Adrian for Laurel

Last Tuesday, the City released a draft of its updated 10-Year Master Plan – a document that ‘outlines our community’s vision for future development, land use, infrastructure and overall growth by setting goals, policies and strategies’.

An accompanying Press Release describes two Public Comment Hearings where residents can share ideas, feedback, and related:

• Thu, Nov 5 at 6 p.m. via virtual meeting (email [email protected] to request the link), and

• Tue, Nov 10 at 6 p.m. in-person at Council Chambers during Planning Commission meeting

My understanding is the Master Plan will come before Council in December for discussion and vote (and comes with additional opportunities for public hearing), but these next two meetings are great opportunities to have your voice heard for the vision for Laurel for the next ten years. Even if you haven’t read the document, just sharing your thoughts or questions in general is very helpful to hear so the policy makers can incorporate it into wherever it applies.

Some related resource links for you:

• The recent draft Master Plan released;

• The City’s info page on the Master Plan Update (includes presentation slides from the Oct 20 Planning Commission meeting, links to past plans, and more);

• Video of the Master Plan presentation made at the Oct 20 Planning Commission meeting.

Hope you find the above helpful, and please feel free to send me your thoughts too as I’d like to include in Council conversations and decisions.

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and meeting agenda packet, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. (Note: Work Sessions don’t generally have a Public Hearing component, but you can still send me your thoughts as they are always helpful as I approach the meeting.)

AGENDA

1. Call to Order - Brencis D. Smith, Council President

2. Bid Recommendation- Staggers Road Improvements- Department of Public Works

3. Bid Recommendation- Cybersecurity Services- Department of Information Technology

4. Bid Recommendation- Police Interview Rooms Systems- Department of Information Technology

5. Resolution No. 7-2026- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Creating a Youth Leadership Council and Providing an Effective Date

6. Resolution No. 8- 2026- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Rename the No-Kill Community Animal Shelter Citizens Advisory Committee as the Animal Welfare Citizens Advisory Committee (AWCAC), and to Revise its Purpose and Duties

7. Ordinance No. 2063- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, Amending the Title of Article XI, Division 1, “Storage of Unregistered, Inoperable, Dismantled, Partially Dismantled and Wrecked Motor Vehicles and Trailers; Snow and Ice Removal,” of Chapter 18, “Buildings And Building Regulations,” and Repealing Section 18-181.4, “Snow and Ice Removal,” of Article XI, Division 2, “Accumulations and Obnoxious Conditions, Etc.,” of the Laurel City Code, and Providing an Effective Date

8. Charter Amendment Resolution No. 184- A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the City of Laurel, Maryland Amending Article 500 “Finance”, Section 502- “Budget Preparation”

9. Adjournment

Last month was a proud moment for me, two years in the making: I graduated from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy program “Academy for Excellence in Local Government”. 🎉🎓

The Academy is a program administered by UMSPP designed to equip local elected officials with a breadth of municipal knowledge to enhance their effectiveness in carrying out their duties.

It covers nine Core Classes: Structure of Government, Municipal Budgeting, Basics of Risk Management, Conducting Effective Meetings, Consensus & Team Building, Employment Issues, Ethics, Open Meetings, and Public Information Act.

And five Elective Classes, which for me were: Inclusive Workforce; Continuity of Operations; Municipal Gov’t, Social Media, & 1st Amendment; Cybersecurity Risks; The 5P’s for AI Change Management.

I also ended up taking additional courses along the way even though they didn’t directly go to the certification.

And it was a pleasure, too, to be joined by two of my colleagues in the graduation ceremony: Councilwoman Kyla Clark and Councilman Jeff Mills – both have also worked hard to complete the required coursework for graduation this year. Communications Director Natalie Williams also completed her studies for the certification and we all joined for smiles and additional acknowledgement at the September 28 Council Meeting.

To me, education and actively seeking out new ideas is part of my commitment to bring the best thinking and quality to our City – To that end, I’ll actually be attending the National League of Cities annual conference next month and am signed up for courses related to commercial redevelopment and how to build transit systems around people: Looking forward to bringing that learning here for Laurel!

