I Love Deep Creek Blog

Friday, November 30, 2007

Aqua Mountain Resort

This is some information that I found on the new indoor waterpark Smiley is working on at Deep Creek Lake:

http://www.aquamountainresort.com

Welcome to Aqua Mountain Resort — Maryland’s First Indoor Waterpark

The newest wave of family fun being planned to open in the near future in Maryland’s favorite family vacation destination. Aqua Mountain Resort, an indoor water park hotel project located in the Deep Creek Lake area of Garrett County will become the first resort of its kind in the state. Nestled in the mountains of western Maryland, Deep Creek Lake has long been a popular four-season vacation destination with the largest fresh water lake in the state and Maryland’s only ski resort, Wisp.

Aqua Mountain Resort will be home to 225 new family suites provided in a 165-suite hotel and a community of 60 luxury log cabin suites, and a 78,000 square foot indoor water park.

There’s no need to worry about inclement weather! The indoor water park will be at a constant 84° all year long, so watch it snow while you and your family share in the fun of the 14 Body & Tube Slides, 6 pools including a 520 foot Lazy/Crazy River, a wave pool and activity pool, Children’s Aqua Play Area, and a whole lot more. There’s even a retractable roof to let the summer sun shine in!

Aqua Mountain Resort is only 2 hours from Pittsburgh and 2 to 3 hours or less from Baltimore and the D.C. metro area.

Watch us grow! Visit the website often for new updates, including construction photos, group rates and reservations, and information on our grand opening. 

There are plenty of photos to keep up with developments at:
http://www.aquamountainresort.com/photos/

Garrett County man hoping to make a splash

Garrett man hoping to make a splash

Sarah Moses
Cumberland Times-News

— MCHENRY - For those driving along U.S. Route 219 near Deep Creek Lake, the change in the hillside near the fairgrounds is distinct as Jonathan “Smiley” Kessler lays the groundwork for what he hopes will one day be an indoor waterpark resort hotel. “It provides excellent jobs, millions of dollars in payrolls and a very unique addition to the community,” Kessler said on the potential park.

Kessler also emphasized that plans for this park are simply plans at this stage.

Though they are plans, Kessler is already preparing the 14 acres he purchased near the fairgrounds on the opposite side of the road from Smiley’s Fun Zone and Pine Lodge Steakhouse, which he also owns. Currently, crews are regrading the area and providing necessary infrastructure such as roadways, water and sewer.

Smiley said that when he looked at the land and its potential uses, he realized that he could have put 14 one-acre lots on the spot, using it simply for housing, but he didn’t believe this was the best use for the property.

“I was looking at what possible kind of development was out there to make a good business for the county,” Kessler said.

For some time, Kessler had been looking into indoor waterpark hotels, saying that he was inspired by the success of those in the Wisconsin Dells area, which had become destinations unto themselves once indoor waterparks were incorporated into the hotels. Kessler said that with these parks indoors, there were now four seasons’ worth of tourism available for a relatively cold climate.

Kessler said he is doing studies and research on his own and looking for financial backers or partners in the project, adding that this is one of the main hurdles he is facing.

Action last week by the Garrett County commissioners also will help project planning. Officials passed an amendment to the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning, allowing buildings in commercial resort areas, where the 14 acres are located, to stand at six stories or 60 feet in height as long as approved a special exception by the zoning board.

“He was certainly advocating the passage of that amendment,” John Nelson, county director of planning and zoning said, “but it was not suggested by him. It was suggested in the (Environmental Resources Management) report two years ago.”

Because it will require a special exception, Nelson said Kessler will have to be aware of residential zoning behind him and Nelson added that Kessler has discussed placing the hotel below the ridge line, which would not obstruct the view of the lake for the homes behind the property. For Kessler, he hopes that such a park would attract new people to the area, rather than siphoning off visitors or customers from other businesses and that he wants to make the hotel affordable. “I want to make it affordable for the group of people in the Deep Creek Lake area that have sort of gotten left behind,” Kessler said, mentioning not only locals but people in surrounding areas that visited during the lake’s early days. “It’s gotten expensive for those people to come to Deep Creek Lake.” Kessler added that the hotel, which would also have cabins available for rental surrounding the hotel structure, would offer the park as something inclusive in the cost of rooms and would accommodate 800 guests in the 225 rooms available in the hotel and cabin lodging. There are also hopes to have room in the park for an additional 50 to 75 day passes for non-guests, so that a guest does not necessarily need to stay in the hotel to use the waterpark, though preference for park access will go to guests. For now, Kessler will continue to get the land ready for development, hoping that by providing a nearready site, he will be able to get the financial backing to enter this new business venture.

