Annapolis Rules & City Government Committee Special Meeting - September 8, 2025
Annapolis Rules & City Government Committee Special Meeting
The Rules & City Government Committee held a special meeting on September 8, 2025, from 10:13 AM to 12:34 PM in City Council Chambers. Present were Alderwoman Finlayson (Chair), Alderman Arnett, and Alderman Schandelmeier. The committee approved the agenda and minutes from July 11 and July 23, 2025 special meetings.
O-14-25: Implementation of Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan, 2040
This ordinance proposes zoning text amendments to implement the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan, focusing on planned developments, increased housing density, revised open space requirements, and updates to definitions and bulk limits. Sponsors include Buckley, Arnett, Finlayson, Schandelmeier, and Gay.
Discussion:
- Director of Planning & Zoning Jakubiak and Chief of Comprehensive Planning Leshinsky explained that the amendments remove obstacles to redevelopment consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, particularly along major corridors like Forest Drive and West Street. They emphasized that planned developments allow mixed uses and community benefits.
- Alderman Arnett expressed concern that the ordinance focuses heavily on affordable housing without adequate consideration of transit, traffic, and other infrastructure. He cited recent travel to Lisbon as an example of density without sufficient planning.
- Alderman Schandelmeier supported the plan's goals but asked about by-right housing in commercial zones and child care facilities. Staff noted that planned developments already allow such uses.
- Alderman Savage raised concerns that the density is not paired with infrastructure improvements, particularly on Forest Drive. He proposed extensive amendments to address transit, safety, and community benefits. He argued for coupling density with transit-oriented development and community benefit agreements.
- The committee discussed several amendments:
- Huntley Amendment (Amend #1): Changed "or" to "and" in criteria for rooftop structures, requiring all conditions to be met. Passed unanimously.
- Buckley Amendment (Amend #2): Added a new section to allow flexibility in FAR for a specific area near City Dock, to facilitate redevelopment consistent with historic patterns. Passed unanimously.
- Savage Amendments (Amend #3-#6): A series of roughly 10 pages of amendments addressing transit, performance standards, height restrictions, green roofs, and implementation of Planning Commission recommendations. Staff indicated they needed more time to evaluate. The committee agreed to postpone further action on O-14-25 until the next meeting (October 3, 2025) to allow staff to work with Alderman Savage on amendments.
Key Outcomes:
- O-14-25 postponed to the next committee meeting on October 3, 2025.
- Huntley Amendment (Amend #1) recommended favorably.
- Buckley Amendment (Amend #2) recommended favorably.
O-17-25: Limiting Short-term Rentals per Blockface
This ordinance would limit short-term rentals to 10% of residences on a blockface. Sponsor: Huntley.
Discussion:
- Short Term Rental Administrator Krause described current enforcement: 560 estimated active short-term rentals citywide, only 283 licensed. Approximately 129 unlicensed properties are on a path to compliance.
- Chief Leshinsky presented a GIS analysis showing 30 blockfaces in Ward 1, 5 in Ward 2, and 7 in Ward 8 exceed 10% concentration. The ordinance would cap new licenses but grandfather existing ones.
- Alderman Savage submitted five amendments:
- Amend #1 (definition of blockface): Adds flexibility for irregular streets (e.g., circles). Recommended favorably on voice vote.
- Amend #2 (exempt owner-occupied): Exempts owner-occupied short-term rentals from the cap. Staff expressed administrative difficulty. Recommended unfavorably (2-1 vote; Finlayson and Arnett opposed, Schandelmeier in favor).
- Amend #3 (lottery system): Would gradually reduce overconcentration via a lottery after two years. Committee voiced legal and administrative concerns. No action taken (effectively rejected).
- Amend #4 (duplicate of #3): No action taken.
- Amend #5 (related to lottery timing): Withdrawn after earlier amendments failed.
- The committee then voted on the amended ordinance.
Key Outcomes:
- O-17-25 recommended favorably with Savage Amendment #1 only.
- Savage Amendment #2 recommended unfavorably.
- Savage Amendments #3, #4, #5 not recommended.
O-24-25: Election Report Deadlines
This ordinance would add two campaign finance reporting deadlines and eliminate one. Sponsor: Huntley.
Discussion:
- Eileen Leahy, Chair of the Board of Supervisors of Elections, testified that the Board opposed adding a very early report (26th Tuesday before primary) and preferred retaining the fourth Tuesday before the general election rather than the Tuesday immediately preceding. She saw no need for the changes.
- Alderman Arnett, Schandelmeier, and Savage all expressed opposition, stating the current system works well and changes could cause confusion, especially with ranked-choice voting adjustments pending.
Key Outcomes:
- O-24-25 recommended unfavorably on a unanimous voice vote.
Meeting Transcript
All the rules of the city government committee meeting to order. Welcome back, everyone. Uh roll call, please note Alderman Arnett is present, and Alderman Shandemeyer is joining us by video. I'll entertain a motion to approve the agenda. Move to approve the agenda. Did I get a second? Your mic is not. It is still not on. Um how about now you're on? Better. Okay. Second. Thank you. All in favor of approving the agenda is written, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you. Um approval of the minutes from the July 11th and the July 23rd meeting. So we'll entertain a motion. So moved. Second. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Okay. First item on our agenda is legislation 014 25. Implementation of Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040. And I see uh our director, Mr. Kubiak, would you come up? Mr. Densky, please come up. Good morning. Good morning. So tell us why we have to why we should be approving uh 01425. Well, there that's a big question. Yeah. Um the address and uh the the ordinance and in its various uh the various aspects of the ordinance address uh a number of obstacles that um are preventing uh land development or redevelopment more more appropriately uh that's consistent with the city's comprehensive plan. Uh you know the the the document is relatively large, addresses multiple um zoning text amendments, but that's the theme that runs throughout the the ordinance that these uh changes would improve the implementation of the city's comprehensive plan. And naturally, once an adopted plan is um on the books, the next step for municipality is to uh adopt the text amendments and zoning map amendments to help bring the plan about. And um there will be in the future other text amendments forthcoming. Um, but this is the first cut of those, and um there'll be map amendments as well that will be presented to the uh city council in the months ahead. So uh should we just begin with I see the attachments with the amendment alderman? Thank you, madam chair. Um as I look at this legislation, it feels like it has three distinct component parts. The majority of it up through page eight has to do with the changes that are going to help us accommodate the goals of the comprehensive plan 2040, more specifically to increase density in plan development areas, which if I'm correct, are largely the 12 opportunity areas. Is that a correct assumption? Yeah, yeah. Um there, I would say a better way to think about it. They do capture those areas, but we're thinking about the major corridors of the city as where these opportunities will be. And then we have a small section that deals with the 3250 rule, which uh starts on page eight, and then on page 10, we get into some bulk and height changes in a specific portion of the city.
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