We are parents of school-age children and residents of Hunt Meadow. Our mayor and several aldermen made campaign pledges regarding Crystal Spring and responsible development. We especially hope to see action soon on their promise to strengthen the city’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, which restricts development when schools are overcrowded and can no longer accommodate new students.

Currently, instead of restricting development when schools are at 100 percent of capacity, as the county law has done for decades, the city requires elementary and middle schools to reach 105 percent and Annapolis High School to reach an astounding 120 percent.

Consequently, schools like Hillsmere Elementary and Annapolis High that are closed to new development in the county are still open to city development. This is unacceptable. We expect more for our children than overcrowded classrooms and learning environments housed in portable trailers.

How will this law impact the Crystal Spring development? In addition to the massive senior community proposed, a subdivision plan would allow the owner to develop additional lots. The plans show there is already planning to clear 12 acres on one of these lots, where up to 144 nonsenior homes could be built.

The county recently strengthened its adequate facilities law even further by making the threshold 95 percent. But if the city ordinance were in line even with the county’s original standard of 100 percent capacity, these homes could not be built for six years or until the overcrowding was addressed.

We relocated from Manhattan to Annapolis for more space, less stress and a higher quality of life for our daughters. More development in Annapolis will negatively impact all the reasons we came here in first place.

To our mayor and the aldermen who pledged to right this wrong: It’s time for you to come through!

CAITLIN and CHARLIE DAMMEYER, ANNAPOLIS

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