Sarah Moses can be reached at . Copyright © 1999-2006 cnhi, inc.

More about Aqua Mountain Resort

Kitzmiller Station Ravaged By Fire; Loss Is $100,000

The investigation is continuing by Maryland state fire marshal personnel into the cause of a fire that resulted in an estimated $100,000 in damages to the Kitzmiller gas station early Friday.

Volunteers from the Kitzmiller, Deer Park, and Elk Garden fire departments were summoned to the one-story convenience store, located at 913 Kitzmiller Road, at 12:54 a.m. No one was in the station at the time.

According to a report from the fire marshal, a passerby discovered the fire and called 911. Flames and heavy smoke were coming from the wood-frame structure upon the arrival of fire units. The approximately 50 volunteers who responded brought the fire under control in about 30 minutes; however, fire personnel remained on the scene for about four hours.

The investigators said that the fire originated in a concealed space above the ceiling, but the cause is still under investigation.

The property is owned Joseph Demucci. Estimated loss to the structure was $50,000, and there was an additional $50,000 in estimated loss to the contents.

Also responding to the scene were the county air cascade unit from the Deep Creek Fire Company and Elk District Ambulance. There were no injuries reported.

Full article courtesy of the Republican

32nd Annual PACE Events Scheduled For Jan. 24-25, ‘08

The 32nd annual Mountain Maryland PACE (Positive Attitudes Change Everything) Reception will be held on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008, from 6 until 8:30 p.m., with the annual Legislative Breakfast slated for Friday, Jan. 25, from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Both events will be held at the Loews Annapolis Hotel, and the general public is welcome to attend.

“These events provide the Mountain Maryland counties of Allegany and Garrett the opportunity to address their concerns in Annapolis, and have proven over the years to benefit the region,” said a PACE spokesperson.

Some of the legislative issues to be highlighted at this year’s events include the North/South Corridor project, gypsy moth eradication, continued funding for a new computer/communications building at Frostburg State University, and support for local governments’ authority to prepare and adopt comprehensive development plans and preserve their autonomy to enact and implement all related land-use regulations.

Businesses, organizations, and other entities scheduled to have displays set up during PACE include Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort, the Western Maryland Health System, NewPage Corporation, Allegany County Tourism, AES Warrior Run, Maryland Broadband Cooperative, Frostburg State University, Allegany College of Maryland, Garrett College, the Allegany/Garrett/Mineral County Foundation, Bill’s Marine Service, the Garrett Information Enterprise Center, the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, Adventure Sports Center international, the Wisp Resort, Pillar Innovations LLC, and the Allegany and Garrett County forestry boards.

Corporate sponsors are being sought to support the PACE events. There are four levels of giving: gold, $1,000; silver, $500; bronze, $250, and PACE Partners, $100. To date, PACE has received more than 50 sponsorships and in-kind contributions.

Invitations for the Reception and Legislative Breakfast will be mailed next week. Those who would like to attend, but do not receive an invitation may call 301-777-5967. For further information about the events and hotel accommodations, persons may visit http://www.mtmdpace.com.

Full article courtesy of the Republican

Garrett Choral Society To Present “Christmastide” Holiday Concert

The Garrett Choral Society, under the direction of Julie S. Turrentine, will present its annual holiday concert, this year titled “Christmastide,” on Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. The performance will take place at the Faith Evangelical Free Church in Mtn. Lake Park.

The major work this year, Turrentine said, is the Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten, performed by the women. Britton wrote the several-movement work while on a ship, traveling from the United States to Britain in the spring of 1942.

“His use of canon (similar to a round) is evident in many of the movements which results in a massive choral echo,” the director said.

