Date:
This Thursday, March 28 at 7 pm, the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) will review City Dock Project 1 – the park and flood barrier protection. Please note: this public hearing will be virtual only, unfortunately (HA believes a public hearing of such importance should be both in person and broadcast).
Written comment for the Commission’s review must be submitted by 12 pm on Thursday, March 28 here. Additionally, if you wish to make LIVE public comment during the virtual hearing, check the Yes box for “I want to give live testimony” on the comments web form. You will then receive instructions from city staff for your participation.
On March 12, the City Dock project team presented a pre-application review, which was non-binding (no action by the Commission). You can watch the March 12 presentation and see current design plans for the park and flood barrier, and hear feedback from the HPC here.
The Planning Commission has already approved Project 1 of the City Dock project. You can view the previous City Dock presentations to the Planning Commission: January 18, February 1, and March 7.
Except for state and federal reviews, HPC is the last stop at the City for each phase of the project approvals. While the current portion being considered includes only the elevated park and flood barrier protection (and NOT the new Maritime Welcome Center), we strongly urge members of the community to watch Thursday’s HPC review and submit or deliver testimony. We encourage public testimony to focus on the HPC’s purview at this stage: proposed changes to hardscaping, new fixtures and furnishings, and elements that affect the cultural and visual landscape of City Dock.
HA supports the resiliency aspects of the City Dock project absolutely. Protection of our vulnerable coastal historic district is paramount to the future preservation and viability of downtown Annapolis. We believe the flood barrier protection plan as currently presented is incomplete, which is a major concern.