[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6518701,"mediaKeyId","5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718","parentId",5386723,"title","Council adopts snow-and-ice rule and museum lease; council approves renaming resolution","audioSeconds",76,"startMs",1009000,"endMs",1085000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718&start=1009&end=1085","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718/thumbnail_1009000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518701/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Council-adopts-snow-and-ice-rule-and-museum-lease-council-approves-renaming-resolution","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518701-51c426dc30576f93bc6d3b9825a04581/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=XTvRxO7Uak8IzQpkP5awU-kMeTcpbALoicziPEYG9bGoo3R~nDj5a1Z2e0L2jFLEYRssUZJQtv4vOkfeUeNoeJ43gy2uCj16H1~XAv6rplWiwzDyqcNi3sRX~8r-eTVcIQisCNWd3AQ-C6R7oCdvPxfmQ1wzjASa~YUKd260UmxdmFDyvEFWeSb4vfeUzGz0aYjv9S6T5KKVPO8LcQBhoCzi6XzZyDkcWbnxjEeVODmw7Jdv~0uK5h4XBFdU-lB2JJnmfPAb-u6qSt1HjubFnKEgQPrrBLSMgGGDV7NuP~DuoFbcMHc9-im9S2teKB4iwoIQdljb0TE4KVfVVH9FAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Annapolis, MD","date","2025-07-15T13:40:03Z","article","The Annapolis City Council took several formal legislative actions on July 14, 2025.

Adopted: O6-25 (clearing snow and ice from city sidewalks)
The council moved O6-25 forward on second and third readings and adopted the ordinance. The measure clarifies property-owner responsibilities for removing snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to private properties; council members discussed coordination with county and state where sidewalks abut non-city roadways and asked staff to draft implementing rules.

Adopted: O8-25 (Chesapeake Children’s Museum lease renewal through June 30, 2030)
Council adopted an ordinance renewing the museum’s lease through June 30, 2030. The motion passed on second reading and was advanced for third-reading consideration during the meeting; a formal roll-call vote on the second-reading motion recorded ayes from the majority of council members present.

Adopted: R27-25 (renaming of the Noah Hillman parking garage)
Council adopted resolution R27-25 on second reading to rename the Noah Hillman Parking Garage; the measure followed public comment in support of recognizing Walter S. Mills’ contributions. Council took a roll call on the resolution; the clerk recorded votes in the meeting record and the resolution was adopted.

Referred: O30-01/25 (issuance of general obligation bonds and bond anticipation notes)
Council referred the bond issuance ordinance to the finance committee and the financial advisory commission for further review.

Next steps: Several of the items adopted will require staff follow-up to implement code changes or complete agreements. The council moved other items forward to committee for additional review; the public hearing record remains open for measures that were not voted on.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting July 14 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its July 14 meeting the Annapolis City Council adopted snow-and-ice sidewalk rules, renewed the Chesapeake Children’s Museum lease, and approved a resolution to rename the Hillman parking garage; several financial measures were referred to committee.","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},6518706,"Safe Harbor seeks harbor-line tweak to compensate for city street-end park project",46,976000,1022000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718&start=976&end=1022","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718/thumbnail_976000.jpg","/articles/6518706/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Safe-Harbor-seeks-harbor-line-tweak-to-compensate-for-city-street-end-park-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518706-715dcae681864b5a5a21c4a9e9c7cf75/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=Axl77v0pImKEIUeRXhmbLJGxQPGiW4ptmZt2bqKlSp0oTlvdtanKfLN-0mf4MYFcYjZx6ImPiwcCk5VSQ7Zr1uKsXXvp8StaWPNmma22G73oQgpvrZABkjuRoUAdxAhCp~SNz9Cv4BHWDfDFtO9Yi2UpERqw0lGTyZtYx-LqhAdO9zIry-tGRtCqIPIVBQgzVRW0BuxZBiO17DtBYPlJaH3SCDDhXr3TKp8E2VSxvKewCvo65oGtZt0YV5LHuFbj0MXO0VW4Gr8biiuuHw~qjAPO3eW6~cTjG8t-4virte9rZbDK6hqtqlDz4FTJm2FgHACgIxDrYF2hfmPzFzV5kA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 14, 2025, Safe Harbor Marinas presented testimony to the Annapolis City Council about ordinance O21-25, which would modify harbor lines at 423 Chester Avenue (Back Creek) to offset commercial slips the marina expects to lose under the city’s Sixth Street street-end park project.

Tripp Fulton, representing Safe Harbor, told the council the planned park would effectively eliminate four commercial slips on the marina’s southern pier and that the harbor-line modification proposed in O21-25 would allow Safe Harbor to recoup those slips by extending harbor lines at the widest portion of Back Creek. Fulton said the Port Wardens had previously approved the street-end park project but that the decision is on appeal in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County and is stayed pending the outcome of the harbor-lines legislation.

“Either these four slips would become totally unusable by this project, or navigating in and out of them will undoubtedly become either impossible or hazardous,” Fulton told the council, saying the harbor-line change was the only practicable location to create replacement slips. He said passage of the measure would likely resolve ongoing litigation and allow both the city and marina to move forward with their respective plans.