The program will open with the full chorus singing Carols Four, a “spirited setting” of four familiar Christmas carols, followed by a rendition of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Other selections will feature brass and flutes, as well percussion accompanying a lively Nigerian carol.

The group will also be premiering Gloria by Randol Alan Bass, which Turrentine described as “a powerful and exultant work, combining the pageantry and splendor of brass with rhythmic energy and lyrical choral writing.”

A folk arrangement of Go, Tell it on the Mountain by British composer John Rutter will be performed, in addition to other familiar melodies. The Con Brio Singers, an octet, will perform with singer/guitarist Scott Robinson in a comtemporary work titled The Rune of Hospitality. Robinson will also perform a guitar and vocal solo of I Wonder As I Wander, accompanied by flutist Susan Peterson.

Lynn Grimm is the accompanist for the performance.

Other vocal soloists include Karen Winkelvoss, Carolyn Deverse, Susan Peterson, and Betsy Demp-sey. In addition to Robinson and Peterson, instrumentalists will include Moe Turrentine and Joe Ashby, trumpet; Don Sincell and Herb Lambert, trombone; Laura Robinson, hand bell; and percussionists Tom Graybill, Madonna Pool, Judy Bertsch, and Mary Walcek.

Tickets to the program are $10 for adults and $5 for youth 18 and younger. They are available from any member of the group, or at the door.

The concert is presented in part through a grant from the Garrett County Arts Council.

Full article courtesy of the Republican

Vacant House Leveled By Fire At Yough Club

A vacant house located in Youghiogheny Mountain Club off Cranesville Road was destroyed by fire last Friday morning.

Investigators from both the Maryland state fire marshal’s office and the Garrett County sheriff’s office said that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A neighbor saw flames coming from the single-story house, located at 54 Gobbler Run Road, and called 911 just after 6:30 a.m. Some 20 volunteers from the Oakland, Deep Creek, Terra Alta, Friendsville, and Deer Park fire departments responded to the scene, as did the Southern Rescue Squad and personnel from the sheriff’s office.

According to a report received from Deputy State Fire Marshal Ryan Chapman, the owner of the house is deceased. He estimated the loss to the structure and contents to be $100,000.

The structure reportedly burned to its foundation, and fire crews were on the scene for less than one hour.

Full article courtesy of the Republican

Garrett Co. Officials Proceeding With Senior Resident Tax Credit Proposal

The Garrett County commissioners and Department of Financial Services are moving forward with their plan to provide a homeowners’ tax credit for local senior residents. County officials discussed the issue last Tuesday during the commissioners’ weekly public meeting.

The local tax credit would be given in addition to the one available to residents from the state.

“It’s not a gift; they deserve it,” Commissioner Denny Glotfelty said about tax credits for seniors. “We owe it to them.”

He noted that education is needed to help all residents learn more about applying for the various types of tax credits.

“We’re leaving millions of dollars in the government’s coffers, instead of in the people’s pockets,” said Commissioner Fred Holliday about credits that residents qualify for but do not appear to know about.

“We’re going to follow the income guides of the state,” Financial Services director Wendy Yoder said about the eligibility criteria for the proposed local credit.

If senior residents are not income eligible for the state credit, she said, they will not receive the local one. Additionally, for the county credit, taxpayers must be at least 70 years old and have lived in Garrett County for 10 years or more. The state could determine the 10-year occupancy criterion through its property records, the director said.

She noted that the county can implement the local tax credit without legislative approval. The commissioners, however, need to enact a county ordinance that outlines all the necessary criteria, including income guidelines.

She presented the commissioners with four possible scenarios that they could used in that ordinance. Three of the possible plans were based on graduated income levels. The commissioners, however, favored a fourth scenario that would give qualifying seniors a flat 25 percent credit on top of the state one. More seniors would receive the local credit under this plan, according to Yoder.

Montgomery is currently the only county that gives seniors the flat 25 percent credit. All other counties that have a local tax credit use a graduated percentage formula.

For example, Anne Arundel calculates its credit based on $4,000 increments and sets a household income cap limit of $20,000. Frederick County’s cap is $44,000, and Howard’s is $56,000, according to Yoder.

