Annapolis council funds AI pilot for permitting, approves annexation support and message‑board purchase

The Annapolis City Council on June 5 approved a motion to allocate $125,000 to develop AI capabilities aimed at speeding up permit reviews and city planning tasks. Alderman Savage told colleagues the goal is to train an in-house system to identify incomplete permit applications and accelerate minor site-design reviews, reducing turnaround from weeks or months to seconds.

"AI can do that instantaneously," Alderman Savage said, describing a demonstration in which the tool performed in seconds what used to take staff, applicants, architects and engineers “a month to do.” He said the first phase will be automating completeness checks in the permitting system, followed by faster reviews of minor commercial site plans and exploratory predictive analytics for city design.

Colleagues pressed for guardrails. Council members said the city will follow existing city policy and asked administration to develop an AI governance model and a quality‑assurance process to check for bias and ensure data security before deployment. Staff indicated city data (including names, addresses and assessed values) would be kept internal.

Alongside the AI item, councilors addressed remaining one-time funds as they considered a bundle of budget amendments. With about $115,000 left in the one-time fund at the time of discussion, the council considered S6, a proposal to create a one-time support fund to help residents of the Cars Road/Cars Beach area with annexation-related costs and sewer hookups. Alderman Savage framed the proposal as an environmental‑equity and housing measure aimed at low‑income homeowners who could not afford engineering and application expenses needed to pursue annexation.

After debate over scope and safeguards, the council adopted S6A as amended: the allocation was reduced and the funding made specific to Cars Road, with the administration tasked to develop program rules to limit funds to qualifying residents and to address legal/implementation questions raised by the city attorney. Proponents said the fund would help remedy failing septic systems and enable annexation that could expand the city’s tax base and housing options; skeptics urged clear restrictions so funds would not subsidize speculative development.

Council also approved H9A, an amendment to buy at least one variable message sign for $25,000 to help convey city information and event notices to residents.

Council members approved a larger block of capital and operating amendments in the late meeting, moving several projects forward (including design funding for a neighborhood playground and adjustments to fire station bond timing). On a procedural vote, councilors postponed final action on ordinance 0826 until the regular meeting on Monday, June 8, 2026.

Next steps: administration was directed to return with AI governance recommendations and program rules for the Cars Road one‑time fund; procurement staff will pursue purchasing options for the variable message sign.