Marina Proposed At Annapolis City Dock, Project’s Fate Quickly Decided

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Developers revoked their proposal to build a marina at Annapolis City Dock, Patch confirmed Tuesday.

Few specifics were available about the marina proposal, which was announced last week. Residents, however, worried about increased boat traffic and its potential effect on downtown historical sites.

The project would have brought even more construction to Ego Alley, where Annapolis is already preparing to construct City Dock Park. The green space is intended to protect downtown from flooding with a raised earthen berm, flood gates and water pumps.

The marina had no effect on the park, which is slated to continue regardless of the marina's outcome. Park construction is expected to begin after the fall boat shows, pending any possible delays from further legal challenges.

A City Dock Park work session is scheduled for this Thursday at 3 p.m. to discuss the budget for and timeline of the park, which will likely cost over $70 million.

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley's office said the marina proposal seems like it is off the table for at least the rest of 2025.

"The information we received was very broad — an idea for a modern marina at City Dock to be developed as a public-private partnership," Cate Pettit, the mayor's chief of staff, told Patch in a Tuesday email. "The City had numerous questions and the project proponents were going to provide more details to help answer these questions at a work session next week but they have now withdrawn their request to present and we understand they will not be pursuing the idea further this year."

This fall's City Council and mayoral election put the marina in a sticky situation regarding timing. Buckley is term-limited and cannot run again, so the next mayor would have overseen the construction.

Developers could, in theory, resubmit the proposal next year after the election, but their future plans are unclear.

"An election year can be a difficult time to bring any new idea forward," Pettit said. "We believe this is why the proponents have withdrawn their request to present their idea to the Council."

Pettit said the city didn't know how many boats the marina would have held or how far out the pier might have extended into Spa Creek.

"We understand the proposed marina was to be located at the Prince George Street end of City Dock," Pettit said. "No development application was received, so we have no detailed information on timeline and costs."

Pettit said the marina would have been a public-private partnership, wherein the city and a coalition of businesses would partner to construct the project.

The private portion of the project was led by Harbor Walk LLC, Pettit said. Maryland business records show that the organization has been active since August 2023 and its resident agent is D. Michael Keenan of the Annapolis area. Patch was unable to contact Keenan for a comment.

Pettit said the city had not yet formed an official stance on the marina.

A City Council work session was scheduled for July 24, but the meeting was called off on Monday when developers pulled their proposal.

"We needed to learn more details and obtain answers to numerous questions -- which was the intent for the now cancelled work session," Pettit said. "We understand it is off the table for any further consideration by this Council."

A group dubbed Save Our Harbor organized on Sunday.

Group administrator Adam Dubitsky said the marina would have risked "destroying the iconic views and undermining maritime safety, the environment, shoreline structures, and limiting the safe enjoyment of our harbor."

"The marina, as reported by some city officials and others, would have slips for up to 100 yachts," Dubitsku said Monday on Facebook before the proposal was revoked. "If successful, the over-development of the historic harbor will change the unique maritime culture of Annapolis. Citizens need to fight the special interests promoting this sellout of our priceless asset."

Save Our Harbor issued this statement to Patch:

"There is no good time for a bad idea and this marina development is a very bad idea. Clearly, the project is not dead, and Save Our Harbor will go on fighting until it is."

Annapolis Alderman Harry Huntley (D-Ward 1), who represents the City Dock area, called the marina "an unsolicited proposal."

"I said from the beginning that this proposal was a bad idea, and l believe the full council now agrees that it was the right decision for the proposal to be withdrawn," Huntley said Tuesday in the Save Our Harbor Facebook group. "Between now and the end of the year, I'm going to focus on the issues that matter most to residents: strengthening our vibrant communities, improving trust in government, and taking care of the basics like fixing sidewalks."

More information on Save Our Harbor is posted at saveourharbor.replit.app and in the organization's Facebook group.

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