By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 May 14th, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

In an effort to better manage lake water levels, a local group of property and real estate owners at Deep Creek Lake have established an online petition to extend normal water levels later in the boating season.

The normal boating season at Deep Creek Lake usually runs from mid April thru mid October. However, many property owners located in the shallower coves have recently experienced much shorter boating seasons. This is mainly due to the drawing down of the lake much sooner in the past few years.  Because these draw downs are occurring sooner, many property owners in the shallower coves are being forced to take their boats out of the water by September in most cases.

The power company that owns the hydroelectric facility and the Deep Creek dam, Brookfield Power, is currently responsible for lowering the water levels as the boating season progresses. During each month the lake level must fall within a certain elevation range known as the ‘rule bands.’ The rule band requirements and lake level start high each year- in April and May - and then gradually go down until October and November. The draw downs of the lake are based on rainfall, the rule bands, electricity demand, and planned timed releases. The Maryland Department of Environment sets the rule bands.  Previous owners of the dam and hydroelectric facility have allowed the lake levels to stay on the high end of the rule bands - which has generally resulted in problem free boating seasons for property owners in the shallower coves until mid October.

This petition is one of the first steps in trying to create a constructive dialogue with Brookfield Power about this issue by making them more aware that the draw downs occurring during the last few years have negatively affected the boating season and property owners in the shallower coves.  Attempts to create more dialogue on this issue have also occurred in the most recent Deep Creek Lake Policy and Review Board meetings. If you boat on Deep Creek Lake or own real estate, we would encourage you to sign this petition to help create more awareness that the lake levels should be better managed. Initial responses from Brookfield Power seem positive as representatives have recently indicated they were not aware how many boaters and property owners were affected. Hopefully this petition and continued dialogue will result in more normal water levels in the later parts of the boating season going forward.

Click Here for the Online Petition to Better Manage Deep Creek Lake Water Levels

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 April 23rd, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Real Estate, Wisp Ski Resort

The Wisp Ski Resort at Deep Creek Lake recently announced a new attraction. Construction of a Zip-line ride near the Bear Claw Tubing Park is expected to begin shortly and should be open to the public in the summer of 2010. The new attraction is going to be named the Flying Squirrel Canopy Tour.  A Zip-line is basically a pulley on a cable that allows a rider to traverse down an incline using gravity while holding on to a pulley. The riders are attached to the pulley and cable with a safety harness. The new Zip-line, which is very popular in other resort areas, will add to the area’s many other diverse activities and continue to make Wisp a popular year round destination.

Hale Irwin Lodestone Golf Course & Wisp Real Estate Update

All 18 holes are now complete. The front 9 opened last fall to play and will re-open again May 1^st of this year. The back 9 holes are scheduled to open in June 2010.  Reviews from golfers who have played the course say its “spectacular”.  The scenery is incredible as some holes feature breathtaking views of Deep Creek Lake. A temporary clubhouse will be set up this summer and Hale Irwin himself will be here on July 10^th for a reception and to play the course. Lodestone is also offering a Trial Use Membership for 2010 (pdf).

All roads are now complete in the Greenbrier subdivisions at Lodestone.  Construction of two new residential houses fronting the golf course is expected to begin shortly.

Including the new golf course home sites, DC Development has developed 540 building lots atop Wisp Mountain since 1994. There is a potential for a total of 2,301 home sites atop Wisp.

Other recent Wisp news and updates;

• The 2009/2010 ski season was very good. The Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County area received record amounts of natural snow. The Wisp reported that skier visits were up about 2% over of the previous winter season. The ski area closed for the season on April 4^th of this year.
• The Mountain Coaster continues to be very popular with tourists and visitors.
• The Wisp plans to continue its annual Easter Sunrise Service. Visitors can ride the chair lifts to the top of the mountain for free and watch the sunrise as Easter services are conducted.

Please contact us if you would like to explore any real estate opportunities at Wisp and the new Lodestone Golf Course - including home sites, building lots, townhomes, or existing houses for sale.

Click Here for all Railey Realty listed Home Sites, Building Lots, Real Estate, and Houses for Sale at Wisp Ski Resort.

(Photo courtesy of D. A. Horchner/Design Workshop)

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 April 15th, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into legislation yesterday a new law that will require all children 13 years of age and under to wear lifejackets (personal flotation devices) while boating on state waterways - including Deep Creek Lake. The previous regulation only required children 7 years of age and under to wear lifejackets while on a boat that is underway. This new age requirement for PFDs goes into effect immediately.

Going into effect later this year (October 1^st) is new legislation that impacts the requirements of children operating boats on Deep Creek Lake and all other state waterways who are 16 years of age and under. The new law will require children under the age of 16 to possess a certificate of boating safety education before they can operate a boat AND (1) either be supervised by someone 18 years or older who is also aboard the boat, or (2) be supervised by someone 16 years or older with a boating safety certificate who is aboard the boat. Children between the ages of 12 and 16 years will no longer be able to operate a boat by themselves with just a boating safety certificate - the new law essentially requires supervision by someone older who must be aboard the boat while the younger person is driving.