Currently, there are 3,515 Garrett County residents age 70 or older, and their median income is about $26,000, according to Garrett County Department of Economic Development.

Yoder’s scenarios were based on an average household income level of $14,406. Based on current tax year records, 145 senior residents would be eligible for a local tax credit if the county ordinance were already in place. In the three graduated income scenarios, between 0 and 89 residents would be eligible, according to the director.

“That’s pretty low for two people,” Glotfelty said about the $14,406 figure.

Yoder stressed that it was just an average income figure and that the county could adjust a credit limit up or down, as needed, after the first year the ordinance is implemented.

“We ran so many scenarios to try to figure out how the state calculated their credit, and there are factors that we just don’t know,” she added. “But I think we have enough information here to move forward.”

County officials will now draft the necessary ordinance using the flat 25 percent real estate tax credit scenario and present its figures to the state.

“We want to make sure we help the ones who need it,” Glotfelty said about low-income seniors.

The commissioners and Financial Services plan to issue a press release in the near future to provide residents with information on applying for tax credits.

Full article courtesy of the Republican Newspaper

Local Officials To Discuss General Assembly Issues

The Garrett County commissioners will meet with Sen. George Edwards and Del. Wendell Beitzel on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 10 a.m. at the courthouse to review legislative issues for the upcoming General Assembly session. Items to be discussed include youth access to tobacco products, agricultural districts, and gaming legislation.

Health officer Rodney Glotfelty and other Garrett County Health Department officials will ask the local lawmakers to support a bill that addresses specific items regarding youth access to tobacco.

The legislation would prohibit the distribution of certain tobacco products, cigarette rolling papers, and tobacco related coupons to minors in Garrett County. It would also increase penalties for those who sell tobacco products to minors.

Local officials will also ask Edwards and Beitzel to introduce legislation that will give the commissioners the authority to establish agricultural districts at the county level.

Local districts would not only enable property owners to benefit from a local tax credit program, but would also help them become more familiar with it before they sell easements to the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, according to county officials.

The county commissioners will also ask lawmakers to repeal local gaming legislation. The legislation was introduced and approved during a prior General Assembly that enables the commissioners to oversee gaming activities in the county, but the officials have now decided not to enact the gaming regulations.

The commissioners will not hold their regular weekly public meeting next Tuesday, Dec. 4. Their next scheduled public session is Tuesday, Dec. 11. The public, however, may attend the meeting with Edwards and Beitzel on Dec. 6.

The next General Assembly session will begin in Annapolis in January.

Full article courtesy of the Republican Newspaper

Area Rotary Clubs Begin Collections For Those In Need

The Rotary Clubs of Garrett County (Oakland and Grantsville) recently announced the kick-off of their annual effort to collect items to be distributed to the needy for Christmas.

Last year, this effort distributed food certificates as well as gifts and toys to 400 families county-wide. Gifts and toys are provided for children age 16 and below. Deliveries were made to 67 families in the Grantsville and Friendsville areas in 2006.

The primary method of obtaining gifts and food for these families is through donations. A series of displays or trees are placed in businesses and other places throughout the community with tags indicating what is needed. For example, a tag may read “small toy fire truck — age 8.” Individuals wishing to help may simply remove the tag, purchase the item, attach the tag to the gift, and then place it under the tree from which the tag was removed.

Tags are also provided on all trees in Grantsville to remind folks that dollars are also needed to purchase food certificates. The local Rotary will pick up the items and arrange delivery.

Joe Bender of the Grantsville club noted that gift tag trees for the Grantsville area are located at Beachy’s Pharmacy, the Grantsville Branch of the Ruth Enlow Library, Penn Alps Restaurant, First United Bank & Trust, First Peoples Community Federal Credit Union, and M&T Bank. Persons who cannot visit one of the locations to obtain a tag may contact Bender at 814-662-4366. He also noted that monetary donations are also greatly appreciated and needed.

Checks should be made payable to the Grantsville Rotary Christmas Project and mailed to Grantsville Rotary, P.O. Box 358, Grantsville, 21536, or dropped off at any tree location.

