Nov. 22, 2015

Jared S. Littmann

Alderman, Ward 5, Annapolis

912 Forest Drive

(office at K&B True Value)

410-268-3939

jared@annapolisward5.com

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Upcoming Events

See City calendar for City Commission & Committee Meetings

Nov. 28

- Small Business Saturday: Shop Local

Nov. 29

- Grand Illumination
Dec. 3
- Midnight Madness I
Dec. 6

- First Sunday Chocolate Binge Festival

Dec. 10

- Midnight Madness II

Dec. 12

- Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade

Dec. 17

- Eleventh Hour

For details of City Council events click here.

The City Council will meet Monday night at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers. More information is below.

My analysis of the agenda is below.

Your Views

I welcome Annapolis City residents, particularly those from Ward 5, and other concerned individuals to offer me their views on issues or to discuss other concerns in person. Please contact me via email with your views or to set up a time to chat in my office at K&B True Value (912 Forest Drive).

Stay in Touch

I welcome your feedback and questions, and appreciate your help in reaching other Annapolis residents by to them. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Jared Littmann

Alderman, Ward 5, Annapolis

My analysis of the agenda is below.

Special Meeting of the City Council

Agenda

The Annapolis City Council will meet on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., in the Council Chambers. All Council meetings are available online through live streaming and broadcast on Comcast channels 99 or 100 and on Verizon channel 34. Below is a synopsis of the agenda. You can access the unabridged version here.

PRESENTATION

Presentation by Stacey Korbelak, President of the AACo. Board of Education concerning the Board's Legislative Agenda.

PETITIONS, REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

REPORTS BY COMMITTEES

COMMENTS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Early in each Council Meeting there is an opportunity for comments by the General Public. The public may comment on any subject that is not on the agenda for a Public Hearing. Comments during this time are limited to five minutes per person.

APPOINTMENTS

The Appointment of Jason P. Houser to the Annapolis Conservancy Board

Comment: Mr. Houser was not able to attend the last Environmental Matters Committee meeting as scheduled, so the Committee postponed consideration of this appointment until its next meeting. I have requested a corresponding postponement of the Council's consideration of this appointment.

BUSINESS & MISCELLANEOUS

GT-08-16 Public Works/ Wastewater Collection Transfer From R&M Salaries To Salaries and Benefits - Sewer Collection

Comment: DPW requests a transfer of $5k to fund an equipment operator in the Wastewater Collection division. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for this transfer.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

O-41-15 A Comprehensive Zoning District Map Amendment and Technical Update - For the purpose of updating the City's Zoning Map; and matters generally relating to technical corrections of the Zoning Map.

Sponsor:

Pantelides

Comment: The City of Annapolis' most recent official zoning maps are from July 2005. This Ordinance provide technical adjustments based on 4 factors: (1) adjustments to match a 2009 State Dept. of Assessment and Taxation Tax Map Grid; (2) changes to the mapped parcel boundaries and overall improvements in mapping accuracy; (3) correcting mistakes and oversights made during the 2005 mapping process; and (4) general updates to reflect rezoning updates previously approved by City Council and parts of the City annexed since 2005.

O-52-15 Police and Fire Retirement Plan Commission - For the purpose of authorizing the City Manager to serve as the Mayor's designated representative on the Police and Fire Retirement Plan Commission.

Sponsor: Pantelides

Comment: This Ordinance makes the City Manager, rather than the Mayor, one of the representatives on this commission.

O-40-15 Waterfront Maritime Conservation District - For the purpose of amending Retail Use, the Standards for Uses Subject to Standards and Parking Requirements in the WMC Zoning District.

