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Committees reorganize purposes in O‑14‑25 to emphasize mixed uses, active transport and community benefits

City of Annapolis — Rules & City Government Committee (joint with Environmental Matters Committee) · October 4, 2025
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Summary

Committees recommended Amendment 4 to O‑14‑25, which reorders and expands the ordinance 'purposes' to make mixed‑use development, active transportation and neighborhood services explicit priorities in implementing Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040; staff endorsed the text as consistent with the ordinance intent.

The Rules & City Government and Environmental Matters committees on Oct. 3 recommended a textual reorganization of O‑14‑25 meant to better align the ordinance's stated purposes with the Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040.

Amendment 4, introduced by Alderman Arnett, reorders section 21.24.010 (purposes) to prioritize mixed‑use development, active transportation (sidewalks, trails, bikeways, transit), neighborhood services (day care, health care, shopping, dining and entertainment) and environmental improvements alongside affordable housing. Arnett said the change is intended to make the legislation consistent with plan language elsewhere and to elaborate community benefits to consider during redevelopment.

Planning staff — including Chris Jakubiak and Eric Leshinski, chief of comprehensive planning — told the committees the amendment "is nicely worded and consistent with the intent of the ordinance" and that it was effectively a reordering and expansion rather than a substantive policy shift. After committee discussion to clarify phrasing (for example, preferring the term 'design' rather than 'development' in one clause), both committees voted to recommend Amendment 4 favorably.

The committees forwarded O‑14‑25 to the full council with Amendment 4 included. The proposed changes reframe the ordinance's goals to more explicitly foreground place‑making, transportation options and environmental considerations as part of redevelopment review.