This month, Council considered Charter Resolution 183 proposed by the Administration to change the City’s budget approval date from June 30 to June 20. The reason cited is that, in 2025, the State instituted a requirement for municipalities to set their property tax rate ‘before June 20’.

At First Hearing, I shared that, to me, our proposal was a case of ‘right problem, wrong solution’. ‘Right problem’ in the sense that we’ve rightly identified the State requirement for the City to set its property tax rate by June 20. But ‘wrong solution’ in that the Resolution proposes something different: It would move our entire budget date to June 20, instead of just the tax rate date.

So as mentioned at the time, I proposed an amendment at Second Hearing this week to rephrase the Resolution to simply mirror the State’s law – the result being that our annual budget approval date remains as it’s always been on June 30, and that we reference the State requirement which that, in any event, our property tax rate is set by June 20.

Practically speaking, we usually never get that deep into June before we pass a budget anyways, but for the unusual circumstance in which it may happen, my amendment prevents us from unnecessarily losing flexibility in our budget process, while also satisfying the State’s requirement. (My general rule of thumb for legislation is always to try to keep it ‘as simple as possible’.)

In the end, my amendment received two votes and did not pass. And the unamended Charter Resolution itself received two votes and did not pass.

As mentioned during session, no further action is required since there’s no requirement to reference the State law change anyway, but I do remain open to revisit the question and collaborate on adaptations with my colleagues, and please feel free to send me your thoughts or questions as well.

American Legion Post 60 is hosting a full day of family fun, community spirit, and Halloween tradition –>

On Saturday, October 31 starting at 3:30 p.m. and spanning into the nighttime, there are a slew of family events that you can come for one, or come for all:

• 3:30 p.m. Kids' Halloween Party with games, treats, & fun

• 5:30 p.m. Parade through the Hall to show off your costume, meet members, & collect treats

• 6 p.m. a Trunk-or-Treat in the parking lot with decorated vehicles

• 6 p.m. a Haunted Trail for all ages

• 6 p.m. Kickball under the Lights for all ages

More details in the graphic below and the Legion is located at 2 Main Street (just on the other side of the train station) – as the image says: Good company. Great memories. 🙂

Recently, residents have reached out to me with questions and concerns about operational changes in the City’s trash program. First, thank you for sharing your concerns as it’s very helpful to hear feedback and experiences you’re having so I can share them with the City team. Over the last couple weeks, I’ve been able to relay many of those messages and have also learned additional information that folks may also find helpful:

1. The City has two sizes for regular trash bins (the black ones): 65 gallon and 35 gallon. Depending on your location, you may have originally been issued the 35 gallon size, but if you’re finding based on household size, etc. that you need the 65 gallon size, you can request a swap out from DPW.

2. The same is true for the recycle bins (the blue ones): there’s a 65 gallon size and a 35 gallon size. Especially if you do a lot of online shopping, warehouse stores (like Costco, Sam’s Club), etc. you may find you regularly need the larger size and can also request a swap out.

3. Lastly, there are also two sizes for compost bins (the tan ones): In this case, the larger is 35 gallons and the smaller is 12 gallons. As you get more used to the types of things you can put in the compost bin (e.g., includes grass clippings/leaves), you may find you’d like the larger size if you don’t already have it and can likewise request a swap out.

Hopefully the above is helpful, and additional information can also be found on the City’s Green Living page. And please feel free to reach out to me with questions and concerns so I can share in conversations with the City team - thanks!

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and agenda packet, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Join in-person, watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12.

And if you’d like to register to speak, simply sign-up when you arrive in person or reach out to the City Clerk’s office. (See my post for how to share your voice at Council Meetings.)

