Happy 4^th of July! I have details below on our City celebrations, details on Monday’s Council meeting, and our first water access plan draft that is out for public comment.

 Stay healthy and stay safe,

 Rob

Next Council meeting – 7/8/24 (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

• O-6-24 - City-wide Prohibition on New Drive-through Windows - For the purpose of prohibiting new drive-through window facilities that allow people to remain in vehicles while receiving products or services; eliminating City Code references to drive-through windows and facilities; and generally related to drive-through facilities in Annapolis. The Planning Commission has not completed their deliberations on this legislation, and it should not come back to the Council until they are done. Hence, I will be making a motion to postpone public hearing (or potentially just keep it open) until the Planning Commission concludes their deliberations and submits their recommendations/report to us.
• O-12-24 - Maritime Industry Economic Development Fund - For the purpose of establishing a Maritime Industry Economic Development Fund is to promote, stabilize, and protect the maritime industry in the City of Annapolis; and generally dealing with maritime development in the City. The Planning Commission has not completed their deliberations on this legislation, and it should not come back to the Council until they are done. Hence, I will be making a motion to postpone public hearing (or potentially just keep it open) until the Planning Commission concludes their deliberations and submits their recommendations/report to us.

Legislation being introduced on first reader

• O-11-24 - Tenant Displacement Fund - For the purpose of establishing a fund for providing assistance to tenants who are displaced when rental units are deemed unfit for human habitation by the City; basing funding for tenants on specific criteria; and generally related to emergency housing needs in the City of Annapolis. I'm open to the concept, but I think this needs more development considering the many questions and concerns raised in the staff report, including staffing concerns. I'm not inclined to support this on First Reader as I feel it needs more work prior to introduction.
• O-15-24 - Issuance of General Obligation Bonds and Bond Anticipation Notes.
• R-1-24 - Eastport and Maritime Operations Work Group - For the purpose of creating an Eastport and Maritime Operations Work Group to analyze the impact of Ordinance 25-21 on maritime operations and properties in the Waterfront Maritime Eastport (WME) zoning district, and to recommend how the City Council can support such operations and properties. I have serious reservations about any legislation being introduced, that primarily impacts only one Ward, without the sponsorship of said Alderperson. If that is to be done, at the least some kind of justification should be presented.

Additionally, I don’t think such legislation is needed given that the original 2021 legislation called for the P&Z Director to create this Task Force; not the council.

I believe this legislation will be postponed. Otherwise I will likely not support it on First Reader, pending any concerns from you.

• R-31-24 - FY 2025 Position Classifications and Pay Plan for the Annapolis Police Department - For the purpose of approving the Fiscal Year 2025 annual position classifications and pay plan for the Annapolis Police Department; and specifying an effective date.
• R-32-24 - City of Annapolis Police and Fire Retirement Plan -- 2024 Amendment and Restatement - For the purpose of amending and restating the Police and Fire Retirement plan; and matters generally relating to the plan.
• R-34-24 - Itinerant Merchant Sales in the Historic District - 2024 - For the purpose of authorizing hawker, peddler, and itinerant merchant sales in the Historic District in conjunction with certain special events during calendar year 2024.
• R-35-24 - Scheduling Conflicts Between City Council Meetings and Committee, Board, and Commission Meetings - For the purpose of eliminating conflicts when the City Council and its standing committees are scheduled to meet; and generally relating to meeting schedules of City committees, boards, and commissions. I’m inclined to support this at this point, but I may work on an amendment to address the recommendations made in the staff report to exclude quasi-judicial boards.
• R-39-24 - Fiscal Year 2025 Sewer Fees Update - For the purpose of updating City of Annapolis sewer fees as recommended by the City's rate consultant; and generally dealing with the FY 2025 fees schedule.

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

• O-26-23 - Forest Conservation Plan Appeals - For the purpose of closing a loophole in the Forest Conservation Plan provisions of the City Code concerning forest clearing; changing the Forest Conservation Plan appeals body from the Building Board of Appeals to the Board of Appeals; and generally related to the Maryland Forest Conservation Act and Planned Unit Development regulations. This is my legislation. Now that the Planning Commission has concluded their work the Committees need to pick it up. So I intend to refer back to Committee.
• R-4-24 - 2024 City of Annapolis Comprehensive Plan - For the purpose of adopting a new comprehensive plan for the City of Annapolis. P&Z has introduced a number of amendments that address most of our concerns with this plan. We have a few others from individuals as well as Committees. In particular, Environmental Matters Committee has an amendment that would change our tree canopy goal from the proposed 2040 (current goal is 2035) to 2050. We held two meetings with staff to discuss this. While I was very hesitant to push our goal back, we simply can’t get around the fact that even if we planted all of the trees we need next year, we can’t biologically get them to grow fast enough to meet our goal. The only way I’d agree to push it back was with a solid plan and staff/resource ramp-up that is guaranteed to be paid for in the future. My way to accomplish this was to make our tree program and canopy goal a part of our Watershed Restoration Fund. Given that a large reason why we want more trees/canopy is due to their water quality benefit, I felt it was appropriate to do so. Pending input from you, I’m inclined to support the comp plan but not necessarily all of the proposed amendments from my colleagues.
• R-19-24 - Eastport Choice Neighborhood Initiative Transformation - For the purpose of adopting the Eastport Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI) Transformation Plan, which was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and approving the use of the former City of Annapolis Public Works Property on Spa Road to meet the Plan's goals. I will be making a motion to refer this back to committee. Environmental Matters and Rules & Government Committee both need to review this legislation still.
• R-28-24 - City-supported Special Events in Fiscal Year 2025 - For the purpose of adding the Annapolis Family Day Festival to annual City events and City-supported events; and waiving certain fees for the Annapolis Family Day Festival in in Fiscal Year 2025. I have some concerns about this legislation, in particular with making the “Annapolis Family Day Festival” a City-sponsored event, so I’ll likely be making a motion to postpone while this is looked at. The LLC associated with this event is not in good standing with the State. Furthermore, they appear to be a religious group and I’m uncomfortable with the City sponsoring religious events.

Community & Political updates

City 4^th of July events

First ever Annapolis Public Water Access Plan DRAFT released for public comment