[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6605080,"mediaKeyId","2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a","parentId",2987376,"title","Council adopts new outdoor-dining rules after extended debate; permits, months and fees set by ordinance","audioSeconds",3401,"startMs",6199000,"endMs",9600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a&start=6199&end=9600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a/thumbnail_6199000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6605080/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Council-adopts-new-outdoor-dining-rules-after-extended-debate-permits-months-and-fees-set-by-ordinance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605080-3f1c1ca6e8af81b08eee7b8f646ccb29/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440290&Signature=Vhic2RGhzUJ-eLMxAMswBIpqT83s6iGxYpfPAL4oCQJD6fUqPg5oQb6TRwGYD6SYUPiopshB-EpV87imMcgStOFEz39EhyLJ1Xx5FfxUDEUumtT20MSegf1s8T6SM9TTQCZ~55KGgpyo7G~C7CFDRkaxEFEvQfOMVu8xn0jmUVvy9RZJ30vJ3bmrILPTkrM-q9Rxrv6NCkYgH8aXpn5aNdnnjLRkzQvB9KN7e1INvTBfKotv3okQ09xo7jJoALjrNeIne6XmjruzlHWJGxiIGrOrwoVuhUZO08kL4rWIQ5CVtXaj8MP7WiYD1RTkUh2PboGH5O0dCoxZmH45OXFYnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Annapolis, MD","date","2025-04-15T02:16:29.74Z","article","The Annapolis City Council voted unanimously April 14 to adopt O-10-24, new city rules for outdoor dining that alter permit durations, establish hours and targeted exceptions for the downtown market area, and direct staff to set an annual fee schedule tied to how many months and parking spaces businesses use for outdoor seating.

Council and staff said the ordinance aims to make outdoor dining a clearer, permanent option for restaurants while adding standards and a fee mechanism. The measure passed on third reading after multiple amendments that were debated on the council floor.

What the ordinance does

- Permit duration and timing: Council adopted an amendment that permits outdoor dining for up to nine months in a calendar year; the months do not need to be continuous but must be specified on the permit application. Council members described that change as intended to give businesses flexibility while keeping a defined annual cap.

- Hours and exceptions: The ordinance adopts standard hours for outdoor dining with specific exceptions for portions of downtown near Market House and Dock Street. Those exceptions allow later hours on certain weekends and on specified holiday Sundays; council amendments also carved out an expanded market-space description for a Waterfront/Dock Street block.

- Fees and administration: The council approved an amendment to tie the permit fee to the number of months a business seeks and to the number of parking spaces repurposed for seating; the fees will be set in a separate annual fee resolution. Alderman Oliver Savage said fees will be collected annually and deposited into a fund to support pedestrian improvements.

- Special exemptions and lease areas: The ordinance preserves a path for special exceptions and lease-based agreements for certain market-space blocks; council members discussed, and later amended, the ordinance language to align the exception descriptions in two places in the code.

Council debate and key exchanges

Council members debated multiple competing language options for months and hours. Alderman O'Neil and Alderman Savage each proposed language; Cynthia Reuter, the city's policy analyst in the Office of Law, explained the drafting and recommended dividing complex amendment questions so the council could vote on discrete elements.

Reuter told the council: “Amendment 3, the O'Neil amendment, has several different parts to it. And 1 part deals with the months ... Another section deals with how long the permit can be.”

Alderman Savage argued against a hard seasonal break, saying a forced winter break would not “provide much of a break per se” because fewer diners use outdoor seating in cold months; he proposed allowing up to nine months without requiring they be consecutive. Several members raised neighborhood concerns and said the council should preserve specific block-level exceptions for Market House, Pinkney and adjacent blocks so nearby residents would retain protections.

Public comment and business input

During public comment before the ordinance moved, restaurant operators and the Downtown Partnership urged more permanent and consistent rules for outdoor dining and offered data on visitor traffic during market events. Steven Brown, an attorney representing a downtown restaurant, asked that the Pearl restaurant be explicitly included in a market-space exemption so it could operate under the same permit hours as nearby businesses.

Vote and outcome

The council adopted O-10-24 on third reading by roll-call vote. The ordinance includes the nine-month permit cap (months specified at application), an annual fees approach tied to months and spaces, and downtown exceptions as amended. The adopted ordinance also directs staff to set detailed fees in the fee resolution to be adopted separately.

What the ordinance does not decide

The council did not set final dollar amounts in the meeting; council members agreed fees will be adopted in a separate fee resolution and asked staff to return with proposed amounts. Council members also left some lease and market-space details to future lease amendments and directed staff to prepare the associated documents for council consideration.

Context and next steps

Council members and staff said the ordinance replaces temporary emergency rules that had governed outdoor dining during the pandemic and creates a framework intended to balance business flexibility and neighborhood impacts. The fee schedule and any lease amendments must return to council for approval before wide changes to market-space uses take effect.