AGENDA

1. Call to Order - Council President Brencis D. Smith

2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America - Led by Keith R. Sydnor, Mayor

3. Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, MMC, City Clerk

4. Approval of Minutes: October 14, 2026- Regular Meeting

5. Report of the Mayor and City Council

6. General Public Hearing

7. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Charter Amendment No. 183- A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Amending Article 500 “Finance” of the Charter of the City of Laurel Section 503 “Same-Adoption” to Change the Date by Which the City Council Shall Pass the Annual General Operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget from June 30th to June 20th

8. Adjournment

It may seem like it came quick, but reminder that Early Voting for the General Election starts this coming Thursday, Oct 22 to Thursday, Oct 29 – Then the General Election Day itself happens on Tuesday, Nov 3.

In addition to various seats that are up for vote at the federal, state, and County levels, there are also important referendum questions on the ballot.

Some helpful links to assist you in exercising your voice:

• The Early Voting Center locations – For our area, the closest is the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center on Contee Road.

• Find your Election Day voting location lookup guide. (Remember: This will differ from the voting location you use for City elections.)

• View your sample ballot

• Voting guides from The Baltimore Banner and The Baltimore Sun

• Coverage from the The Laurel Independent: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3

• Maryland State Board of Elections & Prince George’s County Board of Elections

And a little public service announcement – Consider becoming an election judge: Volunteer citizens are essential to seeing this process continue. 👍 🙂

Reminder that tomorrow, Saturday, October 17 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., the City is holding its semi-annual FREE Electronics recycling/ Paper shredding/ Home goods donation/ Etc. event.

Location is the Department of Public Works yard at 305 - 307 First Street – Per DPW guidance, you should enter from the Route 1 entry way. Also have your driver’s license on hand to establish City of Laurel residency (both residents and businesses are eligible to participate).

So time to get rid of old electronics sitting around the house, get those personal papers professionally shredded (if desired, while you even watch), and save a trip by bringing any lightly-used home goods or clothing.

Check out the graphic below for additional details, and avail yourself of this great City benefit! 🙂

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and meeting packet. If any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. If you’d like to register to speak, you can sign-up by reaching out to the City Clerk’s office by 2 p.m. of the meeting day. (See my post for how to share your voice at Council Meetings.)

AGENDA

1. Call to Order - Council President Brencis D. Smith

2. Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, MMC, City Clerk

3. Approval of Minutes: September 28, 2026 - Regular Meeting; October 7, 2026 - Work Session

4. Composting Update Presentation- Tim Miller, Director, Department of Public Works and Michele Blair, Sustainability Manager

5. Report of the Mayor and City Council

6. Mayoral Reappointments: Marjorie McCeney, Historic District Commission, 10/14/26-10/14/29; Wayne Dzwonchyk, Emergency Services Commission, 10/14/26-10/14/28; Michelle Keating, Board of Appeals, 10/14/26-10/14/29; E. Michael Greene, Board of Trustees - Retirement, 10/14/26-10/14/30; Pastor Robert Wood, Clergy Advisory Council, 10/14/26-10/14/28; Pastor Matt Nabinger, Clergy Advisory Council, 10/14/26-10/14/28; Don Gavelek, Public Safety and Transportation Committee, 10/14/26-10/14/28; Shirley Bell, Youth Services Commission, 10/14/26-10/14/29; Roy P. Gilmore, Emergency Services Commission, 10/14/26 - 10/14/28

7. General Public Hearing

8. Bid Recommendation- Employee Benefit Insurance

9. Charter Amendment No. 183- A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Amending Article 500 “Finance” of the Charter of the City of Laurel Section 503 “Same-Adoption” to Change the Date by Which the City Council Shall Pass the Annual General Operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget from June 30th to June 20th

10. Adjournment

» Presenting Award at Laurel Volunteer Fire Dept. 124th Awards Banquet «

It was a pleasure to join with members of the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department to help celebrate their 124th Awards Banquet, and a great honor to be able to present the Firefighter of the Year award on behalf of the City to the member voted by their peers. During the evening, I was so impressed by the energy and dedication of members young and old, and their drive to serve our community in such an important and highly impactful way. Congratulations to Min, to all the volunteers, to the support team, and to the Auxiliary – You perform such an important role, literally answering our resident’s calls in their time of need 📞 and we appreciate you tremendously! (And if you’ve ever thought about exploring the possibility of volunteering yourself, check out the LVFD recruitment page for more details!)

