OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Environmental Matters Committee Meeting - January 8, 2026

City Council — Thursday, January 8, 2026
BodyAnnapolis, Maryland
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, January 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:56:36

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

All into order the January 8th meeting for environmental matters committee meeting.

0:06

And starting the top, uh all the members are present.

0:13

And the I have a motion to approve the agenda as introduced.

0:21

So moved.

0:27

All is in favor, please say aye.

0:29

Aye.

0:30

Motion carries.

0:31

Thank you.

0:33

And have uh business and miscellaneous for election of the chair.

0:38

Is there a motion?

0:40

I'll move for Alderman Savage to be elected as chair of the environmental matters standing committee.

0:48

Thank you.

0:48

Any discussion or other nominations?

0:55

Okay.

0:58

No discussion.

0:59

I second.

1:00

Okay.

1:01

All those in favor, please say aye.

1:04

Aye.

1:05

Motioners, thank you.

1:07

Appreciate your support.

1:09

And the general discussion.

1:11

We all we have are.

1:13

Oh, I forgot I didn't need to modify the agenda, but need to remove the ID six.

1:25

It's a stormwater fee incentives rebate program.

1:28

Public works is gonna join us, I think next month.

1:36

But for this afternoon, we're gonna start with ID 426, which is Hawkins Cove.

1:42

And so the staff please join us at the table.

1:51

I'm excited about this.

1:54

It feels so good to be on the environmental committee.

1:56

This is great, guys.

1:57

Happy to be here.

2:09

Thank you for joining us.

2:10

I thought it would be a good idea for the new committee to get briefed on various programs.

2:15

So for our next for a meeting next month, I've already invited uh plan of zoning Brian Adams with the Urban Tree program because I thought that will also dovetail well with the watershed restoration fund.

2:29

Um so thank you.

2:30

Um you're here to discuss Hawkins Cove.

2:33

So yeah, what do you have for so hello?

2:37

I'm uh Mike Rossberg.

2:39

I'm the stormwater program manager in uh public works.

2:42

Um I've been involved with this project since probably the past four years or so.

2:49

Um, but since then I've passed it along to Ann and I've been working with Eric on this project.

2:54

Um so I've still been involved in in and will be with the project, but overseeing um Ann's work.

3:01

So hi Ann Rotor Stormwater Engineer Public Works and project manager for this project.

3:07

And uh do we have the PowerPoint or the PDF in play somewhere?

3:15

We don't have to open it yet.

3:16

I just want to make sure that if we don't, then we need to probably have it up here shortly.

3:22

Okay, great.

3:32

Okay, just check, just checking so that we can keep moving.

3:36

Uh I'm Eric Lashinski, Chief of Comprehensive Planning.

3:40

And I I've been working on this project for several years as well.

3:44

Like um, Mike, um, primarily from uh um in conjunction with the ESport CNI project, which is you know, our our ambitious revitalization of um Eastport Terrace and Public House um uh Harbor House, the largest public housing community in the city, um, which I know Alderman Um Conte has been very involved with.

4:07

Um and it also just dovetails with our efforts to make public water access more equitable um and just generally connect the city's parks um to the waterfront.

4:19

So Anne from Public Works has really taken over as a project primary project manager um as we kind of move the project forward.

4:30

Um we'll just get going there.

4:35

Yeah, you can get started while they work out the technical issue.

4:38

Okay.

4:39

Um so thanks for the opportunity to talk about this project.

4:42

Um I think yeah, so we have a list of a hundred CIPs, many, many, many projects in the works, but this one has risen towards the top of the priorities um for for this year, the upcoming years because it has been long um in the making, and um it has really a whole slew of different um components and benefits that it could provide um to the to the community.

5:12

So um the product you want to talk about the location.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection████████████████████████████████████36%
Zoning And Development████████████████16%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Public Transit██████6%
Water And Wastewater Management█████5%
Budget Equity Analysis█████5%
Public Engagement████4%
Energy Efficiency███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Environmental Matters Committee Meeting - January 8, 2026

The Environmental Matters Committee convened on January 8, 2026, to review critical infrastructure and environmental projects, including the Hawkins Cove restoration, urban development updates, and citywide resilience initiatives. The meeting addressed significant funding gaps, permit challenges, and recent public engagement efforts regarding brownfield cleanup and leaf blower enforcement.

Consent Calendar

  • The agenda was approved as introduced with a unanimous motion (all ayes).

Public Comments & Testimony

Note: No formal public comment period occurred; community feedback was presented by staff regarding recent meetings.

  • Alderman Savage questioned the timing of notification regarding a Spa Road community meeting held the previous night, noting a two-day notice was insufficient for new council members and requesting future inclusion in public notices.
  • Alderman Huntley raised concerns regarding the ratio of design funding versus construction funding on the Hawkins Cove project, suggesting the city explore standard designs to reduce administrative costs on future projects.
  • Jackie Guy (Deputy City Manager) acknowledged the design intensity of the Hawkins Cove project due to its extensive history, iterations, and specific grant requirements, noting the project has evolved significantly from its original 130,000-dollar proposal.