Ending

Council members said they will continue to work with businesses and residents on implementation details. The ordinance takes effect according to the standard rulemaking timetable once the city publishes the final adopted text and the fee resolution is enacted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting April 14 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Annapolis City Council adopted O-10-24 on April 14, establishing a permanent outdoor-dining framework that allows up to nine months of outdoor seating per year (months must be specified on the permit), sets hours with block-level exceptions downtown, and requires an annual fee tied to months and repurposed parking spaces.","taxTitle","Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland","taxId",59348,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605075,"Council actions at a glance: speed cameras, flood-awareness resolution, towing rules and other items",50,5650000,5600000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a&start=5650&end=5600","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a/thumbnail_5650000.jpg","/articles/6605075/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Council-actions-at-a-glance-speed-cameras-flood-awareness-resolution-towing-rules-and-other-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605075-cdf5eafa74a6c9a25f7a23c3c8ceb27d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440290&Signature=ZeXTkl~dHNy~i1JgipywMsgPMRjdWFtpsQQgNp3BFJDvVnTxEiLEdPnzOuQcKsh2G-RCjXSFW1N9pxK8kQRiJu-oJ4kjMNWchqIOZzxyyn5yeWq045b~seSzCV41iuNrTglRF9HTMnXW6RVDoikLHfm9JovnuVh-bX-tcJ8o5Z1NiM7b2uAwZ-agQWWuGhEItgQv0ekLbrC8zRQWj8273Kw0Vb7OVzPpf4WugLPZUtfGW6nERu97lyAxyz1TMBA51K97qC0eiT~q8w2hPpSX1xBKXqDcNXkpxgC6qnAtWLheHw76s4AURM6FEP2~3TVRD-gkaeiZp6xhq7JJOaLfzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Annapolis City Council took a mix of legislative steps on April 14: it referred several first‑reader ordinances to boards and committees, adopted multiple items on second and third readers, and passed an emergency resolution recognizing Flood Awareness Month.

Below are the principal formal actions recorded at the meeting and their outcomes, as reflected in the council roll calls or motions recorded on the transcript.

Votes and referrals (selected)

- O-5-25, speed monitoring cameras — Adopted on second/third reader with amendments. Council added a requirement that fees or revenues be directed to pedestrian safety improvements via the sustainable mobility services fund. Council discussed state-level limits on camera deployment, staffing burdens (a uniformed officer currently must review each citation) and the need for legislative changes at the state level to expand administrative options. Outcome: passed (roll-call recorded; amendment adopted).

- R-23-25, emergency resolution for Flood Awareness Month — Council suspended the rules and passed R-23-25 on the night of April 14 to recognize Flood Awareness Month and to call attention to emergency management and public safety during flood season. Outcome: adopted unanimously after suspension of rules.

- O-23-24, parking and towing regulations — Council amended the ordinance to prioritize towing by local vendors within a one‑mile radius, with fallback to vendors outside the radius when necessary. The ordinance was adopted on third reader. Outcome: adopted (roll-call recorded).

- O-10-25, FY2026 annual budget and appropriation (first reader) — Introduced and referred to the Planning Commission, the Finance Committee and the Financial Advisory Commission for review. Outcome: referred for review and hearings (first reader).

- O-9-25, waterfront uses in general residence district (first reader) — Referred to the Planning Commission, Maritime Advisory Board and Rules and City Government Committee. Outcome: referred for review.

- R-17-25, transit development plan (resolution, first reader) — Adopted on first reading and referred to a public hearing and the Transportation Committee. Outcome: referred and set for public hearing.

Process notes

- Several items passed after amendments recorded on the floor; where council suspended the rules (R-23-25) or adopted amendments, roll calls were taken and recorded in the transcript.

- First readers (such as the annual budget O-10-25) were referred to agencies and committees for deeper review; the budget will return to council through committee reports and hearings.