“The collection period runs only through Dec. 11 (approximately 3 weeks); therefore, those who are interested should act now,” Bender said.

Collections throughout the county will be assembled and sorted into family units. Deliveries will be made to homes on Saturday, Dec. 15.

Full article courtesy of the Republican Newspaper

Thursday, November 29, 2007

DNR Proposes Changes to Personal Watercraft (PWC) Regulations at Docks:

At its meeting on October 29, the DCL Policy and Review Board reviewed a number of proposed changes to the lake regulations as they pertain to PWCs. The changes affect the ability of lakefront property owners to both moor PWCs at docks and to beach them on shore. DNR’s expressed long-term goal is to remove all PWCs from the lakefront and instead provide for limited docking at permit sites.

The proposed regulations were originally slated to proceed to promulgation over the next few months. Concerns from the public and several PRB members on the effect of the changes, particularly the lack of protection for existing approved PWC stands and the rights of existing common dock permittees, resulted in the proposal being referred back to the PRB’s committee for further review and work. Paul Durham provided comments on behalf of the GCBR on various gaps in the proposal.

Property owners with more than one PWC are the most effected, as the 500-pound weight limit regulation will not change. The changes provide no relief on the weight limit.

You may e-mail Paul Durham at if you would like to have a copy of the DNR proposal sent to you.

Transient Vacation Rental Unit ordinance – positive changes on the horizon:

On November 7, the Planning Commission reviewed a revision of the TVRU ordinance that had been prepared by county staff. The county’s purpose for making the changes was to bring the TVRU ordinance in line with the language of the zoning ordinance that deals with single-family use along with some technical changes in licensing and inspection standards and procedures.

For a number of months, Realtors® and rental agencies have been concerned that the single-family restriction negatively impacts the ability to rent TVRUs for small groups, such as mixed family reunions, church and business retreats, and groups of senior citizens, singles and couples. After reviewing the proposal, the Commission asked the Planning and Land Development Office to look at ways to facilitate these types of groups and to remove the “single family” restriction in the ordinance.

On November 20, John Nelson reported to the county commissioners that he would be presenting a zoning ordinance revision to the Commission at its December 5 meeting. The proposal would remove the “single family” terminology from the ordinance’s definition of a TVRU. If approved, this change should have a positive impact on the appeal of TVRUS to a broader market of vacationers and investors. It would also make management of the TVRUs much easier for both agents and owners.

Wisp Resort will open for 2007 / 2008 Winter Season on Saturday, December 1

Wisp Resort will open for 2007 / 2008 Winter Season on Saturday, December 1

-- 2007 / 2008 Season Opens 1 weeks earlier than last year! --

Deep Creek Lake, MD (November 28, 2007) – The 2007 / 2008 winter season will open on Saturday, December 1, 2007 at Wisp Resort in the mountains of Western Maryland.  With temperatures and conditions cold enough, Wisp Resort produced enough snow to blanket several beginner and intermediate trails including Wisp Trail, Belly Flop and Roadrunner.  Chairlift 2 or 3 will operate on Saturday, December 1 from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm with mid-station and summit unloading skiers and snowboarders.

Early season lift ticket pricing is in effect with a 1-day Adult Lift Ticket at $32 and 1-day Junior $25.  A 1-day Sport Ski Rental is $34 and Snowboards $37.  An Adult Group Lesson is $29. Willy Wisp & Club Wisp Children Programs will also begin operation on Saturday.

Snowmaking began on Wednesday, November 7 on the front side of Wisp Mountain.  The first snowfall accumulation on Thursday, November 15 totaled 2 inches.  Snowmaking is expected to continue as weather permits.

Wisp Resort’s newest attraction, the Mountain Coaster, will operate on Saturday, December 1 from 11:00 am – 9:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am – 4:00 pm.  The German-engineered hybrid of an alpine slide and roller coaster is the 2nd of it’s kind of the East Coast and will operate year-round including nights.  A single Mountain Coaster Ride is $9.50 per person or $15 for double passenger rides; 3-pack and 10-pack rides available.  Visit wispresort.com for a complete operating schedule and restrictions.