(Photo: LVFD)

» Laurel Community & Culture Day «

In September, it was a true joy to participate in Laurel’s Community & Culture Day celebrating the many cultures our community boasts, all coming together as one community. I enjoyed the Mexican dances, spoken poetry, Indian dancing, vibrant food, colorful decorations, and more. Many thanks to Councilwoman Kyla Clark and the Multicultural Committee for organizing such a dynamic event, and if you missed out, I’d recommend marking down for next years as it was hopping!

(Photo: City of Laurel)

» Laurel Advocacy & Referral Servies 40th Anniversary Celebration! «

First started by a core group of caring Laurel residents in 1987, LARS has advanced its mission to be a place where any person, regardless of age, race, or background, could come for help and without fear of judgment. Today it makes an impact in our community in so many ways, including helping those in emergency situations, overseeing permanent supportive housing programs, delivering a self-sufficiency program, and more. I appreciated the opportunity to join with the Mayor to help honor this milestone for them, and to toast to many more.

During the event, LARS also unveiled updates coming to their headquarters on Laurel Avenue including a new motorized lift to help move donated food stuffs to the basement pantry, expanded parking area in the rear, and a remodeled entryway, all which will help increase their program impact even more - cheers to 40! 🥂

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and meeting agenda packet, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. (Note: Work Sessions don’t generally have a Public Hearing component, but you can still send me your thoughts as they are always helpful as I approach the meeting.)

AGENDA

1. Call to Order - Brencis D. Smith, Council President

2. Bid Recommendation- Employee Benefit Insurance

3. Charter Amendment No. 183 - A Charter Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Amending Article 500 “Finance” of the Charter of the City of Laurel Section 503 “Same-Adoption” to Change the Date by Which the City Council Shall Pass the Annual General Operating and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget from June 30th to June 20th

4. Adjournment

At this week’s Council Meeting, Council passed legislation to add Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to our City’s Code. All Maryland jurisdictions with zoning authority (such as Laurel) were required to do so by October 1 to comply with the law passed by the Maryland General Assembly earlier this year.

The upshot? - ADUs are now generally permitted on lots with single-family detached homes.

What is an ADU? - Accessory Dwelling Units are essentially secondary living spaces on a property. They have their own electricity, water, food preparation area, sleeping area, and sanitation area. They can either be interior to the primary unit, attached, or completely detached. A common example might be an old carriage house that has been re-done to be its own dwelling unit, often for family members.

A few highlights from the Ordinance passed:

• Per state law, the ADU can be no more than 75% of the square-footage of the primary unit.

• And per City law, the ADU is to be visually subordinate to the primary unit and must also comply with the required remaining greenspace for the lot.

• Per City law, one of the units must be occupied by owner.

• Per the City law, the ADU must be attached to the WSSC water/ sewer system and be deemed adequate by WSSC (whether by piggy-backing on the primary connection or establishing a new connection).

• Per City law, ADU height is limited to 18 feet. (The intent here is to limit to two stories and there was discussion on the best way to articulate that, currently going with 18 feet as guidance.)

• Although not directly addressed in the Ordinance, modular/ pre-fabricated construction is expected to be a permissible construction method.

Hopefully the above is helpful to understand the gist of the changes, and additional details can be found on Maryland’s Accessory Dwelling Unit info page as well as in Laurel’s Ordinance 2057 in the meeting packet from Monday’s meeting.

The Laurel Historical Society will be holding their annual fundraiser soon – this year it’s an Oktoberfest theme! 🍻

Come for beer & wine tastings, heavy hors d’oeuvres, music, casino games, and more – $65 gets you all of the above, PLUS $200 in “Fun Bucks” that you can use at the various casino games ♠️(with additional Fun Bucks available for purchase onsite).

