Council defeats moratorium on short- term rental licenses

The Annapolis City Council defeated Monday a moratorium on issuing or transferring licenses for non- owner- occupied short- term rentals in two city conservation districts.

Alderwoman Elly Tierney, D- Ward 1, who represents the C1 and C1A zoning districts, proposed temporarily suspending newand renewing licenses in those areas to allow the city more time to get an accurate count of short- term rental properties.

Tierney also planned touse themoratorium to draft legislation to address what she described as an “unsustainable trajectory” ofnewand renewing license applications in those districts last year.

The resolution failed by a final 4- 4 vote. Mayor Gavin Buckley, Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson, D- Ward 4, Aldermen DaJuan Gay, D- Ward 6, and Ross Arnett, D- Ward 8, voted against the measure. Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles, D- Ward 3, did not cast a vote and recused herself from the proceedings because she co- owns a shortterm rental with her son.

Arnett had raised questions about the need for and legality of a moratorium, and he took specific issue with the resolution being a late addition to the agenda.

The yes votes were Tierney, Aldermen Fred Paone, R- Ward 2, Alderman Rob Savidge, D- Ward 7, and Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier, D- Ward 5.

After the measure was defeated, Arnett, who co- sponsored O- 26- 19, the original short- term rental legislation that passed last year, offered his help to Tierney in drafting a new bill.

“Having had many, many years of working on short- term rentals, I will be more than happy to help you in any way I can with drafting that legislation,” he said. “And the sooner, the better.”

Later in the meeting, the council was expected to consider a resolution condemning President Donald Trump and the failed insurrection carried out by his supporters at the U. S. Capitol in Washington lastweek.

Schandelmeier introduced the resolution, R- 1- 21, which publicly denounced Trump’s unfounded calls to overthrowthe November presidential election and the violence that erupted at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and left five people dead. The council did not get to the resolution as of press time.

Supporters of Trump, who has lied about the 2020 election results in which President- elect Joe Biden won alongside Vice President- elect Kamala Harris, clashed with law enforcement officers middayWednesday on the Capitol building’s steps. The mob eventually broke through police lines, breached the building and vandalized the seat of the legislative branch. The conflict interrupted members of the Senate andHouse of Representatives who were in the middle of confirming Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Three other council members and Buckley are named as co- sponsors on the measure, which needs five votes to pass. The resolution is unlikely to passMonday night as Savidge said he preferred the public to provide input on it before final passage.

To read about the results of Monday’s meeting, visit capitalgazette. com.