Annapolis City Council Regular Meeting – July 14, 2025
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Annapolis City Council Regular Meeting – July 14, 2025
The Annapolis City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, July 14, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. The meeting included a closed session, ceremonial citations, the mayor's update, committee reports, public comments, multiple public hearings, and legislative action on several ordinances and resolutions. The meeting adjourned at 8:52 PM.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the agenda as amended to postpone R-30-25 (Five-Year Consolidated Housing and Community Development Strategic Plan) to Monday, July 28, 2025.
- Approved the minutes of the June 2, June 9, and June 16, 2025 meetings unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Valerie Mills-Cooper (1955 Forest Drive) spoke in support of renaming the Noah Hillman Parking Garage to include her father's name, Walter S. Mills, highlighting his civil rights contributions, including a 1937-1939 salary equalization lawsuit against the county school board.
- Renetra Anderson (51 Clay Street), descendant of the Old Fourth Ward and member of the Coalition of Atonement and Repair (CARR), urged the city to adopt reparative justice principles, including acknowledgment, responsibility, restitution, and guarantees of non-repetition.
- Lindy Mundy (55 Primrose Lane), also a CARR member, criticized the city's delayed and weakened response to the requested apology resolution, stating that an apology was drafted by CARR but returned by the city's legal office as "gutted."
- Ahsun Powell (address not given) spoke on behalf of CARR, accusing the city of lacking political will for reparative justice and demanding a full written apology before the end of Mayor Buckley's term, as well as a timeline for concrete action.
Public Hearings
Charter Amendment CA-1-25 – City Council Compensation Commission
- No public testimony was offered. The public hearing was declared closed.
Ordinance O-17-25 – Limiting Short-term Rentals per Blockface (Sponsor: Huntley)
- Speakers (all opposed):
- Gil Gildea (Newport Condominiums) argued short-term rentals are a small fraction of housing (156 out of 17,000 homes) and that the bill would reduce property values, hurt tourism, and invite lawsuits. He suggested a noise curfew instead.
- Max Gross (Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors) stated the association had no position but noted studies show short-term rentals drive only about 1% of rental cost increases, so the bill would not address affordability. He also raised enforcement concerns given the city's current compliance rate (~50% non-compliant).
- Tom Krieck (14 Murray Avenue) opposed, citing property value declines in other cities (e.g., Palm Springs -14%, Tobyhanna -24%) and arguing the ordinance would create an underground market and benefit existing STR owners.
- Ron Schneider (4 Murray Avenue) asked for deferral, citing concerns about home equity.
- Jamie Grams (125 Charlos Street) opposed, stating he had no issues with STRs on his block and that the bill creates problems without evidence.
- Clifford "Trey" Quinn (507 Schley Road) opposed, noting that STR income helps him and his wife afford to live in Annapolis, and asked for further study.
- The public hearing was closed. No vote was taken; the item remains in committee.
Ordinance O-19-25 – Regulation of Tours in Historic Annapolis (Sponsor: Huntley)
- Speakers:
- Michael Bors (Tour Annapolis, small local operator) affirmed the values of local tours but raised concerns about fees, certification requirements, and insurance costs that could burden small businesses. He asked for a tiered system.
- William Ridgley (Colonial Tours of Annapolis) also asked for a tiered system with exemptions/modifications for small businesses regarding fees and insurance.
- Mike Carter (Annapolis Ghost Tours, 23-year local operator) supported the bill, arguing it levels the playing field against national companies that take revenue out of the community, trade under misleading names, and lack local accountability. He noted insurance is affordable and essential to protect the city.
- The public hearing was closed.
Ordinance O-20-25 – Sale of City-Owned Property at 932/935 Spa Road (Sponsor: Buckley)
- Speaker:
- Dan Clements (17 Southgate Avenue, member of Spa Creek Conservancy) opposed, stating the legislation lacks details on intended use, that the property is contaminated (Phase II environmental assessment shows frightening soil conditions), and that selling for $1 to the Resilience Authority without a clear plan is irresponsible. He noted MDE requires a 100-foot setback from Spa Creek.
- The public hearing was closed. Alderman Gay requested referral to the Housing and Human Welfare Committee.
Ordinance O-21-25 – Annapolis Harbor Lines at 423 Chester Avenue on Back Creek (Sponsor: Arnett)
- Speaker:
- Tripp Fulton (Safe Harbor Marinas) explained that the city's Sixth Street Street End Park project would eliminate four commercial slips at Safe Harbor's southernmost pier. This legislation would modify harbor lines to allow Safe Harbor to recoup those slips at a different location along Back Creek, resolving pending litigation (currently stayed).
- The public hearing was closed. Alderman Gay requested referral to the Housing and Human Welfare Committee.
Ordinance O-24-25 – Election Report Deadlines (Sponsor: Huntley)
- No public testimony was offered. The public hearing was closed.
Discussion Items
- Closed Session: The council entered closed session at 6:07 PM under Maryland Code §3-305(b)(7) for a legal update from the Office of Law, returning at 7:01 PM. A recess was taken from 7:02 to 7:11 PM.
