Annapolis City Dock: Lawsuit threatens to delay flood management plan
A development plan that would address flooding issues at City Dock in Annapolis could face delays after an anonymous group filed a lawsuit to stop the project, city officials said Tuesday.
The City Dock Action Committee unveiled the nearly $60 million plan in November 2023 to address rising sea levels that have caused flooding issues in downtown Annapolis since 2019. The estimated cost has since risen to as much as $100 million,
On Oct. 23, Annapolis attorney C. Edward Hartman III, on behalf of an anonymous client "John Doe," filed a petition for judicial review of the Historic Preservation Commission of Annapolis' decision to approve the proposed City Dock resiliency project, claiming it violates city code.
"John Doe" is a resident who testified that the project would impact his property values and real estate taxes. He claims HPC did not adhere to legal requirements for such projects.
According to the petition, the commission was supposed to get a majority vote to approve the applications. Instead, out of the six members present, only three voted in favor and the rest abstained. The petition also states that HPC approved plans to demolish the Harbor Master building without a plan to replace it as required by the city code, and the commission switched the designated time and location of public hearings during the process.
"John Doe" also claims the project goes against guidelines laid out in the Annapolis Historic District design manual aimed at preserving the area's historic context.
In response to the filing, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley released a statement expressing confidence that development and approvals of the project were done by the book.
"What the lawsuit will bring is costly delays, degradation of historic structures, and, inevitably, more downtown flooding," Buckley said.
After five years of meetings, the action committee proposed the city build a natural park barrier to protect downtown from flooding.
"Not only are we going to stop sea-level rise, and the next catastrophic weather event, but we also have the opportunity to create a world-class park," Buckley said after the project was announced.
The project would replace a surface parking area at City Dock with a terraced park that will include an 8-foot barrier, rain gardens and shade trees to protect from flooding.
In March 2024, the Annapolis Planning Commission approved the plan.
After hundreds of community stakeholder meetings, community briefings and public work sessions, a final plan was developed.
The motivation behind the lawsuit filed in Anne Arundel Circuit Court remains unclear, according to Buckley.
"Due to the anonymous nature of this filing, it is impossible to understand the motivation behind the lawsuit thereby blunting our ability to adequately defend against it," he said in a statement.
City Dock has seen an increase in flooding in 2024, including two floods that prompted emergency declarations. Annapolis is on track to see 120 flooding events in 2024.