While boating accidents are very, very rare on Deep Creek Lake, these new laws are aimed to improve overall safety and to get Maryland more in line with other states and federal laws.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 March 6th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Market Update, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, News

Yesterday the historic Alpine Village Inn, on the shores of Deep Creek Lake, went to auction. The bidding started at $550,000 and quickly escalated up to $900,000. The winning bid ended up being $900,000 and it appears a non-local developer was the winning bidder. The previous owners had paid $750,000 for the motel back in 2003. It is not immediately known what plans the new owner has for the once thriving 29 room hotel/motel.  The State of Maryland Highway Administration does have plans at some point in the future to widen the intersection of Rt. 219 (Garrett Highway) and Glendale Road which could potentially increase the value of all commercial real estate at Deep Creek Lake in that area. The interesting point here is that the Alpine Village sold for more than what it did just 7 years earlier - once again demonstrating the underlying strength and stability of real estate values here at Deep Creek Lake - values that are holding fairly steady even during one of the worst real estate slowdowns and economic downturns in our country’s history.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 24th, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

Lifelong Garrett County Maryland resident Jay Ferguson has joined Railey Realty - Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County’s leading real estate company since 1995. Jay has spent the last 9 years in the real estate business with Long & Foster Real Estate. He was the office individual top producer for 6 consecutive years, and a Hall of Fame member of the Gold Team - a distinguished honor in the company based on annual sales of $5 million or more for 8 of the last 9 years. Jay has expanded on his Realtor education as a GRI (Graduate of the Realtor Institute), RRS (Resort Recreation Specialist) and an e-Pro (internet transaction & marketing specialist).

Jay has successfully blended his background in web design and internet marketing / consulting to propel his real estate sales career and grow his business. He has worked with hundreds of clients throughout the years and has assisted many first time home buyers and friends in the dream of home ownership. Ferguson says, “I was born and raised in Oakland & at the lake, and it’s incredibly exciting to introduce new residents to everything that Garrett County has to offer. I’m very proud of how much our area has grown throughout the years and the many new businesses & attractions that make our home even more special.”

Ferguson has specialized in Southern Garrett County homes/land & Deep Creek Lake vacation home/building lot sales, though he has vast experience in all other areas of the county, as well. Jay has sold and marketed everything from small recreational lots, to farms, single family homes and vacation homes at Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort. “I greatly appreciate the opportunities and the people that I have worked with through my years in the real estate business. I have learned a lot from some truly great friends, colleagues, and real estate professionals. I look forward to a new challenge in my life and adding my sales experience and web marketing to the area’s #1 real estate agency. I am always eager to learn more from some of the greatest Realtors the county has to offer, as well as working with a locally owned real estate company.”

Railey broker and owner Kevin Liller had this to say about Jay. “We are really excited to have Jay join the Railey Realty team. Jay is a quality person who brings a vast knowledge of real estate and internet marketing as well as a very loyal customer and client base.”

Jay and his family live in Mitchell Manor in Oakland. He and his wife Jessica have two young children, Kayleah, 10, and Noah, 2. Jay is the son of Jerry & Sherry Ferguson, both Garrett County natives.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 19th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Activities, Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News, Wisp Ski Resort

Garrett County Maryland and the Deep Creek Lake area has received about 225 inches of snowfall this winter season according to the State Highway Association. The all time record is right around 230 inches. The heavy amounts of snow started falling on Saturday, February 6th, 2010 - about 40 inches that day - and it hasn’t really stopped since then. Another large blizzard hit Wednesday, February 10th - about 30 inches of snow accompanied by strong winds. After these two storms impacted the area, the northwest winds kicked up again on President’s Day resulting in lake effect snow all week. It finally stopped snowing today. Here is a graphic WBAL ran on their nightly news. Keysers Ridge is about 12 miles north of Deep Creek Lake.

While the locals have been complaining about the snow it’s been an absolute boon to vacationers, tourists, and skiers. Ski conditions at the Wisp Ski Resort have been excellent the past few weeks - along with cross country skiing! The Wisp has been extremely busy the past few weeks and expects to have another busy weekend. The strangest thing is that it’s been too much snow for snowmobiles - many of the snowmobiles are getting stuck in the fields and on Deep Creek Lake needing to be dug out.

If you do travel to the area, the main roads, such as Interstate 68, Route 219, and most of the county roads are fine. However, most roads still have snow cover and aren’t fully widened yet. In fact some of the more remote country roads are still closed as of today. Most driveways have been plowed but you should be advised to bring a 4WD or AWD vehicle if you do travel to the area.

The snow record will probably be broken soon as another major storm is expected to hit early next week! Once again, the weather is proving why Deep Creek Lake is such a wonderful, true four season resort area. If you would like to explore purchasing real estate in the Deep Creek area - please contact us - we’ll be more than happy to show you all their is to do in this winter wonderland!

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 February 12th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

Due to last weekend’s winter storm, the Garrett County Planning Commission has rescheduled their public hearing concerning revisions to three principal land development ordinances. The new date and time of the hearing is Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 10 am to be held in the auditorium of Garrett College. If inclement weather forces the cancellation of this hearing the make-up date will be March 11, 2010.

