Dear Community Leaders and Members of Anne Arundel County,

Hopefully, you had the opportunity to watch the County Executive's State of the County Address yesterday. In the video, Mr. Pittman talks about important issues facing our residents and the county's plans to invest in housing, childcare, education, transportation, public safety, and health. Scroll down for the link to the video.

Yesterday also marked one year since I was appointed Director of Community Engagement & Constituent Services. It's an honor to work with our community leaders and organizations every day to make Anne Arundel The Best Place - For All.

We have plenty of great updates for you below, so be sure to scroll to the end.

Sincerely,

Vincent Moulden

Office of the County Executive

Director, CECS

1. Movers & Shakers | 2. Glen Burnie Tree Lighting | 3. Rotary Club of South County Lights of Kindness | 4. Turnaround Thursday Graduation

"The state of Anne Arundel County is strong because we are building the foundation for our future. We are building the foundation of healthy people prepared for the 21st century, and we are building the foundation of nature and buildings that can exist in harmony with one another."

- County Executive Steuart Pittman

To view the State of the County video, visit aacounty.org/state-of-the-county.

Holiday Sharing Program

The Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services (DSS) Holiday Sharing Program greatly needs donors to shop for food, clothing, and toys for the holiday and personally deliver to the household. This program has been in operation at DSS for 44 years.

You can click the image above to watch a video to find out how you can help a family or senior in need this holiday season. For questions, please call 410-269-4462, email [email protected], or visit dhs.maryland.gov/anne-arundel-county.

See the Impact Department Work has on Our Community

Did you know that in CY22, and expected for CY23, Animal Care & Control has almost twice the number of cats adopted by Anne Arundel County Families compared to dogs? In CY22, 1,110 cats were adopted versus 554 dogs, and through October 2023, 961 cats have already been adopted in comparison to only 498 dogs. Currently, Animal Care & Control is extremely full with increasing intake numbers. You may be able to adopt a pet for FREE or, when normal fees apply, just $14.00 for cats or $17.00 for dogs.

However, more dogs than cats were reunited with their owners in the same time frame. In CY22, over 500 dogs were reunited with their owners, and we expect to see the same by the end of CY23, while only 97 cats were reunited in CY22, and it is expected this will be a little lower at the end of CY23.

You can see this, and all the other great work Animal Care & Control and the other departments are doing, by visiting Department Performance on OpenArundel.

If you have any questions or want to know more, contact contact [email protected] 

Due to increased interest at the end of the comprehensive zoning application period for Regions 1, 3, and 9, the Office of Planning and Zoning is extending the deadline to request a zoning change until December 15, 2023, at 11:59 PM. The application tool includes instructions, an online form for owners or their representatives to apply for a zoning change for their property, a reference map with the adopted zoning and Plan2040 planned land use, and information on next steps. Visit aacounty.org/regions for more information. 

Questionnaire on Draft Environmental Strategies

This is the first of a series of questionnaires to get community input on the draft strategies that will be included in the Region Plans. This questionnaire addresses environmental issues. Later in the planning process, you can review strategies related to economic development, housing, transportation, and land use; these topics are all interrelated, but we address them one at a time to help focus discussions. 

Community member feedback on this questionnaire will help refine strategies for the Region Plans. Please provide input on draft strategies related to the natural environment by January 2, 2024. 



• Region 1 Questionnaire
• Region 3 Questionnaire
• Region 9 Questionnaire

County Council Meeting - 12/18/2023

Below is a list of legislation receiving a public hearing at the upcoming County Council meeting. Let your voice be heard during the public comment period for each of these!

Please note: the legislation scheduled to be heard at the next County Council meeting is subject to change. Click here for an up-to-date list and to see other legislation that has been introduced but is not scheduled for a hearing at the next meeting.

The County Executive's Office is seeking individuals to serve on a variety of county boards and commissions. The volunteer work done by these boards and commissions is an essential part of our efforts to make Anne Arundel County The Best Place - For All.

Below is a highlight of some vacant positions on some of our boards and commissions. To see a full list of vacancies or to apply, please visit aacounty.org/bcapplication.

