Annapolis City Council proposes ban on new drive-through facilities

Annapolis is considering prohibiting new drive-through window facilities within the city limits.

The Annapolis City Council introduced new legislation Monday aimed at drive-throughs, seeking to expand the city’s walkability, particularly beyond downtown areas.

What this legislation would do is prohibit any new drive-throughs from being installed. It would allow the existing ones to stay in place but just prevent any new ones from being permitted,” council member Alderman Rob Savidge said. “We know that drive-throughs can lead to traffic issues. We know they tend to not be friendly to pedestrians and cyclists.”

“We know that drive-throughs can lead to traffic issues. We know they tend to not be friendly to pedestrians and cyclists.”

Savidge says the legislation is also driven in part by environmental concerns.

“When you have cars queued up, they’re spewing a lot of emissions,” Savidge said.

While residents like Bryan Jackson are on board, others are apprehensive.

“Sometimes those drive-throughs will be hanging all the way out of the parking lot. They’ll be halfway in the road!,” Jackson said.

Savidge says the legislation is part of a bigger vision to make biking and public transit more viable alternatives, and steer development in a non-auto-centric direction.

“We want that vibrant community where people are living where they work, where people can walk and bike anywhere they want in the city, and that has a lot of economic value,” Savidge said.

More From The Banner

Maryland hospitals took money from poor patients. Why haven’t they paid them back?

Secret in the walls: Hidden letters reveal love, lust, scandal in 1920s Baltimore society

Grieving my brother and the Key Bridge

Sheila Dixon, a ‘filthy’ street and residents who want politicians to put up or shut up