March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 51 F

Letter To The Editor: Cohen’s Avoidable Street Fight

editorialNow that the amended City Dock Master Plan (CDMP) has been approved by the Annapolis City Council, Cohen is taking every opportunity to tout it as a singular accomplishment.  In reality, he is personally responsible for creating a bitter community street fight over the last six months and inflicting wounds in our community that will take years to heal.  More specifically, he:

  • Championed a flawed CDMP advocating for excessive building heights, reduction in parking space and elimination of Memorial Circle,
  • Sponsored Ordinance O-7-13 to enable development of an out-of-scale/style building that trades City property for a boardwalk largely benefiting its tenants,
  • Triggered an incendiary battle with respected citizen and business groups, including the leader credited with making Annapolis the nation’s premier Boat Show,
  • Failed to frame the needed refinement to Maritime Zoning, which I support, as well as enforceable assurances that change will not trigger a chain reaction.

Reasonable people differ on Annapolis’ future, in particular the scale and form of development — such debate is healthy.  I voted for Cohen in the last election, and I happily contributed to that campaign; I wanted him to be successful and do not question his integrity.  What I cannot forgive is his unfortunate bad judgment in aggressively pushing forward the flawed CDMP and Ordinance O-7-13.

His actions have set back constructive progress — how different the discussion would be today had he recognized the need to make changes well before attempting to get them ratified!  Cohen has not earned my vote, and I hope enough others feel the same way

Robert (Bob) Jones
Annapolis, MD
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