Council closed the public hearing without action on O21-25. Council members and staff said they would refer the item to the appropriate committee for further review; the circuit-court appeal remains pending and the harbor-line change is part of negotiations intended to address the impact of the street-end park project on the marina’s commercial operations.","Safe Harbor Marinas told the council that O21-25 would adjust Annapolis harbor lines to restore slips lost to a planned city street-end park at Sixth Street; the public hearing closed with no vote and the appeal of a Port Warden decision remains pending in county circuit court.",{"_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},6518711,"Residents question rushed sale of Spy Road parcels after soil-contamination studies",49,949000,998000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718&start=949&end=998","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718/thumbnail_949000.jpg","/articles/6518711/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Residents-question-rushed-sale-of-Spy-Road-parcels-after-soil-contamination-studies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518711-d9df7b7a7ea441e13031dfff54caefbd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=os034Q2onBAQqR9aoT6NUUFaIuepmzKXLQSgqf3WxBbyAaFwey589GbkfCdmeh131HNplDY8eOuYadisNAtzqQAXJEFBf2D9~nCiwAXyhDO68R3be~locdqEBbnlt1nIMRxaCLMdQ4KbFYAbcVYzFjFWrYhy0WYrg-xoszEQRxT92A58RptIvq06UfxNG5W8cX~HVl3nIHDdRGaTPGLtUjdkUYu9IgbccmZhxAI0fI27XakMQrV0XoSwfmkXYKM6UA5waBw34in9hLqMvFT60yN3VSIHSPN0P53JmiVqy04HxbLnlVRzqEETEqfnGRTJZsbdK8ZlCDBFkz7adWPvzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the July 14, 2025 meeting, the Annapolis City Council took public comment on ordinance O20-25, a proposed sale of city-owned property at 932 and 935 Spy Road to a resilience authority for $1. Several residents urged the council to slow the process, citing recent environmental findings and unanswered questions about future use.

Dan Clements, a local attorney and a member of the Spa Creek Conservancy household, summarized past planning on the parcels and flagged new environmental work. He said a 2018 plan to place townhouses on the site was abandoned after studies showed deep soil contamination and that the Maryland Department of the Environment had indicated excavation to remove contamination could require digging 10–15 feet and could cost “at least $10,000,000.” Clements said a more recent “stage 2” study he reviewed showed contamination on both sides of the creek and that the ordinance’s text provides no specific use or remediation plan for the parcels.

“The ordinance … says you’re going to sell it for a buck to the resilience authority, and that’s all it says,” Clements told council. He said the city and the authority planned to pursue federal grant funding and that the sale appeared rushed to meet application deadlines; speakers asked for more clarity on how grant funds would be used and whether remediation would precede construction.

Council members and staff confirmed that additional hearings and committee review would follow; no action was taken on O20-25 July 14. The ordinance drew repeated questions about setbacks from Spa Creek — a 100-foot setback is used in some Department of Environment guidance — and whether planned uses would comply with setbacks and sediment/contaminant controls.

The council closed the public hearing on O20-25 and indicated staff and the relevant committee will return with additional information. Residents urged the body to provide a clearer remediation plan and to identify how grant funds and remediation responsibilities would be assigned before any transfer occurred.","Speakers at the July 14 meeting urged caution over ordinance O20-25, which would transfer Spy Road parcels to an authority for $1 while remediation and reuse remain unclear. A longtime local attorney and other residents said recent environmental reports show contamination and urged fuller disclosure and planning before a transfer.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518717,"Local tour operators seek tailored regulations as council hears O19-25",90,866000,956000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718&start=866&end=956","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718/thumbnail_866000.jpg","/articles/6518717/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Local-tour-operators-seek-tailored-regulations-as-council-hears-O19-25","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518717-fc4db815ac48ab9afb9e436daf3203e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=MSC56UyDlxVf5mO81LAW-jAzQB7ydGQBQa3IjQ3hx6Ft9VE2f-1uFivuVwYbNMUbLmHB~FYMYygwiwZTBuJSpmpa3pDSQOso6I3QXimTtU-R-UgNcKMHUXMdDPzJdTS-98RyXW084m4RUE2etA6DZwVdb4iQC8dMdW~KCpXqCTGSijsWk0snnsram3X9dX2b4FdGxdkHb3Sy2raqW9Po4IBXlEPkrDWJHnMDfRJMKrIlHNrAVDsLpGUNnNPfE67uRyocDyCpU9l9nSqG9eYsrQ7h7BgU5twcYn9VFoJ9XSoAn9UNXhF4BGF41Kd~xGxithjf~REuH-05X3TbcK3ovw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 14, 2025, the Annapolis City Council held a public hearing on ordinance O19-25, a proposed regulatory framework for commercial tours in historic Annapolis. Local tour operators urged the council to adopt modest permitting, liability and naming requirements while avoiding rules that would unduly burden small, part-time operators.

