties under covenant.
  • The President of Roads and Maintenance (RMPresident@rolandpark.org)  is happy to speak with real estate agents about the covenants in Roland Park.
• All homes in Roland Park have fees mandated in the original deeds from the Roland Park Company to the original owners which are owed annually to Roland Park Roads and Maintenance Corp. These fees vary according to property location and size.  The Roland Park office can provide the annual fee amount.  This fee is independent of covenant status of the property.