March 23

Hello Eastport!

1. A Second New Date: The Ward 8 Town Hall will be MONDAY, APRIL 6, at 7:00pm at the Annapolis Volunteer Firehall. Apologies for the second schedule change – we wanted to make sure Annapolis Police Department’s Captain Guy Thacker could be there as he will brief the “Traffic Control Plan for Major Events.”  ECA’s Paul Rankin will also brief, and I will give an update on Ward and City efforts.

   • Other Upcoming Neighborhood Events:

     • April 4, 10:00am to noon - President Street Curb Cleanup – As part of the initiative to paint our red curbs, Community Liaison Bumper Moyer is coordinating a large volunteer effort to sweep debris, pick up trash, and pull weeds on President Street from Tyler Avenue to Moss Haven. The following week, the city’s Public Works Department will come in and refresh the red curbs. Bring your neighbors and meet at the corner of President and Madison at 10:00am. Lawn and leaf bags will be provided. Feel free to bring brooms, gloves, flat shovels, weed eaters, or any tools you’d like to use.

     • April 11, 11:00am – Annapolis Martin Luther King Jr Parade – We’ll be walking with Mayor Littmann, other city council members and residents.  Please tell your neighbors and RSVP, with your name and shirt size, to our Volunteer Coordinator, FriedaK@Frank4Ward8.com.

     • April 23, 6:30pm social & 7:00pm meeting - ECA General Meeting - Eastport Volunteer Firehall

     • April 25, 10:00am - Greenscape - a city sponsored park clean-up initiative, we’ll beautify Davis Park, the small park on Back Creek located just across from Davis’ Pub. We will rake, sweep, clear weeds and plant a few colorful annuals to brighten things up. If you have rakes and other essential tools, please bring them along.  Please tell your neighbors and RSVP, with your name and shirt size, to our Volunteer Coordinator, FriedaK@Frank4Ward8.com.  

     • May 9 - MRE Bridge Run - Please email our Volunteer Coordinator,  FriedaK@Frank4Ward8.com, if you would like to join us handing out water at the rest stop on the top of the Spa Creek Bridge.

2. Accident and New Crosswalk: Sadly, there was a recent car accident involving a pedestrian getting hit at the intersection of Bay Ridge Ave and Monroe Street. There really does need to be a crosswalk at that intersection. I am pleased to report that Public Works is identifying the funding and will install an ADA-compliant crosswalk with a “Rectangular Rapidly Flashing Beacon” at the intersection.  It will require substantial engineering and construction due to the configuration of the sidewalk on the west side of Bay Ridge so will take time to complete – but it is in the works.

   
   

3. City Council Work Session – 3/19/26: Work session can be viewed here. Two very important topics to Eastport residents were discussed:

   • Carr’s Beach - The Director of Recreation and Parks along with the design team briefed the plan for this important addition to our parks in Annapolis. A lot of work needs to be done to identify funding, establish a timeline for the entire project, and design the parking plan that supports this park as well as the Annapolis Maritime Museum Park.

   • Snowstorm After Action Report - The Director of the Office of Emergency Management, Director of Public Works, Acting Chief of Police and Public Information Officer briefed the after-action report on the major snowstorm. I am impressed by their candid analysis of their efforts as well as their identification of what needs to be improved and what needs to be repeated.

     
     

4. Last City Council Meeting - 3/9/26: The City Council went into closed session for a discussion on labor negotiations and a City Dock legal update. Highlights of the public meeting included the below and the entire meeting can be viewed here.

   
   

5. Public Hearing on Harbor Lines at Hawkins Cove (O-3-26): Four residents testified in support of the harbor line change, including Bill Borweegan on behalf of Eastport Civic Association. The harbor line change will allow the City to submit the project to Maryland Department of Environment (MDE). The following day, Tuesday, 3/10/26, the Maritime Advisory Board recommended approval of this legislation. The next step in this process is review by the Board of Port Wardens on Tuesday, 3/24/26 - agenda for the online-only meeting is here, you may submit comments and request to testify live here, and you can watch it here.