There’ll also be raffles, guided beer tastings in the biergarten, stein-holding competition, and pub-style trivia games –>

So order your tickets online and come on down to the Laurel-Beltsville Senior Center on Saturday, October 17 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a good time and to help a good cause.

(Additional details also available at order link.)

It was a special moment this past weekend to join in honoring the roughly 75 Maine veterans visiting the DC area through the national Honor Flight program.

The program enables veterans to visit DC-area military monuments, connect with fellow veterans, and be appreciated for their service. Included among the contingent were a 99-year old veteran of World War II, a number of veterans of the Vietnam War, and many others.

Our very own American Legion Post 60 hosted the group for dinner catered by Mission BBQ, at which Laurel High School’s JROTC and St. Mary’s American Heritage Girls Troops helped usher and support as well. To a person, each member of the contingent expressed appreciation for the kindness shown by the hosts.

I was glad also to extend a warm welcome from the City and to share the below reflection:

It is a pleasure and honor for me to welcome you on behalf of the City of Laurel. And thank you also to the American Legion and volunteers who have done us proud by coming out to show you our support.

I haven’t had the honor of military service myself, but it’s always been a point of pride for me that so many of my family members have: my dad, who served as a Marine in the Vietnam War and is a Purple Heart recipient; my mom’s dad, who was Army Corps of Engineers and served in the Korean War; my dad’s father, who served in the Navy in WWII; and my brother, who served in the Army in the late 90s.

Over the last couple days, you’ve visited many of our nation’s monuments in DC – To me, you are living monuments, and we honor you.

I remember as a young kid, our family visiting the Vietnam War memorial wall in DC which had only been recently unveiled – And my dad placing his hand on the wall, where his eyes went to a far away place and time. I was too young to be even able to fathom the realities of war, but in that moment, I knew there was something deeply important to my dad.

The saying goes, ‘freedom isn’t free’, and it’s true. And I want to add to that: ‘freedom isn’t an idea’. It has a face, it has flesh, and it has blood.

You are a reminder of that - Thank you for your sacrifice, and for carrying the banner for America.

The evening was truly a special privilege, and a special memory to have my kids there as well to witness those honored. Be sure to also check out the Voices of Laurel coverage on their Facebook page.

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and agenda packet, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Join in-person, watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12.

And if you’d like to register to speak, simply sign-up when you arrive in person or reach out to the City Clerk’s office. (See my post for how to share your voice at Council Meetings.)

AGENDA

1. Call to Order - Council President Brencis D. Smith

2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America - Keith R. Sydnor, Mayor

3. Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, MMC, City Clerk

4. Approval of Minutes: September 2, 2026- Work Session; September 14, 2026- Special Work Session; September 14, 2026- Regular Meeting

5. Report of the Mayor and City Council

6. Mayoral Appointments and Reappointments: APPOINTMENTS: Dr. Varleisha Lyons, Education Advisory Committee, 9/28/26 – 9/28/28; Lateef Gbadegesin, Youth Services Commission, 9/28/26 – 9/28/29 || REAPPOINTMENTS: Lisa Wolfisch, Bicycle and Pedestrian CAC, 9/28/26 – 9/28/29; Maria Clifford, Board of Appeals, 9/28/26 – 9/28/29; Sandy Antunes, Arts Council, 9/28/26 – 9/28/28

7. General Public Hearing

8. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2057 (Text Amendment No. 270)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-1.7, “Definitions;” Section 20-6.13, “Table of Residential Uses;” Section 20-6.14, “Accessory Uses;” Section 20-6.15, “Area, Yard, and Height Regulations;” Section 20-6.16, “Schedule of Area, Yard, and Height Regulations for Residential Uses;” Section 20-6.23, “Accessory Structures; Bulk Regulations;” Section 20-6.26 “Building Permitted on Lot;” Section 20-6.29, “Dwelling Unit Area Requirements;” Section 20-10.2, “Permitted Buildings and Uses;” Section 20-16.2, “Scope of Regulations;” Section 20-19.2, “Trailers Parked in Residential Zone;” Section 20-23.1, “Continuation and Discontinuation of Use;” Section 20-26.4, “Definitions;” Section 20-26.5, “Review of Applications;” and Section 20-50.3, “Connection to Public Sewers Required” to Permit and Regulate Accessory Dwelling Units.

9. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2058 (Text Amendment No. 271)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-41.5, “Forest Stand Delineation;” Section 20-41.6, “Forest Conservation Plan;” Section 20-41.7, “Afforestation and Retention;” Section 20-41.8, “Reforestation;” Section 20-41.9, “Priorities and Time Requirements for Afforestation and Reforestation;” Section 20-41.12, “Payment Instead of Afforestation and Reforestation;” Section 20-41.16, “Waivers;” and Section 20-41.18, “Annual Report.”

10. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2059 (Text Amendment No. 272)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-2.2, “Plans, Plats, and Information to Accompany Applications for Permits;” Section 20-29.3, “Definitions;” Section 20-29.7, “Review Procedure; Adequate Public Facilities;” Section 20-29.10, “Mandatory Dedication or Fee-In-Lieu of Open Space;” Section 20-29.12, “Governing Approvals;” Section 20-30.1, “Pre-Application;” Section 20-30.2, “Conditional Approval of Preliminary Plan;” Section 20-30.3, “Approval of Final Plat;” Section 20-30.4, “Fees;” and Sec. 20-41.2, “Definitions” in Order to Implement the Maryland Housing Certainty Act.

11. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2060- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and to Provide an Effective Date.

12. Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Ordinance No. 2061- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and to Provide an Effective Date.

13. Adjournment

Earlier this year, I connected with Laurel resident Dion Johnson who wrote and directed a documentary film on the critical importance of literacy, especially in marginalized communities. The documentary won an award at a DC film festival and I thought it be a great idea for his hometown to host a viewing as well! – There were some licensing arrangements that needed to be worked out, but I’m happy to report those were recently approved and that the Laurel screening is scheduled for this coming Friday, September 25 at 7 p.m. at the Gude Mansion.

The documentary is titled “Forever Free and the Illiteracy Playbook” its description reads:

Millions of Americans, especially in marginalized communities, struggle with basic literacy, a crisis rooted in generations of educational inequity. This documentary confronts that deliberate reality head on, weaving archival footage, expert insights, and deeply personal stories into a powerful narrative about literacy as a gateway to civic participation, economic mobility, and personal dignity.

Laurel is blessed with so many talented and caring people doing good work to help others – it’s an honor to help highlight their work and I hope you’ll take an opportunity if you can to come out to learn and share with our community on this important topic.

This past year, I’ve been thinking about ideas that can help Laurel become an even better place to live, work, and play. I’ve also been actively asking residents in conversations around town. It’s been great to have these conversations and gather these ideas together, and below is an initial list 6 ‘Big Ideas’ for Laurel:

1. Develop the Laurel Train Station into a slick, mixed-use anchor of Main Street. If you’ve seen the Muirkirk Station or Annapolis Junction Station, you can get an idea of what’s possible. It could contain apartment/condos (including affordable units), small retail, create a natural flow into Main Street (helping spur additional energy & development), all while preserving and evoking the historic feel that highlights one of the oldest (if not the oldest) continually operating train stop of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. To my mind, this draws interest, enhances Laurel’s profile, embraces our history, and creates momentum for its future.

2. Create a ‘walk-jog-bike’ protected path/ circuit between Laurel Lakes and Riverfront Park. These two nature features of our town can be elevated and highlighted in a way that makes our town special, attracts visitors, supports healthy living, creates corridors between the commerce centers of Laurel Centre Mall and Main Street, and builds community.

3. Have small shops/ foods along the edges of Gude Park. A resident suggested this idea stemming from a park in Gaithersburg that she likes to visit with her son, and you’ll find a couple spots like this in Columbia too. One way this could take shape is as wide terraced levels featuring a curved strolling path that wanders through some neat landscape features, and bordered by a stretch of tiny shops/ food on one side. Residents can come, enjoy the view, stroll along, have a picnic, grab a snack, peruse some local goods while kids play in the grass/ playground, etc. I really like the vision she cast.

