July 20, 2018

County to Purchase Turtle Run Land

Anne Arundel County to purchase land saved from development by West & Rhode Riverkeeper, SACReD, CBF and Churchton Residents, all for passive recreational use!

The advocacy efforts of West/Rhode Riverkeeper are finally coming to fruition. Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh today announced that the County has agreed to purchase the 140 acre property in Churchton popularly known as Turtle Run at Deep Cove (see photo at left). The property, which abuts Franklin Point State Park, has been the subject of litigation between the developer and the citizen group South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development, or SACRED. After 10-plus years of attempts, the project had been granted conditional approval to locate 11 homes on a 40-acre parcel along Deep Cove Creek. That decision was appealed by local residents, SACRED, the West & Rhode Riverkeeper and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and is now before the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals.

The County plans to create passive recreation areas, like hiking trails, and plant trees to preserve the site’s environmentally sensitive features such as tidal and non-tidal wetlands that feed into Deep Cove Creek. The funds for purchase for the property, as well as any reforestation efforts, would come from “fee in lieu” money paid into an account when developers remove trees. The funds have sat dormant for years.