No Pier/Bridge is Too Long in the State of Maryland

January 22, 2009

The Honorable Martin O'Malley

Office of the Governor

State House

Annapolis, MD21401

Dear Governor O'Malley,

No Pier/Bridge is Too Long in the State of Maryland

As you investigate the pier situation in the tidal wetlands of Sullivan Cove, I suspect that you will run into a headwind from MDE and others who do not understand the significance of this natural area.  These wetlands have been fought over before.  So, I have tried to put the current situation into context.

We do think Sullivan Cove is different and that the current

Maryland

law is being misused to grant pier permits.   These are bridges, not piers.  Essentially the state is allowing the applicants to put bridges from their land over State navigable water, to a small portion of land that the applicants own at the beach and then to install piers from that point.  It seems to me that this is a very unusual request. Is not just an issue of semantics between walk way, pier, dock versus bridge.  There is a clear distinction!  They are building bridges over

Maryland

State

navigable waters over a football field in length before they start building their docks.

Another issue is the absolute length of these bridges and piers.  Some are over two football fields.  If this is approved, there may be a pier application in the future that is three or four football fields in length.  Is there not a pier too long in the State of

Maryland

?  It is apparent that our critical area laws are inadequate to protect our scenic river.

The last issue and the most important one is environmental damage to the tidal ponds.  It’s interesting to me that the preservation of these exact tidal ponds has been fought over before. Today, the daughter of Colby Rucker came by my office and provided me with stacks of files that provide a detailed perspective of that war.  Colby was one of the authors of Gems of the

Severn

and led the fight to preserve the Sullivan Cove marshes.  He is deceased and his daughter is concerned that all of her dads work will be lost if the permits are granted.

In 1995, environmentalist won a seven year battle over development on a

Severn River

waterfront lot.  That lot was lot right on Sullivan Cove next to the very same tidal ponds that we are trying to preserve today.  Although the applicant (Mr. Codd) was attempting to build a house on stilts, it seems that the similarities of the issue are similar. 

Next to the tidal ponds, you also find the Sullivan Cove Natural Area owned by

Anne

Arundel

County

.  In 1979,

Anne

Arundel

County

designated 30 acres of the Sullivan Cove Marsh in

Round

Bay

as one of this county’s 13 Areas of Critical State Concern.  In 1980, the County purchased 13.6 acres of the site as a nature sanctuary to save it from residential development.  In 1986, the Severn River Commission designated the entire Sullivan Cove Marsh as one of the

Severn River

Natural Areas of Highest Priority for Preservation.  Where does that stand now?  Does it make a difference today?

During the Codd case, the Department of Natural Resources was totally against the issuance of a building permit.  So much so, that they wrote the seven page letter below that has been scanned into the email.  My thanks to Colby Rucker’s daughter Jennifer for sharing it with me and you!

We hope that this new information may be of help to you and those who are concerned about the Scenic Severn River.  Again, our community wants to thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Ted Kinkel

Community Affairs

OSPIA

tedkinkel@mris.com

www.SaveSullivanCove.com