• Quarterly Report from Housing Authority of City of Annapolis (HACA): HACA briefed the plan for replacing Harbour House and Eastport Terrace and adding additional residential units on Spa Road. The intent of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative  is to “Transform Eastport/Spa Road into landmark mixed-use community that is obtainable for residents living in Annapolis.” A key point is the increased density in Eastport from currently 357 units to 722 mixed income units in a variety of housing types. I think this development is one of the most important projects the City is planning to undertake.

• Final Vote - Establishing a 12-Month Moratorium on New Short-Term Rental Licenses (O-40-25): The legislation passed and was effective immediately. The moratorium does not affect owner-occupied units. Please continue to let me know your thoughts about STRs in Eastport as the staff and city council consider amending STR guidelines.

• Property Tax - Child Care Centers, Family Child Care Homes, and Large Family Child Care Homes (O-1-26): This was removed from the agenda because the Rules and City Government Committee had not yet made a recommendation. The Committee will hear testimony on the bill at their next meeting on April 2, which you can watch here.

  
  

6. Next City Council Meeting – Tomorrow, 3/23/26: Meeting will start at 5:45 with a closed session on pending or potential litigation regarding the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA). The public meeting will begin at 7:00pm with the agenda you can download here - you can view the meeting on the City of Annapolis YouTube channel.

• COMMENTS BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC:

  • All City Council meetings begin with an opportunity for public testimony on any topic you wish.

• COUNCIL DISCUSSION:

  • Brief on changes in City Capital Improvement Projects this fiscal year. This is an important brief as we learn about major projects of significant cost.

• CONSENT CALENDAR – APPOINTMENTS:

  • The Council will vote to approve the appointment of two Eastporters to Annapolis Boards and Commissions – David Beugelmans to Recreation Advisory Board and Teresa Ellenberg to the Human Relations Commission.  Thank you for stepping up to serve. If you are interested in serving on a Board or Commission, please email me.

• FIRST READERS (Ordinances and Resolutions being introduced)

  • Eliminating the Requirement for Outdoor Dining Patrons to be Seated (O-7-26) - While this legislation amends the city-wide legislation on outdoor dining, it primarily affects Eastport. As the legislation was not properly staffed or coordinated, a motion will be made to remove it from the agenda. I have received a lot of inputs on the legislation. I encourage you to let me know your thoughts if you haven’t.

  • Support of Maryland General Assembly House Bill 1142, Establishing the Task Force to Modernize County and Municipal Revenue Sources (R-1-26) - This resolution expresses the City Council's support for HB 1142, a bill in the Maryland General Assembly. that would establish a state task force to evaluate the revenue structure of county and municipal governments in the State of Maryland. Because of the timing of the General Assembly’s consideration of this bill, the Mayor will ask the City Council to suspend the rules and allow this legislation to get voted on second reader. Although I am philosophically opposed to suspending the rules, I believe it makes sense in this case as the legislation needs to move forward while the state legislature is still in session./SECOND READERS (This leads to the final vote on the legislation)

  • Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Statement of Performance Standards (R-1-26) – This is the approval of annual performance statements filed by city agencies and departments. As I have said before, these standards need work but I will vote yes to ensure they are in place for the Mayor’s upcoming budget proposal. As the Chairman of the Audit Committee, I look forward to working with Mayor Littmann, the new city manager (when on board), Deputy City Manager Vickie Buckland, and the Chiefs and Directors to improve these in future years.

  • Extending the Public Paddleboard Rack Pilot Project (R-4-26) - This resolution will extend the paddleboard rack at Truxtun Park, lower the cost and make it easier for residents to store a paddleboard or kayak near the water. I support this as we need to continue to provide access to the water for our residents.

