Title
2024 City of Annapolis Comprehensive Plan - For the purpose of adopting a new comprehensive plan for the City of Annapolis.
Body
CITY COUNCIL OF THE
City of Annapolis
Resolution 4-24
Introduced by: Mayor Buckley
Co-sponsored by:
Referred to
Rules & City Government Committee
AN ORDINANCE concerning
2024 City of Annapolis Comprehensive Plan
FOR the purpose of adopting a new comprehensive plan for the City of Annapolis.
WHEREAS: The Land Use Article, Division 1, of the Maryland Code requires local jurisdictions to "enact, adopt, amend, and execute" a comprehensive plan; and
WHEREAS: The comprehensive plan shall be assembled by the planning commission and, per Title 3 of the Land Use Article, Division 1, include the following elements:
1. Community facilities;
2. Areas of critical State concern;
3. Goals and objectives;
4. Housing;
5. Land use;
6. Development regulations;
7. Sensitive areas;
8. Transportation;
9. Water resources;
10. Municipal growth; and
WHEREAS: The planning commission may include in the plan additional elements to advance the purposes of the plan, including the following:
1. Community renewal;
2. Conservation;
3. Flood control;
4. Natural resources;
5. Pollution control;
6. General location and extent of public utilities; and
7. A priority preservation area element developed in accordance with § 2-518 of the Agriculture Article; and
WHEREAS: The Annapolis City Council adopted such a comprehensive plan for the City in 1962, 1985, 1998, and 2009; and
WHEREAS: In 2019, the Planning and Zoning Department staff began assisting the City of Annapolis Planning Commission in preparing the new plan, which included the following:
1. An assessment of the 2009 Comprehensive Plan, including its level of implementation; changes to the city since the adoption of the Plan; and new opportunities and challenges facing Annapolis today;
2. The collection and analyses of current information on demographic and market trends; municipal growth and economic development; land use; housing; transportation; community facilities; arts, culture, and historic preservation; environmental sustainability; water resources, and other aspects of the City and its surroundings;
3. A fiscal impact analysis;
4. A forecast for household growth and future development;
5. The formulation of a plan vision and planning priorities,
6. Desired characteristics for future development reflective of the Plan’s goals;
7. The design of goals, performance measures, and recommended actions for each of the Plan’s elements to guide development, conservation, and the provision of public facilities; A detailed implementation approach including targeted strategies and regulatory policies; and
8. Various small area or special topic plans that informed the development of the Comprehensive Plan, including the following reports:
a. West Annapolis Master Plan;
b. Military Installation Resilience Review;
c. Maritime Task Force Strategy;
d. Forest Drive Eastport Sector Study Task Force Report;
e. Housing Affordability Task Force Report;
f. Outdoor Dining Pilot Study;
g. Blue Technology Business Study and Strategy; and
h. 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice in the Baltimore Region; and
WHEREAS: The draft Comprehensive Plan was released for public review and comment on June 15, 2023, with print copies of the draft Plan available at the Michael E. Busch Library, the Eastport Annapolis Neck Library, City Hall, and the Department of Planning and Zoning, and digital copies available through a dedicated website at www.annapolisahead2040.com; and
WHEREAS: The Planning Commission conducted a series of public hearings on the draft Plan between June 15, 2023, and September 21, 2023, and throughout those hearings, considered the comments received, including the following groups:
1. Members of the public;
2. Civic associations;
3. City boards and commissions; and
4. Written comments from the Maryland Department of Planning; and
WHEREAS: The Planning Commission has made and approved a comprehensive plan, per § 3-202 of the Land Use Article, entitled "Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040" and by a vote of 4-0 (one member absent) recommends the plan adoption; and
WHEREAS: The Planning Commission considers the plan a necessary guide to the future development of the City of Annapolis; and
WHEREAS, The Planning Commission transmitted the Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040 to the Annapolis City Council on February 12; and
WHEREAS, The City Council held a public hearing on the Comprehensive Plan on _______, 2024; and
WHEREAS, The City Council has determined that it is in the public interest that the new Plan recommended by the Planning Commission be adopted as the Comprehensive Plan of the City of Annapolis; and
WHEREAS, The plan shall constitute a general plan setting goals and a guide for future development.
WHEREAS, The adoption of the plan shall not be construed as approval of individual projects that may be recommended therein, and the Aldermen/Alderwomen shall reserve to themselves the right to consider, debate, oppose, or support specific actions that may come before them that are intended to implement specific elements of the plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that the 2024 City of Annapolis comprehensive plan shall be known as the "Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040”; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED BY THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL that;
1. Annapolis Ahead Comprehensive Plan 2040, a copy of which is available online at http://www.annapolis.gov, is hereby adopted; and
2. This resolution shall be made a part of that plan and printed within that plan.