4. Re-develop the stretch of Route 1 with the median to achieve a live/ work/ play environment. This could include some modern professional office buildings that feed into plazas dotted with greenery around which there are some food/ retail spots, perhaps even attractive pedestrian bridge over to the existing mall area. You can see hints of this down in the redeveloped parts of Hyattsville and the new development at Baltimore Peninsula, and it can create a cycle where business - feeds food/ retail - enables housing - connected by walkability - and creating a strong sense of space.

5. See the undeveloped backside of Main Street turn into a neat few square blocks of mixed-use space with apartments/ condos up top and micro-stores featuring local goods down below. I’ve seen a similar concept on King and Queen Streets in Toronto where there are small storefronts so they are affordable by local business owners doing specialty things. Combining this with what old town in Lewes, Delaware looks like where there a few square blocks of historic-looking structures creating a great ‘browse-around, buy-some-things’ experience for an afternoon, evening, or weekend expereience.

6. Rebuild the bridge from Riverfront Park near the pool over to High Ridge Park on the other side of the river. Another resident approached me with this idea, reminding me of the bridge that used to be there and sharing how it would provide a valuable expansion of the greenspace by linking it into High Ridge Park, which itself links further north into the Columbia trails. Thinking one step further, they shared there had even been an idea to extend the Riverfront Park pathway under the Route 1 bridge into the green space on the other side in Anne Arundel County, with a real potential to create a neat network of walkways like those you find behind the Fairland Recreation complex.

There’s additional ones as well, but hopefully the above helps to illustrate that once we get the creative juices flowing, there are really some great opportunities to see Laurel thrive in the decades ahead! 🙂

Do you have a ‘big idea’ rumbling around in your head too? Please shoot me a note as I’m continuing to gather them all into a list that will help inform future conversations!

This coming Monday, Sep 14 there’ll be a double-header: a Special Work Session at 5:30 p.m. followed by a Regular Council Meeting at 6 p.m.

The Special Work Session will cover an additional items for consideration this month that weren’t in the normal monthly Work Session last Wednesday, plus a re-drafted Ordinance related to proposed changes to the youth curfew. If Council consensus is reached on these items, they will advance to the regular meeting immediately to follow at 6 p.m.

See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record and meeting packets (Special Work Session & Regular Meeting). If any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.

Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12.

Note for the Special Work Session: Work Sessions don’t generally have a Public Hearing component, but you can still send me your thoughts as they are always helpful as I approach the meeting.

And for the Regular Meeting: If you’d like to register to speak, you can sign-up by reaching out to the City Clerk’s office by 2 p.m. of the meeting day. (See my post for how to share your voice at Council Meetings.)

AGENDA for Special Work Session at 5:30 p.m.

1. Call to Order - Brencis D. Smith, Council President

2. Bid Recommendation- Renewal of ESRI Enterprise GIS Agreement- Department of Information Technology

3. Ordinance No. 2061- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and to Provide an Effective Date.

4. Ordinance No. 2062- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend Laurel City Code Article V. “Curfew; Parental Responsibility”, Section 9-60 “Definitions”; Section 9-61 “Unlawful Conduct”, Section 9-62 “Defenses”, Section 9-63 “Enforcement and Penalties” and Providing an Effective Date.

5. Adjournment

AGENDA for Regular Meeting at 6 p.m.