Discussion Items

Hawkins Cove Restoration & Truxton Network Connector

  • Hawkins Cove Restoration: Staff presented the project involving shoreline restoration (removing bulkhead, installing living shoreline), pier replacement/extension, a regenerative step-pool stormwater system, and a pier floating dock. The project is estimated at $1.9–2.1 million, with only $974,000 allocated; a gap of approximately $1 million remains, with the Resilience Authority and Severn Whole Watershed Partnership being pursued as funding sources.
  • Truxton Green Network Connector: A separate trail component formalizing an informal path through conservation easements to connect Hawkins Cove to Truxton Park, with construction targeted for summer 2026.
  • Technical Details: Discussion covered the stone toe for the living shoreline (intended as a temporary marker for plant establishment), dredging requirements for navigable channels, and MS4 credits derived from living shoreline and stormwater components rather than impervious area reduction.

Development & Planning Updates (Mr. Meekins)

  • AutoZone (1942 West Street): Demolition underway; planning commission approved. Alderman Savage expressed concern over the auto-centric nature of the development but acknowledged the mitigation for trail access and buffering.
  • Parole Place (Forest Drive/Old Solomon's Island Rd): Planned unit development approved; subdivision plat recorded. The project includes workforce housing apartments above retail.
  • West Village (161 West Street): Mixed-use structure approved following Planning Commission review; awaiting updated grading permit.
  • Thomas Somerville Site (2349 Solomon's Island Rd): New proposal to redevelop across the city-county boundary, moving operations to the city side. Staff noted potential for improved bicycle/pedestrian connectivity.
  • Eastport Landing: Clarified that the site design plan expired as the building permit was not obtained by the deadline, effectively removing the project from the active list.

Spa Road Brownfield Cleanup

  • Status: A community meeting was held on January 7, 2026, hosted by the Resilience Authority. The site, formerly an incinerator/dump, requires remediation. The city submitted an EPA grant application on January 28, 2026. A website (sparoRoadProperty.com) was established for public information and tracking.

Resilience and Sustainability Highlights

  • Building Energy Performance Standards (BERPS): A $3 million DOE grant was terminated by the new administration. The city is currently appealing the decision and has recovered invoices through October.
  • LED Street Lights: A completed study suggests the city could save millions over 20 years by purchasing and maintaining street lights from BGE; results to be shared with Council shortly, pending city manager approval.
  • Climate Action Plan: The GHG inventory and draft plan are nearing completion for an April rollout, aiming for 60% reduction by 2031. Preliminary data suggests the transportation sector is now a top emitter, though fleet electrification data is still maturing.
  • Electric Fleets: Plans to install EV charging infrastructure at the Police Department and pursue a fleet assessment to guide future electrification.
  • Electric Trolley Feasibility: An RFP is being finalized for a feasibility study on an electric trolley connecting City Dock to downtown hotels, funded by city, county, and Denker Foundation funds.
  • Ferry Project: A hybrid ferry grant was amended to meet federal priorities; the city will pursue the hybrid option for flexibility and robustness.
  • Severn Whole Watershed Partnership: A $2.25 million state grant received for restoration and outreach; city projects are expected to be the primary recipients.
  • Electric Leaf Blower Ban: The rebate program (100 for residents, 1,500 for commercial) has processed 163 rebates with ~53,000 remaining. Staff are considering adding a full-time enforcement position funded by unused city manager budget funds.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion Carried: Agenda approval.
  • Decision: The Hawkins Cove project remains a top priority but requires an additional $1 million in funding to proceed beyond design; the Truxton Network Connector is scheduled for summer 2026 construction.
  • Action Item: Staff to follow up on the funding source for the dedicated leaf blower enforcement position (City Manager's budget vs. Planning & Zoning base budget) and share the LED street light savings study with the Council.
  • Referral: The committee is requested to monitor the EPA grant application for the Spa Road site and ensure future community meeting notices include all council members.

Meeting Transcript

All into order the January 8th meeting for environmental matters committee meeting. And starting the top, uh all the members are present. And the I have a motion to approve the agenda as introduced. So moved. All is in favor, please say aye. Aye. Motion carries. Thank you. And have uh business and miscellaneous for election of the chair. Is there a motion? I'll move for Alderman Savage to be elected as chair of the environmental matters standing committee. Thank you. Any discussion or other nominations? Okay. No discussion. I second. Okay. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Motioners, thank you. Appreciate your support. And the general discussion. We all we have are. Oh, I forgot I didn't need to modify the agenda, but need to remove the ID six. It's a stormwater fee incentives rebate program. Public works is gonna join us, I think next month. But for this afternoon, we're gonna start with ID 426, which is Hawkins Cove. And so the staff please join us at the table. I'm excited about this. It feels so good to be on the environmental committee. This is great, guys. Happy to be here. Thank you for joining us. I thought it would be a good idea for the new committee to get briefed on various programs. So for our next for a meeting next month, I've already invited uh plan of zoning Brian Adams with the Urban Tree program because I thought that will also dovetail well with the watershed restoration fund. Um so thank you. Um you're here to discuss Hawkins Cove. So yeah, what do you have for so hello? I'm uh Mike Rossberg. I'm the stormwater program manager in uh public works. Um I've been involved with this project since probably the past four years or so. Um, but since then I've passed it along to Ann and I've been working with Eric on this project. Um so I've still been involved in in and will be with the project, but overseeing um Ann's work. So hi Ann Rotor Stormwater Engineer Public Works and project manager for this project. And uh do we have the PowerPoint or the PDF in play somewhere? We don't have to open it yet. I just want to make sure that if we don't, then we need to probably have it up here shortly. Okay, great. Okay, just check, just checking so that we can keep moving. Uh I'm Eric Lashinski, Chief of Comprehensive Planning.

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