7 City of Annapolis Audit: The Audit Committee met Monday, 3/16/26, and approved the Audit and the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. This should have been done in December but with the change of administration and staff vacancies it was delayed. Having said that, a tremendous amount of appreciation goes to the senior staff who produced a great document. It will be presented to the City Council at the April 13 meeting.

• “Zoning Unlocked” Community Meeting: Planning and Zoning invites you to learn about its Zoning Unlocked initiative and draft recommendations for improving the City's zoning map and zoning code. Topics will include how zoning helps make development decisions, proposed changes to make the zoning code easier to understand, and where those changes will be implemented. Come learn about the vision and goals of Zoning Unlocked, how zoning works, opportunities to improve outcomes. There are two upcoming public meetings to learn about the recommendations and share input:

• Monday, March 30, Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, 6-8pm

• Tuesday, March 31, Pip Moyer Recreation Center, 6-8pm

8. Public Safety:

• 2026 NO HARM Community Service Resource Pop-Up Tour Feedback Survey: Residents are invited to help shape the city of Annapolis’ 2026 NO HARM Community Services summer Resource Pop-up Tour by participating in a feedback survey. More info is here and the survey is online. It will help the NO HARM violence intervention team with programming and engagement in neighborhoods throughout the Annapolis community.

• Substance Use Disorder Community Update: Office of Emergency Management reports that through February, the city has had 6 drug overdoses with 2 fatal, compared to 8 overdoses with 3 fatal in this timeframe last year. In Eastport, we have had 2 overdoses with 1 fatal during this timeframe.  

All the best, Frank

March 8

Hello Eastport!

1. City Dock: Press conference was held on Friday, 3/6/26, announcing Annapolis has received the $33M+ FEMA Grant for City Dock – the project is on track.

2. Calendar of Events:

• Town Hall – Police Department Brief: Our next Ward Eight Town Hall will be at 7:00pm on Monday, March 16, at the Eastport Volunteer Fire Department. Captain Guy Thacker will brief on the Traffic Control Plan for Major Events, and I will give an update on Ward and City efforts.

• GreenScape: Mark your calendar on Saturday, April 25th, at 10:00am for GreenScape, a city sponsored park clean-up initiative.  We’ll beautify Davis Park, the small park on Back Creek located just across from Davis’ Pub (Fourth Street and Chester Ave). We will rake, sweep, lightly prune, clear weeds and plant a few colorful annuals to brighten things up. The city provides gloves and garbage bags - if you have rakes and other essential tools, please bring them along.  We’ll have a cool new EASTPORT t-shirt for you as a thank you for volunteering with us! Please RSVP with your name and shirt size to our Volunteer Coordinator, FriedaK@Frank4Ward8.com.  

3. Last City Council Meeting - 2/23/26: The agenda is here and the meeting can be watched here. Highlights:

• Public Hearing on Mooring Requirements in City Water (O-2-26): There was interesting testimony from a boater who has owned a mooring on Weems Creek for some time and the Deputy City Attorney who provided an explanation of types of moorings. This legislation is continuing to be worked, taking into account safety of navigation and how to move forward with what appear to be seven private moorings on Weems Creek.  

• Council Discussion on Public Parking: The Annapolis Department of Transportation gave a presentation on the City's parking management setup, including garage and on-street parking.

• First Readers (legislation being introduced):

  • Temporary Dissolution and Restructuring of the City of Annapolis Arts in Public Places Commission (AiPPC) (O-4-26): The Council suspended the rules for this legislation and approved temporarily dissolving the AiPPC so that the City Council can restructure the commission and its duties.  

  • Hawkins Cove Harbor Lines (O-3-26): Legislation was introduced to move the harbor line as part of the process to obtain approval for the Hawkins Cove Restoration project, which will provide more water access for our residents. Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) requires all options for moving forward to be allowable within city code. Currently, the harbor lines prevent the option that extends the pier. This legislation authorizes changing the harbor lines so that the city can move forward on pursuing multiple options for the Hawkins Cove Restoration project.  

