Now that staff and the Planning Commission have given the Comprehensive Plan to the Council, we have started our review of said plan. Based on this feedback, staff has started to submit edits, and we will be holding a work session this Thursday. Here is a summary that Alderman Arnett put together regarding the updates:

Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040

Work Session Agenda

Overall City Council Plan Review Schedule

Review Memo of Proposed Changes based on input received at Work Session 2/28/24 and Environmental Matters Committee 3/14/24

1. Remarks and discussion from City Council
2. Brief presentation on Form-Based Zoning

Major Policy Areas of the Draft Comprehensive Plan

I will note that the proposed schedule for adoption is very tight and does not allow for any Town Hall meetings within Wards to vet any proposed changes to the Draft Plan. However, the Planning and Zoning Director has assured that the Council can take the time it needs to fully analyze and amend, if necessary, the draft Plan.

The Planning Staff, and in particular Mr. Leshinsky, have provided the following list of action items drawn from the last Council Work Session and from some subsequent Council Committee meetings. The list is as follows:

From the Director of Planning and Zoning to the City Council on 22 March 2024

We look forward to meeting with the Council again on March 28.  In this memorandum we’ve provided the list of action items drawn from the last work session and the recent Environmental Matter Committee meeting. We are working on these but before we get too far, we want to check in with you. 

General Updates

To address overall readability:

Review and edit all Goals and Performance Measures to reduce instances of wordiness and technical jargon.

Review and double-check all cross references between the text and the referenced tables and exhibits.

Overall editing.

To address Small Area Planning

In Executive Summary of Action Plan and Chapter 1: Introduction of full Plan, add Ward maps and profiles which generally describe main recommended actions by Ward.

In Executive Summary of Action Plan and Chapter 11: Development Regulations of full Plan, add clarifying text which describes what is meant by small area planning and small area plans, and the role and benefit of small area planning.

To address information for and about the 65+ population:

Add a new section describing “The Growing Senior Population” as a demographic trend.

Add new sections in Chapter 6: Transportation and Chapter 7: Community Facilities addressing the needs of the 65+ population.

Add an index to both the Action Plan and full Plan.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Include “Public Safety” as a Plan Priority

Add text to clarify the expectations for providing equitable service and opportunities to residents, relating to such things as access to quality housing, mobility, education, healthcare, and food. Explore adding similar text to relevant topic-specific chapters.

Chapter 2: Demographic Trends

Add a new section describing “The Growing Senior Population” as a demographic trend

Chapter 3: Municipal Growth

No proposed changes yet

Chapter 4: Land Use

To address Form-Based Code:

• Replace all mentions of “Form-Based Code” with “Form-Based Zoning”
• In the Executive Summary of the Action Plan, and in Chapter 4: Land Use and Chapter 11: Development Regulations of the full Plan, add clarifying text that Form-Based Zoning would be utilized as just one of several potential tools to address community concerns about preserving neighborhood character.
• In the Executive Summary of the Action Plan, and in Chapter 4: Land Use and Chapter 11: Development Regulations of the full Plan, add clarifying text which explains that Form-Based Zoning to some degree already exists in Annapolis in several locations.
• In Chapter 11: Development Regulations, add clarifying text about how any future zoning reform would be implemented, specifically that it would be based on small area planning and not applied citywide.

Add text about the importance of environmental enhancement to the recommendations for Large Infill Sites which currently have large surface parking areas such as the Bay Forest Shopping Center, Hillsmere Shopping Center, West 2 Shopping Center, Clocktower Place, and the Eastport Shopping Center.

Add text to clarify how City staff and others will implement the Greenway Plan including next steps.

Add text to clarify Greenway Plan that improvements are needed to properties already protected in addition to new conservation areas.

Chapter 5: Housing

No proposed changes yet

Chapter 6: Transportation

Add additional text to emphasize the importance of leveraging micro-mobility options to achieve mobility goals.

Add additional text to clarify the public transit investments needed to achieve better service.

Add a dedicated Goal for bicycle mobility and combine with existing Performance Measures and Recommended Actions related to bicycle mobility from Transportation Goals T1, T2, T3, and T4. 

Add text to clarify that meeting Vision Zero goals will rely disproportionately on improved roadway standards.

Add a new section addressing the needs of the 65+ population.

Chapter 7: Community Facilities

Add a new section addressing the needs of the 65+ population.

Chapter 8: Arts, Culture, and Historic Preservation

No proposed changes yet

Chapter 9: Environmental Sustainability

Add a Goal dedicated to air quality with associated Performance Measures and Recommended Actions. Explore pulling some actions from existing related goals.

Chapter 10: Water Resources

Edit Performance Measures and Recommended Actions of WR4 and WR5 to read as less technical and more straightforward.

Add text to WR4 Performance Measures or Recommended Actions to ensure aquifers remain safe from pollution and of sufficient capacity to service the city.

Chapter 11: Development Regulations

Add text to encourage consistency between the City’s Strategic Plan and Comprehensive Plan to aid in implementation.

Chapter 12: Areas of Critical State Concern

No proposed changes yet

Chapter 13: Recommended Action Matrix

To address overall readability:

Review and edit all Goals and Performance Measures to reduce instances of wordiness and technical jargon.