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The Future of Baltimore's Harborplace

Politicsby Fern Shen2:06 pmOct 10, 20240

Supreme Court of Maryland rules that Harborplace ballot measure will count

The battle over whether to open up Baltimore’s tourist waterfront to private development moves to the ballot box

Above: Maryland Supreme Court Justice Brynja Booth questions attorneys during yesterday’s hearing of Maryland State Board of Elections v. Anthony Ambridge. (courts.state.md.us)

Overturning a circuit court ruling, Maryland’s highest court said today that Question F, permitting apartments and off-street parking at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Park, is valid and that votes cast for it in the November 5 election will count.

The lower court erred in its finding last month that Question F violates the Maryland Constitution because “it is not proper charter material” and because the ballot language” is not easily understandable by voters,” the court said.

The order, signed by Maryland Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader, did not spell out the legal rationale behind the ruling, but promised “the reasons. . . would be stated later in an opinion to be filed.”

The seven-member court, which heard arguments in the case yesterday, was under pressure to make a decision ahead of next month’s general election.

“A big letdown and a disappointment. I’ve lost a lot of respect for this court,” said Anthony Ambridge, a former city councilman and the lead plaintiff challenging Question F.

“What they’ve done is limited the citizens’ participation in government. It’s going to embolden this developer even more,” he added.

MCB Real Estate, the company designated for the project by Mayor Brandon Scott, says it will tear down two existing low-rise pavilions and replace them with twin apartment towers, a sprawling retail and commercial structure and a midrise office building.

To do so, the company needed a change in the city charter, which now designates the area around Light and Pratt streets as a public park in perpetuity.

Scott praised the decision in a statement released to the media.

“We’re thrilled that the Maryland Supreme Court saw through this charade of opposition at any cost and ruled that Baltimore’s residents were capable of making their voices heard on the future of Harborplace,” his office said.

“This revitalization is long overdue, and we are looking forward to this ballot question passing so we can ensure the future of one of our city’s best assets remains bright,” it continued.

Next Steps

Critics, who have argued that putting 900-1,000 high-rise apartments at the water’s edge is not the right fix for what ails the waterfront tourist district, say they will now have to take their case to voters.

“We’ll shift our focus for the next month to educate and encourage voters to vote ‘no’ on a ballot measure that will strip away public parkland to make way for luxury apartments and parking garages,” said Thiru Vignarajah, a lawyer and unsuccessful mayoral candidate who represented Ambridge and the other residents who challenged Question F.

Ambridge today pointed to “the hundreds of thousands of dollars already being spent” to promote Question F, alluding to the advertising underwritten by “Baltimore for a New Harborplace.”

The ballot issue committee was formed in June by Leland Shelton, MCB’s director of government relations, who was Mayor Scott’s campaign treasurer until last fall.

Its treasurer, Jonathan Sandoval, is MCB’s development director, and its chair, Jon M. Laria, is a veteran real estate attorney.

As The Brew reported, Baltimore for a New Harborplace has been urging city residents to vote “yes” on Question F with newspaper ads as well as texts, social media ads and robocalls that critics say are misleading.

Promising a greener Harborplace, while soft-pedaling those high-rise towers (10/9/24)

Ambridge said opponents of Question F have grassroots support that is reflected in the more than 9,900 signatures collected during an unsuccessful petition to get a counter charter amendment on the November ballot.

“We’ll regroup, ” he said. “They may have money power, but we have people power.”

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