4. Next City Council Meeting – Tomorrow, 3/9/26: Meeting will start at 5:45 with a closed session on labor negotiations & a City Dock legal update. The public meeting will begin at 7:00pm with this proposed agenda - you can view the meeting here. I expect there will be several agenda changes and major discussions as follows:

• Public Hearing on Annapolis Harbor Lines at Hawkins Cove (O-3-26): This is your opportunity to provide public testimony on this very important initiative to clean up and provide public access to the water at Hawkins Cove. The next step if this legislation passes is for the city to submit the proposal to the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE) who will then be asking the public for comments.

• Quarterly report from Housing Authority of City of Annapolis (HACA): This is an important brief for residents to focus on as we prepare for major decisions on Choice Neighborhood Initiative which will replace Harbour House and Eastport Terrace.

• Reallocation of Unexpended Bond Proceeds: I expect this legislation will come off the agenda as we have received the FEMA Grant.

• Designating Northwest Street as an Honorary Street in Memory of De Lorma “Dee” Goodwyn: This is the right thing to do, recognizing her great contributions.

• Final Vote - Establishing a 12-Month Moratorium on New Short-Term Rental Licenses (O-40-25): This will be the final vote. I support the legislation. There are at least six amendments to this legislation.  

  • I have an amendment that requires the Director of Planning & Zoning report monthly on the number of licenses, registrations and infractions as of the previous month. The Director already collects that data and supports providing the info to the public – this data is important to inform the public debate.  

  • Another amendment reduces the length of the moratorium to six months – the Director of Planning & Zoning has asked to keep it at twelve months and I support twelve months. Getting the STR policy right is very important to residents, and we need to ensure we have the time to get it right.  

  • Another amendment reduces the requirement to prove “owner-occupied.” I support the requirement in the original legislation as it covers all the bases and is consistent with standard proof of residency requirements.

• Property Tax - Child Care Centers, Family Child Care Homes, and Large Family Child Care Homes (O-1-26): I intend to put forward a motion to remove this from the agenda due to a lack of information supporting this expense. While this initiative to improve childcare in Annapolis appears to be good, the City Council does not have the information to determine if this is the right place to invest in childcare. The Rules Committee last Thursday did not receive the agreed upon testimony so did not make a recommendation on the legislation, voting to defer to next month. The City Council should wait to hear that information and only spend taxpayers’ money when we are adequately confident that it is the best use of this money.  

5. Potholes: There are still many potholes out there because of the snow and freeze. To report a pothole, please go to Annapolis Public Works “Report a Problem” portal.

   
   

6. City Launches ‘Golden Pass’ Downtown Parking Program for Seniors 62+: The City of Annapolis is launching a month-long parking program aimed at helping seniors and boosting downtown businesses for four weeks starting Monday, March 9. The “Golden Pass” parking program costs $20 and provides two hours of parking each day through April 6. The program is designed to encourage residents to visit, shop, and dine downtown during the program period.

   
   

7. Crime on Boucher Ave and Lockwood Ct: The Chief of Police reports that Rowland Thomas Bowman, suspected of February 11 burglary and attempted burglary on Boucher and sifting through trash cans on Lockwood, appeared in court this past week and was arrested. He is currently being held without bond.  

   
   

8. Community Grant Applications Are Open: The City of Annapolis has opened its application portal for Fiscal Year 2027 Community Grants, a funding program designed to support local nonprofit organizations serving Annapolis residents.

All the best, Frank

February 23

Hello Eastport!

1. Annapolis received the lower end of the storm.

2. I drove around Eastport this morning and the roads look good.

3. Please be careful of ice and wet snow dropping from trees and wires.

4. Monday’s scheduled trash and recycling pickups in Annapolis were canceled. Monday’s collection will be moved to Tuesday, with no bulk pickup. Tuesday will move to Wednesday with no bulk pickup. At this time, the rest of the week is unchanged.

5. Please stay safe and continue to help your neighbors.

All the best, Frank