The Eyes of Paint Branch - Fall 2001
Newsletter
Volume: 7 Issue: 2
Little Paint Branch Threatened by Golf Course Developments
The headwaters area of the Little Paint Branch, the largest tributary of the Paint Branch, is being seriously threatened by two golf course community developments.
Cross Creek, presently under construction near Briggs Chaney Road. & Old Gunpowder Road. has been issued a stop work order by Prince Georges County because of almost 50 violations of forest protection, stream protection and sediment and erosion control regulations. EOPB is opposing their request for permits to withdraw water from the stream
to irrigate the golf course.
Fairland Golf Community is a proposal for a new development that would rebuild the old Gunpowder Golf Course north of Fairland Regional Park in a new configuration with housing throughout. The development would straddle the Montgomery and Prince Georges County border and stretch from the Park north to Rt. 198. Part of this development would occur on existing parkland in exchange for donating new parkland to the east. While not necessarily opposing this development in concept, EOPB has serious concerns about the streams running through this area and the potential of great loss of forest.
The pre-preliminary land presented to Park & Planning was the subject of heated opposition at a public informational meeting before the full Maryland National Capitol Park and Planning Commission in Riverdale in July. Almost all testimony by the public was against the proposal, especially the present users of the very affordable Gunpowder Golf Course.
EOPB President, Robert Ferraro, testified that the pre-preliminary plan was unacceptable because high quality forest stands on existing parkland would be destroyed and insufficient protection was afforded to the headwater tributaries flowing through the development. The most important threatened forest stand is the upland area above the magnificent Little Paint Branch Gorge. This is the highest quality forest in the Park and protects the most diverse and pristine area of the Little Paint Branch, the Silverwood tributary stream valley. Extensive wetlands just south of Route. 198, forest adjacent to McKnew Local Park and in-stream ponds are the other major areas of concern.
The developer is presently discussing the proposal with Park & Planning staff and will be presenting a revised preliminary plan in September. There will be a formal public hearing sometime in late September or October. EOPB will be closely reviewing the new plans and will argue for the strongest protection possible for this unique natural area that encompasses both the Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain.