Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen's Environmental Action Plan

Note: This is the mayor's statement written when he was running for office. His environmental "Idea Team" is working on a comprehensive plan for environmental matters in the city for the course of the Cohen administration. Heading the team is Chris Trumbauer, who can be reached at ctrumb@gmail.com.

josh cohenAnnapolis is blessed with a bountiful natural environment that adds to the character of our town. Our 16 miles of shoreline, street-end parks, nature preserves and walking trails all enhance our feeling of connection with our town. Annapolitans value the natural environment, and our rules and regulations reflect that, with some of the greenest policies in Maryland. Still, much more remains to be accomplished if we are to truly restore the health of our waterways and reestablish healthy ecosystems.

In this election voters face a choice: to reverse course and elect a mayor for whom the environment is not a priority; or, to elect a mayor who will prioritize the environment, set ambitious goals and take bold action.

This 10-point Environmental Action Plan lays out ambitious but achievable objectives for the next four years. Some actions are simple, others are more complex. Taken together they will achieve significant progress on a variety of fronts: Water quality, Low Impact Development, Energy Conservation and Open Space.

Some obvious actions are left out of this 10-point plan because the City is already committed to them. For instance, tree planting is omitted because the City is already pledged to achieve 50% tree canopy coverage by 2030. This 10-point plan should be viewed as a supplement to, not a substitute for, existing commitments and actions.

1. Reduce water usage.

Water and wastewater pumping stations and water treatment account for a whopping 25% of the city government’s entire energy consumption. Conserving water is not only good for the Bay, it saves taxpayer money.

The Cohen Administration will lead by example, reducing water usage in City facilities through educational campaigns for employees and by retrofitting city fixtures with low-flow technology. All of us need to do our part, and the Cohen Administration will enhance conservation throughout Annapolis by using a combination of incentives, grants and public awareness campaigns.

2. Designate all of Annapolis’ waters as a “No Discharge Zone”.

The maritime industry is a vital part of Annapolis’ economy. Clean water is not only good for the environment, it’s good for the boating business. Thousands of boats call Annapolis home and thousands more visit each year. Unfortunately, these boats often leave behind more than just happy memories.

A No Discharge Zone (NDZ) protects sensitive waterways by prohibiting the discharge of all boat sewage into the water, both raw sewage and sewage treated by an approved marine sanitation device. Maryland has only two designated No Discharge Zones in the state (one is in South County; the other is near Ocean City). The Cohen Administration will work in partnership with the City’s Maritime Advisory Board to designate the entire city as a NDZ. In this way boaters will do their part to improve water quality and assure the continued viability of the maritime industry in Annapolis.

3. Preserve 100 new acres of open space.

Fields, wetlands, woodlands – these open spaces are vital links in the City’s “green infrastructure,” the network of natural areas that so many animals need to survive. Annapolis is a densely developed town with too few areas of open space.

The Cohen Administration will preserve 100 new acres of open space through a combination of direct purchase, grant funding, easement acquisition and partnerships with private property owners.

4. Reclaim the water’s edge with living shorelines.

Natural living shorelines have tremendous capacity to filter and eliminate pollution before it reaches the water. They also support the natural habitat that plants, fish, turtles and crabs need to thrive. Unfortunately, much of Annapolis’ shoreline is hardened by bulkheads, concrete, and other barriers.

Converting hard shoreline into living shoreline is not an easy task, especially when the waterfront is privately owned as much of it is in Annapolis. Despite the difficulty, by leveraging funding opportunities and incentives, and partnering with private landowners, the Cohen Administration will convert 2,000 linear feet of hard shoreline into natural, living shoreline.

5. Require that new development treat 100% of stormwater onsite.

Historically, development has contributed to poor water quality by causing sediment plumes in waterways, erosion of natural ravines, and carrying nutrients and other pollutants into the water. Low Impact Development (LID) turns this traditional approach upside down. LID is an approach to land development and engineering that maintains the natural water-filtering qualities of the land. Natural landscaping and man-made structures such as rain gardens, grass swales, green roofs and porous pavement all infiltrate and filter rainwater onsite.

While the development industry has made large strides in treating stormwater runoff, much more needs to be done. The Cohen Administration will prevent further impairment of our waterways by requiring that new development treat 100% of stormwater onsite.

6. Reduce impervious surfaces and double the number of rain gardens.

In older urban towns such as Annapolis, even a simple rainfall further damages the water quality of our creeks and rivers. Once a raindrop falls, it travels the rest of its journey along hard surfaces until it reaches the water. When it first touches the roof, it runs down downspouts into the street, along driveways and sidewalks, and into the curb and gutter. Along its journey it picks up soil, litter, and gasoline and other chemicals and carries them directly into creeks, rivers and the Bay. One way to stop this process is to turn hardened surfaces into porous surfaces, by reclaiming vacant lots as green spaces, constructing green roofs, replacing impervious surfaces with porous pavers, and planting rain gardens.

A rain garden is a natural filter that traps and absorbs harmful pollutants from rain before they reach the waterways. These simple yet beautiful gardens absorb runoff, allow stormwater to soak into the ground, and in so doing reduce pollution, erosion and flooding. Currently there are approximately 80 rain gardens throughout the city. Not only will the Cohen Administration double this number, it will plant a rain garden at every street-end park in Annapolis.

7. Enhance the city’s “Scoop the Poop” program.

Dogs may be man’s best friend, and dogs in the Maritime Republic of Eastport may even be full voting citizens, but too much dog waste is still no friend of the environment. Not only does pet waste reduce outdoor enjoyment of others, it is a major contributor of high fecal coliform counts. Fecal coliform contaminates waterways and increases health risks to humans.

The Cohen Administration will enhance citywide “Scoop the Poop” efforts by increasing dispenser locations, boosting awareness, and holding pet owners responsible. In this way, man’s best friend can also be a friend to our environment.

8. Implement rigorous water quality monitoring.

The best way to achieve goals is to track them. Without consistent data by which to measure water quality, even achievable goals often go unmet. Water quality monitoring is a crucial means to scientifically evaluate progress. In addition, the data it produces can be used to leverage state and federal dollars.

The Cohen Administration will team up with neighborhood associations, schools and local non-profits to establish and maintain a comprehensive water quality monitoring program for every creek in Annapolis.

9. Create and implement an integrated signage plan and virtual map of each watershed.

Annapolis is a city of peninsulas surrounded by water. While the creeks themselves are easy to identify, few people appreciate the extent of the watersheds which cover every square inch of land within the city. Most people know that City Dock is on Spa Creek, but few people know that the headwaters of Spa Creek start near Chinquapin Round Road. Most people know that the Rowe Boulevard gateway into Annapolis crosses over Weems Creek, but few people know that its headwaters begin near the Annapolis Mall.

The Cohen Administration will raise awareness of our fragile watersheds by creating and implementing a signage plan for all watersheds, for example by labeling all creeks and headwaters at road crossings. This signage plan will complement a virtual watershed map that will identify every property in the city according to its watershed. The more people are aware of the water, the more they will act to protect it.

10. Leverage volunteer efforts as part of a coordinated strategy.

The City government has a clear responsibility to protect the environment and enforce environmental regulations. However, the government cannot do it all, nor should it.

Annapolis is blessed with legions of citizens who put their values into action, volunteering with their local watershed organization, pitching in on GreenScape Day, and serving on green boards and commissions. These volunteer organizations and watershed groups are valuable resources for the City, supplementing the City’s efforts with their own expertise and dedication.

The Cohen Administration will reach out and enhance partnerships with non-profits, leveraging grants and other funding to get more bang for the taxpayers’ dollar. In addition to enhancing partnerships, the Cohen Administration will designate an environmental coordinator to eliminate wasteful duplication of efforts and to prioritize public and private actions that will produce the greatest impact.

 

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