4.4 Acres of Annapolis Forest Protected!

The City of Annapolis is planning to purchase 4.4 acres of contiguous forest close to Quiet Waters Park and place it in a permanently protected conservation easement, open to the public! For the past five years, a total of seven (7) CLA attorneys have been involved in the fight to ensure that the Parkside Preserve development does not move forward in violation of state and local laws and regulations.

The City’s plan to purchase and conserve this land is a win for forest conservation and those fighting the Parkside Preserve project, which had planned to use 39 acres of land to develop 152 homes. CLA attorneys have advocated for this outcome by arguing that the planned development’s Forest Conservation Plan violates the Annapolis Comprehensive Plan and the Maryland Forest Conservation Act (FCA).

CLA attorneys helped Annapolis Neck Peninsula Federation highlight the importance of the FCA for the City, resulting in recent amendments to the Annapolis City ordinance implementing the FCA. This new ordinance requires an acre-for-acre tree replacement requirement (above designated thresholds) for certain designated land use, and a clear process for appeals of forest conservation plans associated with developments like Parkside Preserve. By agreeing to purchase and conserve the property, the City is further demonstrating its commitment to protecting and maintaining its forests.

Read the Capital Gazette article about the City’s plan to protect this important resource.