The Annapolis City Council held a work session on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 5:00 PM in the Mayor John T. Chambers, Jr. City Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order at 5:01 PM by Mayor Gavin Littmann and began with announcements that FEMA had released $35 million in funds for the city, including $33 million from the original grant and $2.5 million for stormwater upgrades. The sole agenda item was a briefing on the proposed development at 932 and 935 Spa Road, presented by Central Services Director Matt Flinner. The work session focused on environmental remediation, a new government center, potential workforce housing, and the city's real estate strategy.
FEMA Funding Announcement: Mayor Littmann announced that after many years, FEMA released $35 million, which includes the original $33 million grant and an additional $2.5 million for stormwater management. He credited Team Maryland and former Mayor Buckley for setting the project in motion.
Spa Road Property Overview: Director Flinner presented the history and current status of the Spa Road site, which includes 935 (east side) and 932 (west side). The east side lot 1, a sliver of land from the tree line to Spa Road, is the intended location for a new government center. The west side is planned for workforce housing in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA). The city's fuel site on the north side will remain in the short term.
Environmental Remediation: The site has been used as a landfill and incinerator, and later for automotive maintenance, creating contamination. Central Services has conducted Phase I and II environmental assessments, identifying recognized environmental conditions (RECs) from the landfill and oil/grease. Remediation plans (e.g., capping, soil removal, vapor barriers) will depend on the final site development plans. A $4 million Brownfields grant from the EPA (awarded June 2026) will fund cleanup, but must be spent within four years (starting October 2026). The Resilience Authority holds the grant and will oversee procurement.
Current Lease and Urgency: The city leases the Gorman Street building for $600,000 per year, with the lease expiring in 2030. The city has paid rent for 30 years. Mayor Littmann emphasized that 2030 is soon, and planning must begin immediately to avoid needing to renew the lease. Director Flinner noted that after feasibility, design, and construction, the project could take 4-5 years.
Building Options and Constraints: The Development plans are in “step zero.” A feasibility study (6 months) will determine how large a building can be built on lot 1, given critical area regulations that allow only 50% site coverage under current zoning (R3). Rezoning to MX could allow up to 90% coverage. Potential building costs are estimated at $10-20 million, comparable to the Hudson Street facility ($16 million). The building could house city offices, and possibly include ground-floor retail (coffee shop, salon) to serve employees and HACA residents.
Council Questions and Positions:
News for a great American city. Great news for the great city of Annapolis, which is after many years, FEMA has released the $35 million in funds. $35 million in funds. That includes the $33 million that was part of the original City of Annapolis grant and an additional two and a half million dollars to help with related upgrades for stormwater management. And this has been the result of work of Team Maryland. And you're going to hear from so many people who were part of that effort. But there were also many more who are represented here today that you won't hear from, but who you see here and others who could not join us today. Including somebody who could not join us today, Mayor Buckley, the former mayor of Annapolis. And it was his vision that really set this project in motion. And I heard from him last night. He said he couldn't be here. I think he's taking one of his kids to college. But he was just thrilled, of course, uh, that we were able to secure these funds. And to the new mayor, Mayor Littman and to the council, City Council here in Annapolis. Thank you. Thank you for carrying on that vision with absolute perseverance. Um I was just telling the mayor that I have right here a text message that I received from him on sure why we're saying we're virtual. For Thursday, September 17th, 2026, we'll be called to order at 501 p.m. At this time, would everyone willing and able please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to which under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Alderman Chandemyer, I see you now. That's why we're calling it a virtual meeting. I guess it's hybrid, nothing else. Hybrid. Hybrid Mr. City Attorney Cooper Smith, please present the first item on the agenda. The first item on the agenda is ID 17626, 932, and 935, Spa Road City Council briefing. Okay, thank you. Uh Central Services Director Flinner, please join us at the table and introduce yourself. I'll uh try to set uh tee you up uh for the softball, uh what we're doing here. So for those who don't realize, city government partly takes place here in City Hall, and the city government owns this building. City government also takes place next door in the Gorman Street building. The city does not own that building. Instead, the city is paying a rent of six hundred thousand dollars per year, which it has done for how many years? Thirty years, roughly. So certainly if you multiply six hundred thousand, and I'm not I don't know that we've paid that amount all 30 years, but that's what we're paying today. If you take in what we've paid in rent, multiply by whatever number of years it is, and you can see we would have you should have owned that building by now. City government also takes place in other locations. We have three fire stations. We have Annapolis Police Department with emergency management systems, we have a facility at Hudson Street, we have a transportation department on Chincapin, we have a small building on Shaw Street, and probably numerous other buildings that I'm not even thinking of, but um, I'm no doubt that you are Mr. Flinner, Director Flinner. So tonight's conversation this afternoon's not quite tonight yet, conversation is what should we do going forward? The current lease at Gorman Street, it runs out in 2030. If we were going to build a different building to house at minimum what's in that taking place in that building before that lease runs out, so that we have places to put all those important offices that are currently next door. 2030 is tomorrow, basically. We need to get cracking. You see how long any project takes. We need to start doing planning, designing, construction, and then moving in. So that's the bigger picture. There's lots of other options, and Director Flinter is going to be uh describing some of those other options. In theory, we could do a small facility that has just what's currently going on in Gorman Street.