The Annapolis City Council passed several significant pieces of legislation in 2024 and introduced even more. Here are a few pieces of legislation that are taking effect in January that will affect Annapolis residents.

Gas-powered leaf blowers ban

The legislation, passed in February, bans the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and other items such as sound emitters to deter pests. It also allows noise from boats to be measured from the shoreline. The bill was sponsored by former Alderwoman Elly Tierney, from Ward 1, and was co-sponsored by Alderman Rob Savidge, from Ward 7, and Alderwoman Karma O’Neill, from Ward 2 — all Democrats.

Anne Arundel County attempted to follow in the city’s footsteps in September; however, after community feedback, the legislation was withdrawn. Instead, the county will begin to phase out their own usage of gas-powered leaf blowers and to eventually ban them by 2030. Gas-powered leaf blowers in use now will be replaced with zero-emission machines as they reach the end of their life or as funding becomes available, according to an executive order issued by County Executive Steuart Pittman on Dec. 9. County staff will be barred from using these types of leaf blowers in their work starting July 1, 2030.

Annapolis’ bill will take effect Jan. 1; however, a resolution, also sponsored by Savidge, delays fines until April 1 to give city staff time to develop a voucher program that would provide discounts on electric leaf blowers.

The Department of Planning will enforce the ban.

Annapolis ban on plastic bag usage

In July, the council passed legislation banning the usage of some plastic bags in Annapolis. The ban will take effect Jan. 22.

Similar to the legislation passed in Anne Arundel County, the use of free plastic bags in businesses such as grocery stores will be prohibited in favor of paper bags for an additional 10 cents per bag used. The Annapolis bill, sponsored by Alderman Rob Savidge, a Democrat representing Ward 7, exempts places such as farmers markets.

Other exemptions include businesses that provide fresh flowers, dry cleaning, newspapers, ice, baked goods, prescription drugs from a pharmacy and bulk items such as vegetables, nuts and seafood. The city earmarked $5,000 of the current operating budget to purchase reusable bags to to distribute to low-income residents. The Anne Arundel Health Department will be responsible for enforcing the ban for restaurants and “other businesses that handle food,” according to Victoria Buckland, deputy City Manager for Annapolis, as well as the city’s Department of Planning and Zoning. Fines begin at $500 and increase to $1,000 on repeat offenses.

The city will be organizing some community-based events to distribute reusable bags, including making them available on public transit, according to their website.

Bag distribution has already begun this month and more opportunities are planned for January, Buckland said in an email Thursday. Having reusable bags on city transit lines is expected to start “no later than March,” she added.

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