The Anne Arundel County Council maintains existing lower density residential areas in the Annapolis, Arnold areas

The Anne Arundel County Council recently voted to preserve existing zoning for nearly a dozen properties in north Annapolis, disappointing a group of black landowners who say they want to divide their land among relatives.

As part of a comprehensive zoning review of Region 4, which includes Severna Park, Pasadena, Arnold, Cape St. Claire and Gibson Island, council heard from dozens of residents. The review is part of a once-every-decade rezoning effort for each of the county’s nine planning regions, which are distinct from local government districts.

Councilmember Amanda Fiedler, a Republican representing Arnold, proposed an amendment at the June 17 meeting to maintain existing lower-density residential zoning for nearly a dozen properties on Shot Town Road in Annapolis. The county recommended increasing density.

Although longtime black landowners who want to be able to share their land with their families advocated for increased housing density, the council voted 4-3 to maintain the current zoning, with council members Allison Pickard, Lisa Rodvien and Julie Hummer voting no “

Most of the properties on Shot Town Road, located in a small, wooded residential neighborhood off Route 50 in Annapolis, are zoned for low-density residential development, often referred to as RLD, which allows for one home per 5 acres. The county has suggested upgrading these lots to allow for one home per acre, or R1 zoning. However, not all property owners requested changes.

Three of the properties have multiple zoning classifications – two are lower density and the third is zoned for low- and medium-density residential and open space.

Although some Shot Town Road residents expressed a desire to keep the zoning plan as is, striking a balance between protecting the area’s natural resources and existing land use, some black residents wanted changes to allow for the construction of more than one house per acre.

For Keisha Ricks, only Shot Town Road is known. Her family had owned land there for generations, dating back to the 19th century.

“My grandmother left it to us as a family estate, and we are still here today,” she said.

When Ricks’ grandmother subdivided the land, it was allocated one house per acre. In 1989, the zoning was changed to a lower density, which Ricks said “seriously hampered” the family’s ability to develop their own property, prompting her to ask for a new classification.

“Building one or two houses on top of what we already have is not a problem — we can’t build a community, we can’t build a city,” she said. “We are just asking for additional lots so that we can continue the legacy of being able to stay on our property.”

Mary Daniels, who also lives on Shot Town Road, said lower-density zoning is limited to black families who have called the area home for generations.

“When my new neighbors say, ‘Let’s keep it RLD,’ I don’t think they take into account the fact that our ancestors lived on this property and it was designated for heritage,” she said. “And so when you reduce R1 to RLD, you say, ‘No more legacy.’”