There isn’t too much to report on for our upcoming Council meeting. Nothing is up for a public hearing and we only have two pieces of legislation up for a Second Reader (final vote). That said there are two things I’d like to highlight:

We will be holding a preliminary hearing on a petition of Annexation for the Carrs Road community. This is an area between Chesapeake Harbour and Edgewood Green, off Edgewood Rd. It was left out of the annexation decades ago, and now they have failing septic tanks and would like to annex. I believe there are around 15 or so current homes. The purpose of this preliminary hearing is to determine if there is any additional supplemental information or studies that the Council may deem needed to officially move the annexation petition to the next step, which would be a public hearing and then an introduction of the associated Resolutions and Ordinances. Based on my conversations with staff, they will likely make a recommendation that some additional information be gathered. What I will likely do is make a motion to request this additional information be given to us, by the petitioners, by June 2026. That means that when the petitioners get this information to the Council, likely the new Council, we will hold a second preliminary hearing that will hopefully conclude and move to the next steps.
We may add legislation on First Reader (i.e. introduction) to the agenda. Given that we are at the end of a Council term, we have limited time left with our “sine die” on our second meeting in October. Many, including staff, are trying to get legislation through last minute. In order for the timing to work, when factoring in the August recess all City bodies realize, we need to get legislation to the Planning Commission as soon as possible in order to give them enough time to get their recommendations back to us. Hence, we may move to add the following legislation to the agenda, though it will require a suspension of the rules since the staff reports are not all ready. Because of this, I am not prepared to comment on this legislation, but here is the list nonetheless.
1. O-15-25 - Removing Accessory Dwelling Unit Owner-Residency Requirement (Schandelmeier) - Planning Commission, then Rules & Government Committee
2. O-18-25 - Reallowing Duplexes in R2 Zoning Districts (Huntley) - Planning Commission then Rules & Government Committee
3. O-27-25 - Cutting of Trees in Critical Areas and Tree Replacement (Savidge) - Planning Commission then Rules & Government AND Environmental Matters
4. O-29-25 - Tyler Avenue Complete Community Overlay District (Gay) - Planning Commission, then Rules & Government AND Housing & Human Welfare
5. O-30-25 - Business Revitalization Zoning District Regulations (O'Neill) - Planning Commission, then Rules & Government Committe

Legislative action summary from last meeting

R-20-25 - FY 2026 Annual Fees Schedule – approved with amendments (I voted Aye)
R-21-25 - FY 2026 Fines Schedule - approved with amendments (I voted Aye)
O-10-25 - Annual Budget and Appropriation and Property Tax Levy. approved with amendments (I voted Aye)
O-33-24 - Appeals Process for Property Development in Annapolis - approved with amendments (I voted Aye)
O-11-25 - Arts in Public Places Commission Update and Revisions – Approved (I voted Aye)
R-12-25 - Street-end Park on Annapolis Street - Approved (I voted Aye)
R-17-25 - 2025 Transit Development Plan for the City of Annapolis – Postponed until 6/16 meeting (I made the motion and voted Aye)

Stay healthy and stay safe,

Rob

25 (agenda)

This meeting starts at 7pm and will be televised on local cable, YouTube, Facebook, and the City website. You can submit public testimony at http://www.annapolis.gov/testimony. This will be an in-person meeting.

Public Hearings

There is no legislation up for a public hearing.

Legislation being introduced on first reader

Nothing is schedule for First Reader, though we have around 20 in the pipeline, because none of them have completed staff reports. There is a chance we may add legislation for First Reader votes so that the Planning Commission has sufficient time to review it and get their recommendations back to us before the end of this Council term.

Legislation on second reader (i.e. final vote)

R-17-25 - 2025 Transit Development Plan for the City of Annapolis For the purpose of approving the City of Annapolis Transit Development Plan that is updated every five years. I’m not entirely sure yet how I’ll vote on this. They did make some of the changes I proposed, such as improving the density map and calling for a shift to a Payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) system to help us secure funding from partners to make this a fare-free system, but I’m awaiting a response to my proposed changes to the planned route improvements.
R-22-25 - City Supported Special Events in Fiscal Year 2026 For the purpose of identifying City Supported Special Events in Fiscal Year 2026 and waiving certain related City fees for those events. I have no issues with this, and will likely vote in favor pending comments from you.

Community & Political updates

City of Annapolis Opens Applications for 2025 Paddle Craft Rack Permits at Truxtun Park

The Annapolis Harbormaster is now accepting applications for 2025 paddle craft rack permits at Truxtun Park. The permit season runs from April 1 to November 15, and fees are $300 for residents and $600 for non-residents, plus a $50 application fee. Eligible applicants must be 18 or older and own paddle craft between 8 and 14 feet long. Applications, available online, are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Approved crafts must display a City permit sticker and adhere to usage guidelines. For details, visit the Annapolis Harbormaster website.

The BGE Customer Relief Fund

A new $15 million initiative—will provide one-time grants ranging from $250 to $750 for limited- and middle-income Maryland residents struggling with energy costs. This fund, part of a $50 million charitable contribution from Exelon, will be administered by United Way of Central Maryland, with applications opening July 1. Eligible customers can apply via bge.com/relief, with funds credited directly to their BGE accounts. This effort underscores BGE’s commitment to affordability and community support