Good afternoon,

I hope everyone is staying warm this weekend! I have a few updates that I wanted to make you aware of.

Council business

First of all, this Monday (tomorrow) is a regular meeting of the City Council (details and agenda). We will be accepting testimony on the competing Market House Proposals. This past Thursday we had a 4 hour plus work session dealing completely with the Market House, hearing the “best and final offers” from both of the bidders. You can review that meeting and the presentations here. After reviewing all of the information, I am leaning towards supporting New Market; however, I will reserve final judgement until after the public hearing has been completed. The reasons I’m leaning towards New Market is because I feel their proposed concept would serve as a draw downtown to help all of our businesses, it has a significant emphasis on local foods, would have a single operator instead of multiple stalls to fill, incorporates a large market and grocer area, and strives to turn this area into a town center. Once (or if) we make a selection on a particular proposal/concept, then the winner can begin, on good faith, to get the construction wheels spinning. The lease will come back to the Council for final review and another vote later this month or next. But by making a selection we at least help increase the chances that the Market House will either stay open (if Annapolis Oyster Company is selected) or open in time for the summer (New Market). Please send me any comments you may have on the Market House.

As you’ll see on the agenda, there isn’t much else we are discussing, other than voting on some legislation on “first reader” (i.e. being introduced, will be voted on with hearing at future meeting). One such piece of legislation is a revision to ethics code to comply with some state-mandated changes, and another to allow a resident on Arundel on the Bay to connect to City water after a small subdivision (from 1 house to 2 houses). I’m inclined to support most legislation on first reader, but if you have any comments to the contrary, please let me know.

Other business

• You can recycle your Christmas/Yuletide tree on January 10th.
• “Listening” session for the County’s new General Development Plan. Anne Arundel County, as all Maryland jurisdictions, is required to prepare long-range land use and transportation plans every decade. AA County Planning And Zoning is beginning the planning by "listening" to citizens concerns, thoughts and ideas on how the County will permit development for the next twenty years.  Click here for more information. You can attend Thursday, January 11, 2018, at Annapolis Senior High, 2700 Riva Road, in the cafeteria.  There will be a brief introduction beginning at 6:00 PM, after which citizens are invited to visit with specialists in various topics.  This is an opportunity to see what information the County has gathered in preparation for the General Development Plan and to speak with knowledgeable County personnel about your experiences and views.
• In preparation for this County "listening" session, the Annapolis Neck Peninsula Federation (ANPF)  is conducting a roundtable group discussion on Monday, January 8, 2018, at 7:00PM, at the Eastport-Hillsmere Library.  The purpose of this informal meeting is to learn about how the County has prepared prior land use plans and how we citizens can participate in plans for our future.
• Public meeting on the Tyler Heights Elementary School renovations - January 9th at 6:30pm at the school.
• “Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit” available (that’s a City program). There is a 2 bedroom unit vacancy at Bell Annapolis at West (formerly the Point and 1901 West).  The monthly rent is $1,101 and you can get more information on this website link. Contact [email protected] for more information.
• The “Bay Village Assisted Living” facility, to be built behind the CVS, has received another extension from the City to give them more time to secure necessary construction permits. His project has all other needed approval from the City.

Take care, and stay warm!

-Rob