Annapolis City Dock flood prevention plan could face delays due to lawsuit
BALTIMORE -- A development plan that would address flooding issues at City Dock in Annapolis could face delays after an anonymous group filed a lawsuit to stop the project, city council officials said Tuesday.
The City Dock Action Committee (CDAC) unveiled the plan in November 2023 to address rising sea levels that have caused flooding issues in Historic Downtown Annapolis since 2019.
The Solution to City Dock Flooding
After five years of meetings, the CDAC proposed the city build a natural park barrier to protect downtown from flooding.
"Not only are we going to stop sea level rise, and the next catastrophic weather event, but we also have the opportunity to create a world-class park," Annapolis Mayor Gavis Buckley said after the project was announced.
The project would replace a parking area at City Dock with a terraced park that will include an 8-foot barrier, rain gardens and shade trees to protect from flooding.
When it was presented, officials estimated the development would cost about $50 million to $60 million.
Approval Process
In March 2024, the Annapolis Planning Commission approved the plan.
After hundreds of community stakeholder meetings, community briefings and public work sessions, a final plan was developed.
Lawsuit Could Bring Delays
The motivation behind the lawsuit filed in Anne Arundel Circuit Court remains unclear, according to Mayor Buckley.
"Due to the anonymous nature of this filing, it is impossible to understand the motivation behind the lawsuit thereby blunting our ability to adequately defend against it," he said in a statement.
According to city council officials, City Dock has seen an increase in flooding in 2024, including two that prompted State of Emergency declarations. Officials said Annapolis is on track to see 120 flooding events in 2024.
"What the lawsuit will bring is costly delays, degradation of historic structures, and, inevitably, more downtown flooding," Mayor Buckley added.
