We don’t have anything up for a public hearing on Monday, but we do have a number of things of note that we will be taking action on. Of particular note are the competing pieces of housing legislation, O-40-22 (workforce housing – would create mass changes to our zoning districts allowing building of unlimited height with 2-5+ units nearly all of our zoning districts, adding to our density, with individual projects under 11 units not triggering our adequate facilities laws) and R-1-23 (this strives for us to take a strategic approach to addressing housing affordability via our Comprehensive Plan, building consensus along the way).

There is also an odd piece of legislation being introduced that would allow a “party boat” (their name, not mine) to operate in downtown waters with amplified music. This is only being introduced but it did strike me as a bit unusual.

Lastly, I posted some information below on a public hearing regarding a Forest Drive safety study being undertaken by the County.  

Stay healthy and stay safe,

Rob

Next Council meeting – 3/27/23 (agenda)

This Council meeting is starting 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

Nothing is up for a public hearing.

Legislation being introduced on first reader

• O-11-23 - Changes to the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County - For the purpose of conforming the City's Resilience Authority law with Anne Arundel County changes: to stagger resilience authority member terms; to make the resilience authority director an Anne Arundel County employee; to change how the authority's Chief Financial Officer is appointed; to alter reporting requirements; and generally relating to the Resilience Authority of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
• O-12-23 - Lease of City Property to the Annapolis Maritime Museum - For the purpose of authorizing a lease of certain municipal property located in the City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland to the Annapolis Maritime Museum for certain periods of time in FY 2023 and FY 2024.
• O-13-23 - Lease of City Property to Marine Entertainment, LLC - For the purpose of authorizing a lease of certain municipal property located in the City Dock in Annapolis, Maryland to Marine Entertainment, LLC, for certain periods of time in Fiscal Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024. This appears to be a lease to allow an AA County Firefighter to have some kind of “party boat” (that’s their name, not mine) travel around the waters downtown with amplified music. I have some concerns about this and will request more details, as well as a referral to our Maritime Advisory Board.
• R-20-23 - Support for State of Maryland Disaster Recovery Fund - For the purpose of encouraging the Maryland Legislation to pass the creation of the State Disaster Recovery Fund and supporting efforts of the Annapolis state delegation to advance Senate Bill 650 and House Bill 789.

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

• O-40-22 - Workforce Housing - For the purpose of the purpose of allowing workforce housing as a permitted use subject to standards in certain residential, commercial, office and mixed use districts; establishing the standards for workforce housing; and generally related to zoning. This is returning to us because it has hit the “90-day rule”. No legislation can stay in committee more than 90-days. Once it hits that point it comes back to the Council for action. We can choose to postpone action, which sends it back to committee for further action (they are still working on amendments), or we can take a final vote.
• O-50-22 - Landlord And Tenant Relations - Rent Guidelines - For the purpose of developing rent guidelines; creating a Rent Stabilization Board to create and oversee the guidelines; setting rent increase notice requirements; generally concerning rents and landlord-tenant relations; and removing a misplaced word in Section 18.10 of the Code. This is also up for action due to the “90-day rule”.
• O-55-22 - Sediment Control Inspections Process, Fees, and Milestone Inspections - For the purpose of adding conditions for reinspection; creating milestone inspections; adjusting buildings and construction fees to pay for inspector positions; updating the format of these sections; and generally related to grading, erosion and sediment control inspections. This is also up for action due to the “90-day rule”. The Environmental Matters Committee is still waiting for some fiscal impact information before our final vote.
• O-52-22 - Streets - Turtle-friendly Curbs - For the purpose of requiring turtle-friendly curbs in environmentally critical areas of the City; correcting a typo in Title 14; creating a "Streets" chapter and a "Curbs" section in Title 14; and generally related to street curb requirements. This is my legislation. It is finally ready for a final vote. While in Committee, we realized we needed to scale it back in scope a bit to make it more feasible. It now applies to all new construction on non-arterial roadways that are 250’ from a Resource Conservation Area (in the Critical Area). As to how this impacts existing curb, if the pavement program is scheduled to replace at least a block’s worth of road surface, then the curbing needs to be replaced, pending final approval from DPW. If you would like to see a map of the impacted areas you can find one here. As you can probably tell, I’m strongly inclined to vote in favor, pending any comments from you.
• O-6-23 - City of Annapolis Cellular Antenna Lease with New Cingular Wireless - For the purpose of updating and extending the City's lease with New Cingular Wireless for a cellular antenna on top of the City water tower on Janwall Street. I think this is just a renegotiated lease, and pending any comments from you, I’m inclined to vote in favor.
• R-50-22 - Rocky Gorge Development Emergency Action for the purpose of addressing the Rocky Gorge Development's "Aris T. Allen Boulevard" project, a 23-acre site platted for 48 single-family housing units; calling for an immediate stop work order on site development, and requiring a report on the project.
• R-1-23 - Workforce Housing Development Planning in the City of Annapolis - For the purpose of emphasizing the important role the "Annapolis Ahead 2040 Comprehensive Plan" can and will play in identifying, planning, and furthering our workforce housing goals; ensuring an equitable distribution of such housing, factoring in nearby County zoning; ensuring City Council and public input; postponing significant zoning changes and decisions until the Plan is completed; setting dates for drafts of the Plan; and generally dealing with City housing development. This is our (the 5 co-sponsors) alternative to O-40-22. We feel it’s better for us to follow the comprehensive planning process and develop strategic ways to increase affordable housing, rather than taking a divisive and major modification of our entire zoning code. I’m strongly inclined to support this, pending any comments from you.
• R-8-23 - Annual Statement of Performance Standards - For the purpose of approving the annual performance statements filed by City agencies and departments.
• R-11-23 - City-supported Special Events in Fiscal Year 2024 - For the purpose of identifying City-supported events in Fiscal Year 2024, where the City becomes a co-sponsor and waives certain related City fees for those events.
• R-13-23 - Third-Party Bond Fees - For the purpose of setting the City of Annapolis fees regarding bonds issued by the City on behalf of a third party by the adoption of CA-1-23; and generally related to bond issuance.
• R-19-23 - 2023 Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival - Waiver of Fees - For the purpose of identifying the Annapolis Pride Parade and Festival as a City-supported event to be held on June 3, 2023; and waiving certain related City fees for that event.

Community & Political updates

Forest Drive Safety Study

Anne Arundel County has started a traffic safety study aimed at reducing crash risk for all road users along  Forest Drive / Bay Ridge Road from Bywater Road to Arundel on the Bay Road. The final product will be a report that prioritizes improvement opportunities with concept drawings, preliminary cost estimates, and next  steps to move towards implementation. The recommended improvements will incorporate input from the public. 

 A public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 6:00-8:00pm at Annapolis Middle  School – 1399 Forest Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403.

 More information can be found on the project webpage.

 Anyone is welcome to submit comments, which  will be accepted through April 14, 2023. Hard copies of materials will be available at the Eastport-Annapolis  Neck Branch of the Anne Arundel County Public Library – 269 Hillsmere Drive, Annapolis, MD 21403.

 Anyone needing accommodations must contact DPW Customer Relations at 410-222-7582 or by email at  [email protected] at least seven days in advance of the event. TTY users please call via Maryland Relay  7-1-1. All materials are available in alternative formats upon request.