Sponsors:

Pantelides, Budge and Pindell Charles

Comment: This public hearing was continued from the last meeting to allow for further comment on the underlying legislation and the amendments proposed by the Mayor and Aldermen Budge and Arnett. Among other changes, those amendments: (1) ensure that the number of dock slips are not reduced, (2) permit maritime retail in the WMC while retaining closer scrutiny on non-maritime retail, (3) limits outdoor and rooftop dining to end at midnight, rather than 2 AM, (4) eliminates any music from rooftop dining, and (5) disallows sidewalk cafes on Compromise Street until those sidewalks are widened.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION

SECOND READERS

O-34-14 2014 West Annapolis Sector Study - For the purpose of adopting the West Annapolis Sector Study as an addendum to the 2009 Annapolis Comprehensive Plan.

Sponsor:

Paone

Comment: The City's 2009 Comprehensive Plan identifies a portion of West Annapolis as one of four "Opportunity Areas" - locations where the City intends to direct new growth and development. The Comp Plan also recommends the preparation of a Sector Study to better understand and address the site-specific considerations of growth and development policies. In response, the City's DP&Z initiated this study in 2013 with an 11-member Steering Committee. The study focused on topics from the Comp Plan, with an emphasis on transportation, development and retail opportunities, and land use.

Recommendations include:

(1) That the City become a pioneer in the field of traffic monitoring and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), along with development of alternative modes of transportation such as biking and public transit.

(2) That zoning should facilitate specialty retail and restaurants and that the City should reduce commercial parking requirements.

(3) That zoning should be simplified, and the Urban Center Low type maintained.

The lack of objections during the public hearing suggests that the affected community supports, or does not object to, these recommendations. The Planning Commission and Alderman from Ward 2, which includes West Annapolis, appear to support these recommendations and study. Barring consideration of issues you raise, I'm inclined to vote to approve this Sector Study.

CA-2-15 Charter Amendment, Board of Supervisors of Elections - For the purpose of changing the deadlines for designating and appointing members to the Board of Supervisors of Elections.

Sponsor:

Pantelides

Comment: The Board of Supervisors of Elections recommended this Charter Amendment, which would eliminate the 1 month gap between terminating the membership of the Board of Supervisors of Elections and the appointment of the new members to that Board. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for this legislation.

O-47-15 Moderately Priced Dwelling Units - For the purpose of amending the eligibility requirements for access to moderately priced dwelling units to include individuals working within the United States Naval Academy grounds.

Sponsors:

Budge, Kirby, Finlayson, Arnett and Pantelides

Comment: Currently, to be eligible for these units, a person must be a City resident or employed within City limits, a City employee, or a teacher in the Annapolis Senior High School District. The Naval Academy and Annapolis Naval Base are not in City limits, so people employed their do not qualify. Because of its proximity to the City, and to support the employees who work at those locations, this legislation expands eligibility to those employees, who must still meet income criteria to be eligible.

O-51-15 Issuance of Water and Sewer Revenue Bonds - For the purpose of authorizing and empowering the City of Annapolis (the "City") to issue and sell water and sewer revenue bonds for up to $44.5M.

Sponsor: Pantelides

Comment: I expect that this vote will get postponed until after the Charter Amendment previously approved that would allow Revenue Bonds becomes effective, which is in early December. Regardless, I support the underlying intent of this legislation - to issue bonds supported by the fees associated with public utilities, rather than general obligation bonds which are supported by taxes. However, I would prefer to approve - at the same time - corresponding legislation that reduces the City's general obligation bond limit so that the City does not have the ability to borrow even more money with this new found authority to issue revenue bonds.

FIRST READERS

O-53-15 City Council Consent Calendar - For the purpose of amending the Rules of Procedure to permit certain agenda items to be voted upon as a single group under a Consent Calendar category of the City Council Meeting Agenda.

Sponsor: Budge

R-27-15 American Athletic Conference Football Game March to Stadium - For the purpose of supporting the United States Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen who are authorized to walk from Gate 1 of the Naval Academy to the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to attend the American Athletic Conference Football Game to be played on December 5, 2015.

Sponsor: Pantelides

Comment: I suspect there will be consensus to vote to skip a public hearing on this measure, and vote on the underlying legislation, because there are no additional Council sessions before the game. Good luck Navy!

ADJOURNMENT

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