Wisp Resort lies in the heart of Garrett County, Maryland’s westernmost county.  Established in 1955, Wisp Resort is Maryland’s only 4-season destination resort offering year-round recreational activities.  Wisp Resort is less than a 2-hour drive from Pittsburgh, 3-hour drive from the Baltimore / DC Metropolitan area and less than a 45-minute drive from Morgantown, WV and Cumberland, MD.

More information: Wisp Ski & Golf Resort at Deep Creek Lake

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Community Calendar November 22 2007

MEETINGS

The Mountain Top Photography Club will meet Thursday, Nov. 29, in the lower level of St. Peter’s Parish Hall, Oakland, at 7 p.m. All interested photographers are welcome, regardless of expertise level. For more information, persons may call Ed Sipes at 301-387-8021.

The Beacon, a peer outreach and support service for individuals with mental illness, meets every Friday at Harvey House from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The TOPS Club Chapter379 meets Monday evenings at Mtn. Glade Adult DayCare Center, Pythian St.,Oakland. Weigh-in is at 5:30 p.m.,with themeeting immediately following. New members are welcome.

Alcoholics Anonymousmeets every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m., Monday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, andSaturday at 8 p.m.; Wednesday at noon and Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., at the Liberty Club, 125Liberty St., Oakland; Wednesday at 8 p.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Oakland; Thursday at 6 p.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Fourth St., Oakland.The McHenrychapter of AA meets Tuesdays at 8p.m. at the Deep CreekBaptist Church along Rt.219 across from Uno’s.

Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Thursday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Bayard (W.Va.) United Methodist Church, located along Rt. 90. For more information, persons may call 240-321-3128 and ask for Charlie.

Alcoholics Victorious will meet every Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Liberty Club on Liberty Street in Oakland. For more information, persons may call 301-501-1238.

Al-Anon Family Group meets at 125 Liberty Club, Oakland (use side entrance), every Monday at 8 p.m. Bruceton Al-Anon Family Group meets at Bruceton United Methodist Church Thursdays at 7 p.m. Entry is through the side door.

Narcotics Anonymous(NA)meets every Wednes­day at 8 p.m. at the 125 Liberty Club alongLiberty St., Oakland, 301-334-1298.

MISCELLANEOUS

Our Town Theatre’s Christmas Market will be at St. Peter’s Social Hall on Dec. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Christmas music, Christmas Café chili, Fair Trade coffee, bake sale, gift wrapping, and more. 

The Military Family Support Group is collecting snack foods and other items to send in “care packages” this Christmas to local troops serving around the world. Items may be dropped off through Dec. 1 at Oak Park Church of the Brethren, Mtn. Lake Park, Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., and at the Realty Direct office, McHenry. For more information, persons may call Mel or Cathy Menker at 301-334-5906 or Sheila Shaffer at 301-616-6712.

Heartland of Preston County will offer a Community Health Awareness Series the first Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. For more information, persons may call Alice Maxwell at 304-329-3195.

MEALS

A Deer Hunters Breakfast will be served Saturday, Nov. 24, 4 to 8 a.m. at the Apostolics of Oakland, corner of Rt. 135 and G St. The menu will include biscuits, gravy, egg, sausage, pancakes, coffee.

The Apostolics of Oakland will serve a turkey dinner onSaturday, Dec. 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The menu will include baked turkey, dressing & gravy, real mashed potatoes, green beans, applesauce or sauerkraut, dessert and a beverage. Eat-in, take-out, or delivery is available. Donations are $7 for adults and $4 for children. 301-334-5873.

“A Dickens Of A Christmas” To Begin Friday

Oakland’s holiday celebration, “A Dickens of a Christmas,” will begin this Friday, Nov. 23, and continue throughout the month, ending on Dec. 22. Event hours will be 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

A complete lineup of events will be posted around the town of Oakland each weekend, and hourly events will be announced by the “town crier” each Friday and Saturday.

“A Dickens of a Christmas is a celebration that brings the historic town [of Oakland] to life with the joy and charm of an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas,” said one spokesperson.

