Environmental Matters Committee November 12, 2026

The City of Annapolis Environmental Matters Committee met on November 12, 2026. Public Works presented Ordinance O-27-26, concerning right of entry for lead-service-line inspections. The city has 1,583 private-side service lines of unknown material and 103 identified as galvanized requiring replacement; staff estimated about $2 million for test pits and $10 million for roughly 600–700 replacements by 2037. Replacement costs have not yet been incorporated into water rates, and staff said the potential rate impact remains to be determined. The committee voted to recommend the ordinance favorably, with an abstention; the motion carried. The committee also received an MS4 program update: 317 acres of restoration are complete, with another 152 acres planned or under construction toward a 445-acre target. The program is supported through a recurring capital-improvement budget, though individual project costs were not detailed.

The city reported that it finalized a contract with Kimley-Horn for a streetcar feasibility study connecting City Dock and the Parole transit hub; the study is expected to take about eight months, and no contract amount was stated. Staff are also exploring grants, loans, and other financing for solar installations at city facilities; a technical assessment recommended proceeding with four sites, but no purchase or construction award was made. Completed LED upgrades were reported to avoid about $571,000 in upfront capital costs and save approximately $165,000 annually in energy costs. Other discussion included a Chesapeake Trust restoration grant opportunity and proposed resident energy-efficiency rebates; no related funding awards or spending votes were reported.