1. Call to Order - Council President Brencis D. Smith

2. Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, MMC, Clerk

3. Approval of Minutes: June 22, 2026- Regular Meeting; July 1, 2026- Work Session; July 13, 2026- Regular Meeting

4. Report of the Mayor and City Council

5. Appointments: Angie O’Neal, Senior Residents and Persons with Disabilities, 09/14/2026-09/14/2027; Cynthia Moss, Parks and Recreation CAC, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028; Frelicia Tucker, Parks and Recreation CAC, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028; Dion Johnson, Multicultural Advisory Committee, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028; Ghonva Ghauri, Arts Council, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028; Michael Mareno, Education Committee, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028; Reappointment: Janice Blitz, Environmental Affairs Committee, 09/14/2026-09/14/2028

6. General Public Hearing

7. Bid Recommendation- DPW- LA 26-003, Van Dusen Road Improvement Project- Phase 1 (North side of Contee Road to south side of Cherry Lane)

8. Bid Recommendation- Renewal of ESRI Enterprise GIS Agreement- Department of Information Technology

9. Ordinance No. 2057 (Text Amendment No. 270)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-1.7, “Definitions;” Section 20-6.13, “Table of Residential Uses;” Section 20-6.14, “Accessory Uses;” Section 20-6.15, “Area, Yard, and Height Regulations;” Section 20-6.16, “Schedule of Area, Yard, and Height Regulations for Residential Uses;” Section 20-6.23, “Accessory Structures; Bulk Regulations;” Section 20-6.26 “Building Permitted on Lot;” Section 20-6.29, “Dwelling Unit Area Requirements;” Section 20-10.2, “Permitted Buildings and Uses;” Section 20-16.2, “Scope of Regulations;” Section 20-19.2, “Trailers Parked in Residential Zone;” Section 20-23.1, “Continuation and Discontinuation of Use;” Section 20-26.4, “Definitions;” Section 20-26.5, “Review of Applications;” and Section 20-50.3, “Connection to Public Sewers Required” to Permit and Regulate Accessory Dwelling Units.

10. Ordinance No. 2058 (Text Amendment No. 271)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-41.5, “Forest Stand Delineation;” Section 20-41.6, “Forest Conservation Plan;” Section 20-41.7, “Afforestation and Retention;” Section 20-41.8, “Reforestation;” Section 20-41.9, “Priorities and Time Requirements for Afforestation and Reforestation;” Section 20-41.12, “Payment Instead of Afforestation and Reforestation;” Section 20-41.16, “Waivers;” and Section 20-41.18, “Annual Report.”

11. Ordinance No. 2059 (Text Amendment No. 272)- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Unified Land Development Code, Chapter 20, “Land Development and Subdivision Regulations;” Section 20-2.2, “Plans, Plats, and Information to Accompany Applications for Permits;” Section 20-29.3, “Definitions;” Section 20-29.7, “Review Procedure; Adequate Public Facilities;” Section 20-29.10, “Mandatory Dedication or Fee-In-Lieu of Open Space;” Section 20-29.12, “Governing Approvals;” Section 20-30.1, “Pre-Application;” Section 20-30.2, “Conditional Approval of Preliminary Plan;” Section 20-30.3, “Approval of Final Plat;” Section 20-30.4, “Fees;” and Sec. 20-41.2, “Definitions” in Order to Implement the Maryland Housing Certainty Act.

12. Ordinance No. 2060- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 and to Provide an Effective Date.

13. Ordinance No. 2061- An Ordinance Amending the General Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland, for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and to Provide an Effective Date.

14. Ordinance No. 2062- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend Laurel City Code Article V. “Curfew; Parental Responsibility”, Section 9-60 “Definitions”; Section 9-61 “Unlawful Conduct”, Section 9-62 “Defenses”, Section 9-63 “Enforcement and Penalties” and Providing an Effective Date.

15. Appointment of Lauren Thompson, Director, Department of Emergency Management

16. Adjournment

Organized by Laurel’s Multicultural Advisory Committee, this Saturday’s Community and Culture Day promises to be a stellar event!

Come to Emancipation Park this Saturday, September 12 from 2 - 6 p.m. to enjoy great music, parade of flags, food trucks, kids fun, vendors, and more! I recently chatted with Committee Chair Councilwoman Kyla Clark and she shared many of the exciting things they have planned – you won’t want to miss.

Although not required, you can pick up your FREE tickets from Eventbrite, and see the below graphic and City event page for additional details.

What a great way to celebrate the many cultures that make our one Laurel, and look forward to seeing you there! 🎉