Description

I am sorry for having to submit something seemingly so insignificant during this horrible pandemic, however, I believe the concern is important and beginning to negatively impact our small community.

My wife and I live in the Arrowhead Farms community of Gambrills. We have been living here for the past five years and throughout that time period have walked on trails in an open field a short distance from our home. It is known within our community as the Meadow and is located off of Patuxent River Road, and between Deer Pass Lane and Patuxent Preserve Lane. Sometime last year, new signs were placed at each of the three pathways leading into the Meadow, indicating the area was private. I continued to believe the signs were meant as a deterrent to non-community members so my wife and I continued our walks through this area.

On Friday, April 17, 2020, my wife and I entered the area via the Deer Pass Lane entrance and were immediately accosted and rudely questioned by a resident whose home backs to the Meadow. He asked where we lived and after advising him, he stated my wife and I were trespassing on private property and needed to leave the area. He stated the area was owned by his community association, Patuxent Preserve. I told him that I was a member of the immediate community and had been walking in the area for years. He advised that my community was not permitted to access their Meadow. He claimed his association owned the entire area, to include the adjacent ponds, woods, and even the Patuxent River. I explained that my wife and I were merely walking through the area and were not causing any harm. He threatened that if he saw us there again, he would call the AA County Police.

Could you please advise as to whether this person’s claim is true regarding the ownership of this property and whether the signs are posted legally? And this may not be the correct office to question this additional piece of information, but I would also like to know whether their community association should be permitted to cut down all of the existing trees along a creek bed that runs through the meadow and to spray herbicides along the creek bed to prevent further growth? I personally witnessed the spraying, and the evidence is obvious in what has been done with tree removal. Since this area is listed as part of the Patuxent River Watershed, I would believe their actions to be detrimental to the ponds, river and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

During this terrible pandemic, I know the County, as well as the local police, have better things to do than to respond to two senior citizens trying to get out of the house for a healthy walk. These are very trying times and anything you can do to help resolve this community issue will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for all for your service to our community and please stay healthy.

Sincerely,
Tim Dolan