The proposed revisions would affect the following ordinances;

• Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance
• Garrett County Subdivision Ordinance
• Garrett County Sensitive Areas Ordinance

An in-depth look at these revisions and how they may affect Deep Creek Lake and Garrett County real estate can be found in this previous post. As always, we strongly urge you to become familiar with these changes, ask questions, and register your comments.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 22nd, 2010 Category: Garrett County News, News

Good news for owners of vacation rental homes at Deep Creek Lake. The Garrett County Commissioners decided this week that it is not in the best interest of the county at this time to pursue legislation that would have allowed them to increase the local hotel/motel tax which is currently 5%.

When it was reported last fall that such legislation would be pursued by the county government many of the local rental agencies - including Railey Mountain Lake Vacations - vehemently opposed on behalf of their homeowners. The reasoning was that in this soft economy many homeowners are having to discount their nightly rental rates just to attract the same amount of renters. The renters pay the accommodation tax when staying overnight in a vacation rental home or motel/hotel - and any increase in this tax could potentially keep tourists from visiting Deep Creek Lake and staying overnight. Or the increase in the tax could have led to further rental discounting - which could have further eroded a homeowners net rental income and potentially the value of their Deep Creek Lake real estate.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 January 8th, 2010 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, Garrett County News, Garrett County Real Estate, News

The county has released its latest revisions to the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance, the Garrett County Subdivision Ordinance, and the Sensitive Areas Ordinance. There has been a lot of language deleted and changes made from the original proposals that were previously released in the fall of 2009. A summary of the major issues are listed below;

Scenic Protection Overlay Districts

• There is a significant reduction in the size of the Overlay Districts according to the county’s most recent map.
• The current revision applies only on ridges and crests - deleting language referring to slopes and hilltops.
• Applies only in areas where houses create a silhouette on the skyline when viewed from Deep Creek Lake or the shoreline.
• Trees must now be retained or planted on the sides and rear of the house or improvement.
• No trees are required to be planted or retained between the house and the lake.
• If mature trees can be retained on the sides and rear of the structure then no planting is required.

Basically, this new ordinance will now require lot owners in these areas to either plant or retain trees on the sides and rear of the house when built - but not in front of the house - essentially creating a “framing” effect around the entire structure when looking at the house from the lake. The belief is this “framing” effect will help protect some of the scenic quality and character around Deep Creek. However, please note there will probably be no grandfathering in regards to this issue. So if you already own a lot in one of these districts and have yet to build a house - you will be required to plant or retain trees as specified above. The county will enforce these standards as part of the building permit process. So in order to get your final Use and Occupancy permit you will need to demonstrate that you have adhered to these standards.

Agricultural & Rural Resource Parcels

The revised map of the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning District reveals that the county has re-classified some of the parcels near the Dam from AR (Agricultural Resource) and RR (Rural Resource) to LR2 (Lake Residential 2). The current revisions also relax the AR/RR standards for subdividing property and basically provide for either a clustering or non-clustering option. Mandatory clustering and the creation of a resource parcel is NOT required. The 3 options to subdivide AR/RR parcels are as follows;

1. Subdivide with 3 acre minimum lot a size (which is the current standard).
2. For parcels 20 acres or less - or if transferring to children or grandchildren - 1 acre minimum lot sizes are now permitted.
3. There will be an incentive for property owners who choose to do a cluster subdivision. The incentive will be a bonus density of 1 dwelling unit per 2 acres with no minimum lot size, 50% open space required.

The county has also revised the zoning ordinance language dealing with commercial architectural standards, removing the “commercial uses” language making the standards applicable to all non-residential structures - meaning public, institutional, and educational facilities will also have to adhere to these architectural standards which will call for a mandatory Planning Commission review. Other revisions address subdivision along scenic highways, setbacks for the drilling of natural gas, and development on steep slopes.

The Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on these proposed changes for Saturday morning, February 6^th, 2010 at 10:00 am in the auditorium of Garrett College. The comment period for the public will probably be open for 30 days thereafter. So even if you can’t attend this hearing you will have the ability to register your comments.

Overall, these changes are a significant departure from the last set of proposals released by the county. However, these changes will have an impact on real estate at Deep Creek Lake and in Garrett County - so as always we urge you to register your comments, ask questions, and familiarize yourself with these proposals.

By: Mike Kennedy mkennedy@railey.com 301-616-6106 December 29th, 2009 Category: Deep Creek Lake Area Things To Do, Garrett County News, News

Deep Creek Fitness is opening a new gym and fitness facility in January 2010.  It will be located in the Market Square Shopping Center next to Foodland Fresh and Perkins along Route 219 (Garrett Highway) in McHenry. Tourists on vacation will be able to buy memberships by the day or week - and full time residents will have year round membership options. The gym will feature;

• LifeFitness Cardio Machines with individual televisions
• LifeFitness Pro Series Strength Circuit
• A free weight area with Hammer Strength equipment
• A studio for various fitness classes and possibly spinning bikes
• Showers and Locker rooms
• Personal training options

Check out www.deepcreekfitness.com for more info and their special introductory offers.