There are various activities available throughout the month, including Landon’s Library, to be set up every weekend in front of the Book Mark’et with warm cider and cookies for refreshments; the Post Office is hosting “Write a Letter to Santa,” which provides children with a special mailbox for Santa; and Lil’s Frills, Mtn. Top Food Pantry, and Coldwell Banker Deep Creek Realty will all be collecting various canned goods and toys to be distributed to those in need. Each business will have a spot set up somewhere on “Main Street.”

The first weekend includes Black Friday specials at each of the local stores. Many have ads listing schedules and specials. Saturday will introduce many different activities to the town, including: Chainsaw wood/ice sculpting, free sleigh rides, several open houses, Christmas crafts, and more.

Pick up a copy of today’s issue of The Republican newspaper for a complete schedule of this month’s “A Dickens of a Christmas” celebration.

Record Held Open On Proposed Garrett County Unsafe Structures Ordinance

The Garrett County commissioners left the record open for further comment on a proposed unsafe structures ordinance following a public hearing on Tuesday at the courthouse. Only one member of the general public attended the hearing.

“Essentially, what we’re looking at is the ability to address, and if necessary, order the razing of dilapidated properties,” explained Director John Nelson, Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development.

The department’s licensing and enforcement supervisor, Pat Kelly, drafted the regulation based on one that Allegany County has used for the past four years. But he and county attorney Mike Getty included other elements in the local proposal, including an appeals process. Kelly noted that Allegany has had some success in dealing with unsafe structures since an ordinance was enacted there.

Garrett County currently has no avenue to deal with dangerous buildings. The proposed local ordinance would establish measures for identifying and addressing structures deemed “unsafe.” Outlined in the draft are definitions of an “enclosed structure,” the “responsible party,” a “structure,” and an “unsafe structure.” Violations, penalties, and the county’s role in dealing with violators are also explained.

“We need to have some teeth in this,” said Commissioner Denny Glotfelty about the ordinance. “We’re not worrying about some barn out in the middle of the woods someplace. We’re worrying about the safety and well being of the public.”

Agricultural structures and county, municipal, state, and federal buildings would be exempt from the provisions.

“Basically, with this ordinance, the violations would be complaint driven,” Kelly said. Once a complaint has been received about an unsafe structure, the administrative process would be set into motion, he said, which would be as follows:

1. The building would be inspected by county licensing and permits office personnel to see if it is in fact an unsafe structure, as defined in the ordinance.

2. The responsible party would be notified that the structure has been deemed unsafe and would be instructed to make necessary improvements or repairs. An instruction order to raze the structure may also be issued if it is beyond repair.

3. The owner could appeal the order within 15 days to a board of appeals, which will be established. The responsible party could also appeal the board’s decision to the Garrett County Circuit Court.

4. If the responsible party fails to comply with a final order after all the appeals, the county, at its discretion, could raze the structure.

“Additionally, all violations of the ordinance shall constitute a misdemeanor, as punishable by no more than 30 days in jail or a $1,000 fine,” Kelly said.

He noted that the county ordinance would apply to areas outside of municipalities. Towns would still be responsible for regulating unsafe structures within their jurisdictions.

Steve Sherrard, director of Environmental Health at the Garrett County Health Department, said he supported the regulation.

“We get calls on properties outside of municipalities about dilapidated buildings, that they’re harboring wild animals, etc.,” he said. “We write a letter to the owners and try to get them to do something, but, at the state level, we really don’t have any regulatory teeth.”

If a building is full of garbage and harboring rodents or something similar, he noted, the Health Department can “go after” an owner, but not if a building is just deteriorated, unsafe, or an unattractive nuisance.

“This is good,” Sherrard said about the county’s proposal.

Director Jim Hinebaugh, Garrett County Department of Economic Development, also voiced his support for the ordinance. He thanked Kelly and Mark Weber, licensing and enforcement officer, for the work they have done on the ordinance.

“This is something we’ve been talking about now around the courthouse for years and years,” he said.

The commissioners held the record open on the proposal until Tuesday, Dec. 11. Written comments may be directed to the commissioners’ office or the Department of Planning and Land Development.

A draft copy of the ordinance is available online at http://www.garrettcounty.org/PlanningLand/PlanningZoning/Issues.aspx. Information is also available by calling Kelly at 301-334-1920.