CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Mayor Lajan Cephas-Bey has vetoed Ordinance 1262, a measure that would have required owners of vacant commercial storefronts to register their properties with the city. The veto comes just days after the Cambridge City Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
The ordinance, titled “Vacant Commercial Storefront Registration,” would have created a new section in the city code, requiring registration of empty commercial buildings and potentially including fees, inspections, and fines for noncompliance.
Ann Damianos, who owns a vacant property in Cambridge, said she supports efforts to revitalize downtown, but believes the ordinance could use some adjustments.
“I think it's going to be another roadblock for people, because resources is fundamentally the problem facing vacant property owners,” Damianos said.
Damianos emphasized she has plans to revitalize her building, but worries the costs and requirements could make that harder.
“I think it will again deplete the resources of any property owner,” Damianos told WBOC. “And resources is what they need to…get these properties up and running.”
Mayor Cephas-Bey said the ordinance should focus on helping property owners rather than punishing them.
“It should be an economic development driver,” Cephas-Bey said. “It should not be a mechanism to…provide penalty.”
The mayor also said fines are not inherently a problem if they are structured to help owners gain access to resources.
“If it's an investment for them to come to classes, you know, if it's an investment for them to gain access, you know, to different funding sources...I think it's a great investment,” Cephas-Bey told WBOC.
Now, the city commissioners will decide whether to accept the mayor’s recommendations, let the ordinance die, or override the veto. Another hearing is expected before a final decision is made.