Please see the new map below based on updated figures from the City of Annapolis Planning and Zoning Department showing over 1,000 new housing units and 215,000 sq. ft. of new commercial space planned for or under construction along the already crowded Forest Drive corridor.

Even worse, it looks like this is just the start given the current status of the City’s Forest Drive Corridor/Eastport Sector Study, which is now in its final drafting stage and seems to be calling for even more new and dense development. We have been involved in the process throughout the last year and most recently, we submitted detailed comments on the final draft Sector Study earlier this summer.

We continue to be disappointed in the study’s conclusions. The authors seem to have a predisposition to the conclusion that the sector needs more development to build the city’s tax base regardless of: serious traffic, environmental, and quality of life issues that already exist and that would be exacerbated by such growth as recommended. The results of the public surveys conducted as part of the study showed that traffic concerns are by far the #1 area of concern for are residents, followed closely by land use and environment. The concerns and wishes of the residents who live here seem to have been completely ignored.

Click here to read our full set of comments on the sector study and please reach out to the Mayor and City Council members with your concerns about this study and the amount of development planned on our corridor. Click here to send them an email.

Between the amount of development already planned and even more development called for in the sector study, we have to ask:

• How is it possible that the onslaught of more vehicular traffic from these pending developments can be accommodated on the Forest Drive/Bay Ridge Road corridor without causing even more traffic jams and failing (rated F) intersections?
• How is it possible that the City can meet its goals to increase its tree canopy by 50% and reduce stormwater runoff to meet federal requirements under the TMDL?
• How is it possible that the health and public safety of our citizens can be improved with so much development on the overcrowded Annapolis Neck Peninsula?

We are holding our city officials accountable, but we also want to ensure we know where our other elected officials stand on these critical issues. Be sure to check out the results of the candidate questionnaire we sent out before the Maryland and Anne Arundel County Primary Elections. While our group does not endorse candidates, we feel you have a right to know where they stand on critical issues such as the Crystal Spring development, forest conservation, and protection of water quality. We’ve recently followed up with candidates who didn’t respond and will publish more results before the General Election in November.

Also, please save the date for the Candidates Forum on the Environment and Development on October 23rd, 7:00pm – 9:00pm, at the Bay Ridge Christian Church. The Annapolis Neck Peninsula Federation in coordination with a number of sponsor organizations, including Concerned Citizens for Proper Land Use, will host the Forum for candidates for County Executive and County Council Districts 6 and 7.