Why all the hate towards AYC, Harold? Is it NIMBYism, jealousy, fear or what? Your first charge is that AYC is selfish and doesn’t support the community. You admit that its prime directive is to serve its membership, but then you gripe about its tax-exempt status. My guess is that AYC has a special tax-exempt status because it is a non-profit organization. Are you against tax-exemption for all non-profits or just ones that abut your property? In any case, I bet AYC still pays plenty of taxes. AYC is one of Annapolis’ largest employers. As such it must pay a lot in employment taxes. Those employees, in turn, live in the community, pay taxes and contribute to the local economy (as all workers do). When the Eastport facility development is complete, it’s likely that AYC will employ even more people. AYC operates year-round. Yes, they likely have some seasonal jobs (like sailing instructors for the youth programs), but my understanding is the vast majority of employees work pretty much full-time. Speaking of youth programs, did you know that quite a few are open to the public? I didn’t, until recently. Taken together, AYC makes a direct contribution to the community that amounts to more than “pennies per month per member.” Then there is the indirect contribution to the community. Eastport has a lot of maritime-related businesses. AYC members have boats and those boats mean the local maritime industry has a ready source of customers. Are you against promote maritime businesses in Eastport? Attracting boaters and their families can’t be anything but a positive contribution to a city that identifies itself so closely with its history and culture as a seaport town.
So we are left with your real complaint: AYC wants to take away “our quality of life and lifestyle.” Baloney. This boils down your fears that AYC’s development of property it owns and has owned for a long time, will disrupt your status quo, your “wa.” No question that a year of construction will be disruptive. But after that, what will you have? You’ll have four fewer decrepit houses on Burnside replaced by a lot more trees, landscaping, and facility that attracts families and others interested in living healthy lifestyles (besides the pool, there will be a fitness center). Along the way, new storm water management and other environmentally friendly features get built in. Old healthy trees will be preserved and new trees and landscaping will be added. If I were a Burnside resident, I would expect that my property value would only go up after all these improvements. But don’t take my word for it. Check out all the requirements the city has placed on AYC to make sure the environment is protected and nearby residents are respected.
You remind us that Eastport is not a new community. AYC isn’t new to the community either. It’s origins date to the 1880s and it hasn’t lasted this long by “steamrolling” its neighbors. From what I read in the paper and from people I’ve talked with, the community has been informed and consulted all along the way as plans for AYC’s Eastport properties have progressed. This development isn’t the tragedy for the community that you make it out to be. In fact, I’d be surprised if AYC is at the top of the list of most residents’ concerns.If you’re really concerned about the Eastport community, why not direct your energies toward addressing the crime and violence that is happening in and around Eastport’s low-income housing?
eastport defined 
I’m not quite sure why you think there is a “bait and switch” situation with regard to AYC’s Eastport development. What was presented to Eastport residents is almost exactly what is being built according to documents on the City’s eTrakit site. The Family Activity Center has always included casual dining (your “full-blown restaurant”) as well as a poolside snack bar. The building includes two floors as well as a full basement which explains the 16,000 square footage, but it might not look that large from the outside given the sloping roofline on the second floor. Again, all this info including renderings of the exterior is on the eTrakit site. From what I can tell any revisions to the original plan are either due to City requirements or residents’ objections to the Burnside entrance. With regard to the latter, the plans now show the Burnside entrance to be gated at all times, with restrictions on access. It won’t be used as a regular entrance and construction, delivery, and trash trucks will be prohibited from using it. It appears the main entrance/exit will be on 6th Street with the current alley behind Long& Foster used as a secondary route. For what it’s worth, AYC says in the posted document “Terms for Burnside Street Access” that it remains committed to working with residents to minimize traffic on Burnside. So again I ask, what is the “bait and switch” here?
Finally, as to musings about supply and demand for restaurants in Annapolis, isn’t it true that that AYC’s dining facilities have always been open only to members and their guests? It’s not a public facility. From my perspective, there’s not going to be much if any change in demand for restaurant seats after this development is completed because the number of AYC members isn’t changing (their bylaws cap the number of members and the club’s leadership has promised the community the cap won’t be raised). What really changes market share for a restaurant in Annapolis is population growth and the restaurant’s own reputation for quality and service — not a neighboring private club’s facility improvement.