Voter education group hosting town hall
City Council considers accessory dwelling unit
An Annapolis voter education group is hosting the first of two town halls about accessory dwelling units tonight as the City Council considers a bill to legalize and regulate the homes.
Action Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the American Institute of Architects are hosting the event called, “What are ADUs and How Can They Have a Positive Impact on Our Community.” It starts at 6 p.m.
The events will be streamed on Facebook Live. Registration and more details are found at facebook.com/actionannapolis/events.
The event comes as the Annapolis City Council begins deliberations on O-9-21, a bill co-sponsored by Aldermen DaJuan Gay, D-Ward 6, and Brooks Schandelmeier, D-Ward 5, which would legalize and regulate the homes that go by many different names — like secondary suites and accessory apartments — and come in many different forms like a converted garage or basement apartment.
Organizers weren’t aware that the aldermen were proposing legislation but rather saw the event as an opportunity to inform Annapolis residents about accessory dwelling units, which have been used in other jurisdictions to expand their housing inventory, said Phebe Duff, a member of Action Annapolis’s steering committee.
“There are lots of issues like affordable housing that the community needs to know about,” Duff said.”We wanted to put educational events out there to show who are the players and help people make a choice in voting or writing to elected leaders.”
The speakers at the session are Alex Pline, a member of Strong Towns Annapolis and the Annapolis Planning Commission, and Kol Peterson, the owner of Accessory Dwelling Strategies, LLC, a company based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to education, advocacy and consulting. Peterson is the author of “Back Door Revolution: The Definitive Guide to ADU Development.”
Action Annapolis sought out Peterson because of his expertise on the subject and his familiarity with the region, having worked previously in Washington, D.C.
“He’s just a fountain of knowledge about this,” Duff said. “He understands the legislation, community perception, zoning, taxes. He knows everything.”
A second town hall is set for April 30 to discuss how such homes would work in Annapolis. Among the speakers are Schandelmeier and Gay; County Councilwoman Lisa Rodvien, D-Annapolis; Hans Riemer, a Montgomery County councilman who helped pass similar legislation there; Greg Cantori, a nonprofit housing advocate; and Lois Schranek, a senior advocate and principal at Heart and Soul for Seniors.
The Reverend Carletta Allen, senior past at Asbury United Methodist Church will moderate the session.