Annapolis · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in City of Annapolis public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Cottage Food Businesses as Home Occupations
The public hearing closed with no opposition on letting home-based food businesses like an Eastport alcohol-infused desserts company operate legally — the plan advances.
Outdoor Dining Regulations Update (O-29-26)
Two first-reader bills would cut red tape for shop owners — no more permits for sidewalk signs — and let food trucks serve historic district special events.
Rooming houses in private homes (O-11-26)
Renting out a room in your own house for 90 days or more is currently illegal in Annapolis — punishable by a $1,000-a-day fine — even though short-term rentals are allowed. The simplified bill just says it's legal, removing an enforcement tool that sponsors said has been targeted disproportionately at minorities and providing the city's cheapest unsubsidized housing option.
O-17-26: Right to park in front of residential driveways
Residents can currently be fined $200+ for parking in front of their own driveways. This bill would let legal occupants and their guests park there, with a new appeal process and a temporary exemption for certain Ward 8 streets expiring December 31, 2027.
O-12-26: Remove Forbes Street and Monterey Avenue from Parking District No. 5
O-12-26 would remove Forbes Street and Monterey Avenue from Special Residential Parking District Number 5, changing who can park there and under what permit rules.
Special Residential Parking District Number 5 changes
Business employees on a stretch of Forbes Street and Monterey Avenue in West Annapolis have had to move their cars every two hours for over three years. Removing those streets from the parking district would free up the nearby medical building's lot for actual patients.
Short-term rental enforcement and fines
The city wants to raise short-term rental fines to up to $5,000 because current fines aren't deterring unlicensed rentals. A fight over how much discretion to give the enforcement director left the resolution without a committee recommendation.
Short-Term Rental Moratorium
Planning & Zoning reported 65 unlicensed short-term rentals remain, with enforcement hampered by staffing, technology and the legal citation process. Preliminary ideas include a zoning-based framework, annual rental-day limits, higher fees to fund enforcement, and possibly capping the total number of rentals citywide. Final recommendations and community input sessions are still to come.
Fines for mobile food service vendors in the Historic District
A $1,000-per-violation fine for mobile food vendors was postponed because nobody could explain how the number was picked — Planning and Zoning will be asked to appear next time.
Charter preamble expansion (CA-3-26)
CA-3-26 would add language on diversity and inclusion, voting rights, the Chesapeake Bay, and public safety to the city charter's preamble. Alderman Thorp's amendment trimmed it to a tighter strategic statement, and the committee added that the city's foundation is its residents rather than a list of 'pillars.'
Zoning Unlocked Phase 2
Residents, including two lawyers, blasted staff's legal claims about nonconforming downtown buildings and urged the council to hold off on upzoning until the city's housing study is done. One speaker said a public meeting drew 140 opponents, not 75 as reported.
Rooming House Fees (R-17-26)
The city is working out what it will charge for rooming house licenses now that Ordinance 11-26 lets homeowners rent long-term rooms in their houses. The fee resolution was pushed to June 17 while the Finance Department refines its cost estimates.
Publication of the City Charter and Code
A charter amendment updating how the city's Charter and Code get published — clearing out outdated rules and allowing electronic versions — was up for public hearing.
Stadium accessory structures
A zoning tweak would let stadiums use temporary structures — like event tents or hospitality buildings — without repeatedly re-permitting them, as long as safety codes are met.
Special exception process review
A discussion of how the city handles special exception findings and recommendations was postponed to April 1.