- Ceremonial Citation: The Annapolis Police Department awarded six $1,000 college scholarships to students, with funds coming from community donations (including an anonymous donor in memory of the Capital Gazette victims). Over 30 scholarships have been awarded since 2017.
- Mayor's Update: Mayor Buckley acknowledged the work of the council with five meetings remaining, reported a successful July 4th parade and a quick response to illegal fireworks at City Dock, and announced upcoming events: Community Fun Day (July 19), Family Day Festival (July 26), Rotary Crab Feast (August 1), and the rescheduled Pride Parade (October 18).
- Committee Reports:
- Transportation Committee (Alderwoman O'Neill) met last Wednesday; discussed updates from SP Plus, bird scooters, and parking garage data; next meeting September 10.
- Economic Matters Committee (Alderman Schandelmeier) will meet July 16 at 6:30 PM.
- Housing and Human Welfare Committee (Alderwoman Finlayson) will meet July 21; will address issues at Newtown 20 and Woodside Gardens where residents' approved applications have been deferred.
- Environmental Matters Committee (Alderman Savidge) postponed action on O-20-25 pending Phase II environmental assessment; joint meeting with Rules & City Government on July 23 at 3 PM.
- Rules & City Government Committee (Alderwoman Finlayson) met July 11; postponed action on O-9-25 (waterfront uses) and O-20-25 (Spa Road sale) until a special joint meeting on July 23.
- Public Safety Committee (Alderwoman Pindell Charles) met July 7, focusing on Wards 5 and 7; next meeting planned for September (date TBD due to Labor Day).
- Finance Committee (Alderman Gay) recommended unfavorably on O-1-25 (prioritizing affordable housing spending) and favorably on O-13-25 (compensation of mayor, council, and city manager) by a 2-1 vote.
Key Outcomes
- Legislative Action – First Reader:
- O-31-25 (Issuance of General Obligation Bonds and Bond Anticipation Notes, up to $73,561,499) was adopted on first reader by voice vote. Referred to the Finance Committee and the Financial Advisory Commission.
- Legislative Action – Second and Third Readers:
- O-6-25 (Clearing Snow and Ice from City Sidewalks) was adopted on second reader by voice vote, then on third reader by a roll call vote of 9-0. The acting city manager noted that coordination with the county on shared corridors will be addressed in regulations.
- O-8-25 (Chesapeake Children's Museum Lease Renewal through June 30, 2030) was adopted on second reader by voice vote, then on third reader by a roll call vote of 9-0.
- R-27-25 (Renaming of Noah Hillman Parking Garage to "Mills Hillman Garage") was adopted on second reader by a roll call vote of 7-2. Voting nay: Alderman Huntley and Alderwoman O'Neill. The renaming recognizes the contributions of the Mills family, particularly Walter S. Mills' civil rights work.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:52 PM.
Meeting Transcript
The regular meeting of the Annapolis City Council on Monday, July 14th, 2025, will be called to order at 6 p.m. This time, please join us for the invocation given by Alderman Huntley, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. I've chosen an invocation today that's uh not quite as long as some of Alderman Gay's, but probably a little on the longer side. Uh it is from a speech by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. He said, I want to talk to you right now about a fundamental threat to American democracy. I do not refer to the outward strength of America, a nation that is at peace tonight everywhere in the world. The threat is nearly invisible in ordinary ways. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes to the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. We can see this crisis in the growing doubt about the meaning of our own lives and in the loss of a unity of purpose for our nation. The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and political fabric of America. The confidence that we have always had as a people is not simply some romantic dream or a proverb in a dusty book that we read just on the Fourth of July. It is the idea which founded our nation and has guided our development as a people. Confidence is the in the future has supported everything else, public institutions and private enterprise, our own families, and the very constitution of the United States. Confidence has defined our course and has served as a link between generations. We've always believed in something called progress. We've always had a faith that the days of our children will be better than our own. Our people are losing that faith, not only in government itself, but in the ability as citizens to serve as the ultimate rulers and shapers of our democracy. We always believed that we were part of a great movement of humanity itself called democracy, involved in the search for freedom, and that belief has always strengthened us in our purpose. But just as we are losing our confidence in the future, we are also beginning to close the door on our past. Too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. And yet we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence nor purpose. The symptoms of this Americ the this crisis of the American spirit are all around us. This is not a message of happiness or reassurance, but it is the truth, and it is a warning. The people are looking for honest answers, not easy answers. Clear leadership, not false claims and evasiveness and politics as usual. What you see too often in Washington and elsewhere around the country is a system of government that seems incapable of action. You see a Congress twisted and pulled in every direction by hundreds of well-financed and powerful special interests. And then we can change our course. We simply must have faith in each other, faith in our ability to govern ourselves, and faith in the future of this nation. Restoring that faith and that confidence to America is now the most important task we face. It is a true challenge for this generation of Americans. As one of the visitors to Camp David last week in 1979, put it. It is a certain route to failure. All the traditions of our past, all the lessons of our heritage, all the promises of our future point to another path. The path of common purpose and restoration of American values. Yes, sir. Mayor Buckley. Alderman O'Neill. Present. Alderwoman Pendel Charles. Alderman. Present. Alderman Santa Meyer. Alderman Gay. Here. Alderman Savage. Present.
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