Ending

Council members and staff noted follow-up steps for items that require fee resolutions or committee reports. The full text of each adopted ordinance and the official roll-call tallies will be posted in the city’s official minutes and ordinance records.","At its April 14 meeting the Annapolis City Council referred multiple first‑reader items to committees and adopted measures on second/third readers, including approval of speed-monitoring cameras (O‑5‑25), adoption of a Flood Awareness Month resolution (R‑23‑25) by suspended rules, and parking/towing updates (O‑23‑24).",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6605085,"Mayor Gavin Buckley previews budget, resilience and housing plans in final State of the City",1567,513000,2080000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a&start=513&end=2080","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2987376-e461d0660e99f7a05da0984393e9386a/thumbnail_513000.jpg","/articles/6605085/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Mayor-Gavin-Buckley-previews-budget-resilience-and-housing-plans-in-final-State-of-the-City","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6605085-45445b37e8ba5837dec2b284dca4de3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440290&Signature=Ca5tXkWC42tCkL9Wlz0e8-Ay8edSFuPqg2TP0XNnhD4yLyORi93WL2SjLiBXHcsJRSteqNC9ZeWM2CgVPQYcC3MWQh2ovw1e3fOOIZoShV2FjvMuOL9kDeLM2GdrduOYliAFPfWCTHU~Q-QtiHmd6TuwDFcUwqy3rQArS6S25aDyOk3myZXsCkaJKGtHEUbdd81PqThhir3ZZvNA6pB59d20P6Dluqsxd5kGI3bSFVNu3v8De9lQPLs8m3cmnxnrUnWlec2iM5C4JwcpUPbA6sYLUWS1AKLuoHvkMH9cpYx3fgYZbeVqu2OZKSrSa0onFz--tCUqIyFk5w-eMkhhYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Gavin Buckley delivered his final State of the City address Monday night, introducing the mayor's fiscal 2026 budget and outlining multi-year priorities including resilience at City Dock, housing planning for public housing sites, and investments in public safety and infrastructure.

Buckley opened by saying he will introduce “the mayor's budget for the 2026 financial year, the seventh year in a row we are delivering a balanced budget with no property tax increase.” He credited city staff and past financial reforms for the outcome and framed the budget within five policy priorities: financial transparency and accountability; resilience and sustainability; inclusion and community engagement; infrastructure and local economic investment; and a community-focused approach to health and safety.

Why it matters: the mayor framed the budget as the funding vehicle for large capital and resilience projects — most prominently the City Dock transformation — and for expanded housing planning and services. Several elements described in the address affect large parts of the city and will require partner approvals and external funding.

Key announcements and details

- City Dock resilience and park: Buckley described a redesign of City Dock that would replace an asphalt parking lot with a raised, two-acre park; deployable floodgates; a raised berm and earthworks; a new harbor master’s office and a cultural legacy walk. He said the project is “more than 90% funded” by the 2022 Hillman Garage concession payment (he cited a $25,000,000 concession payment) plus federal and state grants.

- Housing and Choice Neighborhoods planning: The mayor said the city secured a $400,000 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) planning grant for a Choice Neighborhood Initiative to re-envision Harbour House and Eastport Terrace as mixed-use, mixed-income communities. He said the city is “in the running” for a potential $50,000,000 HUD implementation grant to support the next stage of that work.

- Infrastructure and public works numbers: Buckley said the administration has repaved 23 miles of roadways, filled 13,000 potholes, is on track to replace 24,000 feet of water main and to replace or reline 14 miles of sewer mains. He credited a sixfold increase in road maintenance funding from earlier years.

- Public safety and community programs: The mayor reviewed policing and community interventions, citing the Annapolis Police Department’s community programs and partnerships (chiefly Chief Edward Jackson and the Annapolis United public-safety plan) and named neighborhood violence prevention efforts and gun-buyback events. He noted APD’s work on investigations and a “ghost gun” factory recovery.

- Pandemic response and community services: Buckley recalled the city’s COVID-19 response, cited losses in the community, and described expanded outreach and services — including a city “bed finder” app for treatment availability and the expansion of the Office of Community Services.

Budget framing and revenue: Buckley reiterated that the FY26 proposal seeks to avoid a property tax increase and emphasized other revenue sources the city has used, including grants and the state payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) tied to state-owned property. He credited former and current finance staff and said improved accounting practices and online tax/hospitality revenue collection helped the city’s bond-rating upgrades.

What the address did not decide: Buckley mentioned several forward actions — for example, a request to name the proposed new Fifth Street Park for Alderman Arnette — but did not record formal council votes on those naming proposals during the address.

Context and next steps

Buckley said the administration will spend the next seven months before his term ends advancing the FY26 budget and the projects he described. Several of the capital items he discussed (City Dock, Choice Neighborhoods work) will require additional approvals, intergovernmental coordination and grant awards before construction or implementation can begin.

Ending

Buckley closed by thanking staff, council members and residents and emphasizing the administration’s focus on delivering a resilient, equitable and economically vibrant Annapolis.","Mayor Gavin Buckley used his final State of the City address to introduce the proposed fiscal 2026 budget (no property tax increase), highlight infrastructure and resilience projects centered on City Dock, outline housing initiatives tied to a Choice Neighborhood planning grant, and review public-safety and pandemic responses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts new outdoor-dining rules after extended debate; permits, months and fees set by ordinance

Council actions at a glance: speed cameras, flood-awareness resolution, towing rules and other items

Mayor Gavin Buckley previews budget, resilience and housing plans in final State of the City