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Boaters urge changes and question authority as Annapolis council hears mooring ordinance
Summary
At a public hearing on O-2-26, boaters warned the draft could render longstanding private moorings obsolete and urged council to clarify definitions and approval authority; deputy city manager said the bill is meant as a technical correction and that mooring moves require port warden and state/federal review.
The Annapolis City Council on Feb. 23 heard hours of public testimony and council questions on Ordinance O-2-26, a proposed update to mooring requirements in city waters that residents say could unintentionally eliminate privately held mooring rights.
In public testimony, several boat owners told the council the draft ordinance needed clearer language to protect moorings they have leased or purchased. "If my mooring goes away, then honestly, we're not going to be able to keep our boat," said Carrie Cromba Patnode, a Weems Creek resident who said she and her husband spent significant money maintaining a mooring they understood to be theirs. Patnode urged the council to delay adoption so staff can refine definitions and identify exceptions.
Jess Packler, who…
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