By: Mike Kennedy October 7th, 2008 Category: Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, News

DNR Deep Creek Lake Manager Carolyn Mathews reports that her office is pursuing several civil cases in circuit court involving activities on certain buydowns that are in violation of the provisions of the Conservation Easement. The most difficult situations appear to be grading and filling of the buffer strip, especially after new home construction.

DNR is also adopting a new policy that any maintenance to existing and approved improvements on the buffer strip requires the prior notification and possibly the approval of the Deep Creek Lake management office. The DNR may require a new Special Permit to be applied for and be issued before maintenance may occur.

This is a departure from historic practice and many property owners routinely provide for ongoing maintenance of structures and improvements that have been permitted. Garrett County Board of Realtors Government Affairs Director Paul Durham recommended to DNR staff that they consider modifications to their permit language to better inform property owners of this new policy. This may also require changes to the lake regulations to better and more specifically articulate DNR’s maintenance permitting requirements.

DNR is enforcing this policy through the issuance of criminal citations. Violations of the lake regulations are a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1000 and the potential for imprisonment of up to one year.

By: Mike Kennedy October 3rd, 2008 Category: Deep Creek Lake, News

DNR Lake Manager Carolyn Mathews reports that it will soon release the proposed changes to the lake regulations dealing with how and where personal watercraft (PWCs) may be stored or moored at dock permit sites on Deep Creek Lake. DNR’s goal is to eventually remove all PWCs from being beached on the buffer strip and to set standards for how many may be kept at a dock.

Several recommendations to DNR and the Policy and Review Board were made at its October 2007 meeting of things to consider in drafting the new regulations. These included addressing restricted Type-A permits, existing common docks, setting a reasonable “grandfathering” time limit for the removal of existing permitted PWC stands.

DNR reports that the public comment period will be in early October and that the PRB will meet on October 3 to take comments and to discuss the proposal.

By: Mike Kennedy July 30th, 2008 Category: Deep Creek Lake, Deep Creek Lake Real Estate, News

Deep Creek Lake Manager Carolyn Mathews recently announced the DNR’s intention to address a number of easement violations through court action. Most cases involve alleged illegal dumping or fill on the buydown parcel. The cases are a civil matter and action will be through circuit court.

Ms. Mathews reported that they are experiencing an increasing number of cases involving improper construction of drains, pipes and improvements that are prohibited by the DNR’s easement. The Office of the Attorney General will represent the DNR in court.

If you own lakefront real estate at Deep Creek Lake please note this may affect you. DNR does go around and makes period checks of the buffer strip and buydown parcel in between your house and the water. Any improvements or cutting on the buffer strip or buydown parcel need to be approved first by DNR. The conservation easement placed on the buydown parcel is very prohibitive and all DNR guidelines should be followed.

By: Mike Kennedy July 3rd, 2008 Category: Deep Creek Lake, News

DNR Deep Creek Lake Manager Carolyn Mathews reports that their internal review of a number of regulation changes that effect how and where PWCs may be kept at dock permit sites on the lake has been delayed by about a month. The review was scheduled to be sent to Annapolis for review in July, but that time frame has been extended to August. Those that own real estate or houses at Deep Creek Lake will have an opportunity to review the proposal once it is made available for public comment.

 Ms. Mathews did say that the goal is to change the regulations to prohibit the storage of PWCs on the buffer strip and to instead allow a limited number to be moored at docks, in addition to any other permitted powerboats. Commercial sites will not receive any additional PWC mooring rights over what they are already permitted.

 The effect on property owners could be positive or negative depending on the number of PWCs they have traditionally stored on shore at their permit site. On the positive side, from what we have heard, the proposal is to possibly allow each Type A dock permit holder the right to be able to moor two PWCs at their dock. However, on the negative side it is very much unclear what will happen to those property owners who do not have a private dock and currently have 1 boat slip in a common dock. Many lake access property owners in the various subdivisions around the lake keep their power boat moored in the 1 slip they are allocated in their common dock - and then keep their PWC stored on the shoreline. DNR also intends to phase out the previously permitted PWC stands that some property owners use.

 Also, on The Deep Creek Blog, Becky Sciullo writes that DNR has stepped up their patrols on Deep Creek Lake and intends to keep doing so all summer long to crack down on dangerous boating activities.

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