Several small-business owners and longtime local guides described their businesses as contributors to the local economy and cultural life. Mike Carter, owner of Annapolis Ghost Tours, said he has run walking tours in the city for 23 years and supported a permit requirement so that larger, national operators that “put out advertising” and keep revenue out of the community could not operate unchecked.

Michael Bors, owner of Tour Annapolis, asked the council to consider the financial impact of fees and insurance requirements on part-time operators and suggested possible carve-outs or tiered approaches for small operators. William Ridgeley of Colonial Tours recommended a tiered system so that “small business owners like myself and Michael … don’t have deep pockets like the big businesses do.”

Operators asked for specifics so they can comply: standard insurance coverage, a reasonable permit fee and rules preventing national companies from trading under local names. Speakers said modest insurance and permit costs would protect the city and visitors while preserving the livelihoods of local guides.

Council members did not vote on O19-25 at the July 14 meeting. The hearing record will inform possible committee work and draft regulations, and some councilmembers asked staff to consult further with tour operators on fee levels, insurance limits and certification requirements.","Annapolis tour guides and small operators told council they support reasonable permitting, insurance and modest fees to prevent deep-pocket national operators from undercutting local businesses; council held a public hearing and did not vote.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6518721,"Annapolis holds public hearing on proposed cap for short-term rentals per block face",113,723000,836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718&start=723&end=836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386723-c270adf796e87b6459ff3488e58f5718/thumbnail_723000.jpg","/articles/6518721/Annapolis/Anne-Arundel-County/Maryland/Annapolis-holds-public-hearing-on-proposed-cap-for-short-term-rentals-per-block-face","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518721-e0ec7e186ee68f306c4027a875caf349/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183384&Signature=BTesXL15HxGkkptqFOQj4oFNvcDS1mGFv4OsUqI7fWZa4LT3~J6~4Vkk1WQD6JadkqAWKy-4ZaxRn2-AWREQkJBfdTLUGAKf2kT6wnzegseDfN0mKyShVvrantQ-U3d9hTDSa9eYXhlSiCtpTT6-QM3rlXUKWEKuRaw8WTnoEyDev5uurfL5UQ4vXuYILXhbuZLs~zXhMWVVJQaXj-yMIo~eB7I0UKTXEQO36mu37XURGqBva4pbjs1JVWimenQqJYz6ho0E1ytrZP8BuHKoTPXgy7bmY96HcVFP3z4g4WXIxTh7HnVhB5fxlAaBb9qJcvKNcS7y-a3Y93twB2e31g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On July 14, 2025, the Annapolis City Council held a public hearing on ordinance O17-25, which would limit new short-term rental (STR) licenses by block face. Council members heard more than a dozen public speakers and did not vote on the measure; it remains in the committee process.

The proposal would limit the number of STR licenses allowed on a single block face and applies to new licenses; existing licensed operations would not be automatically curtailed, according to council comments at the hearing. Proponents said the rule aims to protect neighborhood character and reduce investor-driven conversions; opponents said it would do little to ease housing costs and could depress residential property values.

Max Gross, representing the Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors, told the council he reviewed academic studies and local data and concluded that “short term rentals only drive about 1% of rental cost increases in a given area,” and warned the city to be realistic about what the ordinance could achieve. Several residents and homeowners said a block-face cap would damage resale values and create enforcement headaches.

Gil, a representative of Newport Condominiums, said STRs provide income that helps owners cover mortgage and taxes and urged caution: “I think what we really need to do is … create a curfew and behaviors that we expect,” he said, adding that past efforts to limit short-term rentals led to costly litigation in other jurisdictions.

Other residents argued the rule is necessary to preserve long-term housing supply and neighborhood quality. Tom Creek, a homeowner who opposed the ordinance as written, told the council a local cap could become “a red flag for future buyers,” and said past cases elsewhere showed sudden drops in home values after caps were imposed.

Council members clarified technical points during the hearing. Alderman Huntley said the city code defines short-term rentals as stays up to 90 days, not 30 days as one speaker initially stated. Staff cited a recent staff report that lists a higher inventory of short-term rental listings than some speakers estimated: the report referenced 287 active short-term rentals as of publication, though speakers offered other estimates.

Speakers and some council members also raised enforcement concerns: implementing a block-face limit will require precise mapping and additional code-enforcement resources, one commenter said. Several speakers urged the council to delay action and gather more data or refine enforcement provisions.

The council did not vote on O17-25 at the July 14 meeting; the mayor and council members repeatedly noted the ordinance remains in committee and that additional committee hearings and amendments are possible before any final council vote.","City Council heard hours of public comment July 14 on O17-25, a proposed ordinance to limit new short-term rental licenses by block face. Supporters and opponents clashed over housing, enforcement and property values; council took no vote and the measure remains in committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council adopts snow-and-ice rule and museum lease; council approves renaming resolution

Safe Harbor seeks harbor-line tweak to compensate for city street-end park project

Residents question rushed sale of Spy Road parcels after soil-contamination studies

Local tour operators seek tailored regulations as council hears O19-25

Annapolis holds public hearing on proposed cap for short-term rentals per block face