The Nonprofit Center is a county initiative that supports nonprofit organizations to advance the health and well-being of our residents.

Local Development Council Grants

Application Deadline: Monday, December 18

ACDS is the administering agency for Anne Arundel County’s Local Development Council (LDC) grants. LDC grants are available on a competitive basis to nonprofit and community organizations working to benefit the communities and residents within a three-mile radius of Live! Casino.

Learn more.

Anne Arundel Forestry and Forested Land Protection

Applications Deadline: January 3, 2024, at 4 p.m.

The Anne Arundel Forestry and Forested Land Protection Grant Program is a partnership between the Anne Arundel County Government and the Chesapeake Bay Trust to provide funds for forestry projects and land protection in Anne Arundel County. The goal of this program is to implement cost-effective reforestation and greening projects and increase the number of acres of protected forested land in the County

Click here to learn more about this program and view the request for proposals.

2024 Emergency Assistance to Secure Against Hate Crimes (SAHC) Grant

Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 10, 2024, by 11:59 PM

Governor Wes Moore announced $1 million in additional emergency state funding for hate crime prevention grants. Local organizations that serve protected classes and religious institutions are eligible for funding to hire security personnel for their facilities and membership through a new grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services.

The primary purpose of SAHC funding is to hire security personnel to secure facilities against hate crimes. These efforts support the Office’s objective of developing criminal justice and victim services strategies that are coordinated by developing a culture of collaboration, information sharing, and knowledge transfer between law enforcement, victim services, and communities targeted for hate crimes.

Learn more about this grant.

Anne Arundel County Watershed Restoration Grant Program

Application Deadline: March 11, 2024, at 4:00 p.m.

The Anne Arundel County Watershed Restoration Grant Program is a partnership between the Anne Arundel County Bureau of Watershed Protection and Restoration, the City of Annapolis, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. This program funds projects to reduce pollutants through the implementation of watershed restoration practices. Projects must accomplish on-the-ground restoration that treats rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces or demonstrates the accomplishment of another metric that will help the County and City meet local water quality and runoff reduction improvement goals.

Click here to learn more about this program and view the request for proposals.

Anne Arundel County Community Tree Planting Mini Grant Program

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis

The Anne Arundel County Community Tree Planting Mini Grant Program is a partnership between the Anne Arundel County Forestry Board and the Chesapeake Bay Trust to provide small community-based grants to help communities and organizations increase the number trees and tree canopy in neighborhoods, parks, and communities. This grant program funds tree plantings and invasive species removal.

Click here to learn more about this program and view the request for proposals.

Residents can view a calendar of upcoming meetings in their area, review site plans and other documents, attend virtual meetings, watch previously recorded meetings, and provide public comments directly to the Office of Planning and Zoning - all through the new Community Meetings website. See a partial list of upcoming meetings below and click here for more details and to view the full calendar.

258 Woodard Road

Property Location 258 Woodward Road, Arnold

Meeting Date: 2023-12-07

Virtual | Time: 6:00 PM

Fishing Creek Farms Piping Replacement

Property Location Fishing Creek Farms Community, Annapolis MD Thomas Point Rd and Cherry Tree Lane

Meeting Date: 2023-12-11

In-Person | Time: 6:00 PM

Carr Property

Property Location Aisquith Farm Road Riva

Meeting Date: 2023-12-07

In-Person | Time: 6:00 PM

Miller Property

Property Location 1339 Bay Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403

Meeting Date: 2023-12-11

In-Person | Time: 7:00 PM

Primrose Jessup

Property Location 2858 Jessup Rd, 0 Champion Forest Ave, Jessup, MD 20794 Jessup Road X Redbud Ave

Meeting Date: 2023-12-11 Virtual | Time: 6:00 PM

Ada Valley, Lot 1 and Unimproved Right of Way

Property Location 7831 Ridge Road, Hanover, MD 21076, 500' north of Stone Castle Drive

Meeting Date: 2023-12-13

Virtual | Time: 6:00 PM

Visit the Department of Health's website for more information.

View this Update as a Webpage

Newsletter edited by Vincent Moulden and Hannah Thompson.

For media inquiries, please contact Renesha Alphonso.