PRESS RELEASE
Mayor Gavin Buckley
Public Information Office
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
DNR to Surplus Burtis House to City of Annapolis
“It’s the Keystone of Our City Dock Resilience Strategy”
ANNAPOLIS, MD (November 14, 2019) – After more than nine months of negotiations with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Burtis House and adjacent property, the “Frank” parcel, have been offered as surplus property to the City of Annapolis. In a letter dated November 7, 2019, DNR Land Acquisition and Planning Director Heidi Dudderar asked the Department of General Services to initiate the process to transfer the property to the City.
As part of the City’s resilience strategy, the property, with a location 67-71 Prince George Street, can be used as a visitor center, including strategic maritime uses for the Annapolis Harbormaster. The Department of Natural Resources has requested an easement for continued use of the docks for state emergency and ice-breaker boats. Mayor Gavin Buckley will accept those terms in order that the City can take possession of the property.
“As we move into the final phase of the City Dock Action Group and Working Teams report, the Burtis House was always a crucial piece of the puzzle,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. “We needed to take possession of the property in order to connect the City’s resiliency efforts to those of the U.S. Naval Academy. It’s the keystone of our City Dock resilience strategy.”
The City Dock Action Group, an independent commission of the City of Annapolis, is expected to report their findings and recommendations to the Annapolis Mayor and City Council on December 18, 2019.
The next step will be to go before the Board of Public Works. Mayor Buckley has briefed Comprotoller Peter Franchot, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and been in touch with members of the governor's staff about the next steps. He looks forward to working with the City's partners in the state.
Mayor Buckley added, “we sincerely thank our partners. I am over-the-top grateful for this step by DNR. It helps put Annapolis at the forefront of resiliency efforts. We can be a leader. so many cities and communities are facing these climate change challenges and don’t have willing partners at the state and federal level. We are lucky.”
Eleanor Tierney, Ward One Alderwoman said, “I’m enthusiastic about Burtis House becoming an integral part of our plans for City Dock.”
In addition, the Burtis House may serve as a place for further historic interpretation. With the recent UNESCO Slave Route Project marker designation, the Mayor envisions Burtis as an ideal location to tell more of the story of the City of Annapolis.
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