A citizen-led initiative to protect Baltimore's parkland from commercial development failed to secure a spot on the upcoming ballot. The petition, which was to amend the city charter to preserve 20 parks including Inner Harbor Park from private development, did not meet the signature requirement by Monday's deadline, according to FOX Baltimore.
Former mayoral candidate Thiru Vignarajah, who led the petition drive, had sought to halt the proposed redevelopment of Harborplace. If the question had made it to the ballot and passed, the charter amendment would have prohibited residential developments, private office spaces, and buildings exceeding 100 feet in designated park areas. Scuttling several elements of MCB Real Estate's plans for redeveloping Harborplace into a mixed-use property featuring residential towers and commercial spaces, the proposal's rejection means the developer's vision remains intact.
Meanwhile, the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association convened a community meeting to discuss the future of the Inner Harbor. MCB Real Estate, the developer behind the Harborplace project, as well as members of the Inner Harbor Coalition, were in attendance. As reported by WMAR 2 News, the meeting took place at Light Street Presbyterian and was also accessible online via a hybrid arrangement.
