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Fence blocking access to public pier in Ridge removed
Court still to decide on property dispute
Friday, May 8, 2009
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The orange construction fence across Dunbar Lane that blocked access to a county pier at Fox Harbor in Ridge was taken down last month.
Neighbor Minnie Russell put the fence up herself in February after years of frustration over use of the pier and an ongoing property line dispute with county government.
"I blocked that road on the 10th of February," Russell said Wednesday.
Circuit court Judge C. Clarke Raley granted a temporary restraining order and both sides agreed to a preliminary injunction on April 15, said David Weiskopf, assistant attorney for St. Mary's County government.
The day after the restraining order was granted, recreation and parks staff took down the fencing on Dunbar Lane.
Russell was represented by attorney Bryan Dugan. "They've agreed to a preliminary restraining order. Mrs. Russell is not going to block up any part of the road," Weiskopf said.
It "keeps the status quo until we go to court," he said.
The pending court case is "to resolve the whole ownership issue one way or the other, it's essentially who owns the property," said Phil Rollins, director of St. Mary's County recreation and parks.
At issue is the boundary line down Dunbar Lane leading to Fox Harbor pier, which the county claims was built for the public in 1947.
"My court case is on the access road — not the pier," Russell, 75, said. "I possess the road and not the pier." She was born on the property overlooking the pier.
Since the fencing came down last month, she said she has only seen one waterman using the public pier. By blocking access to the road, "it just stopped the convenience," she said, for that one waterman to use the public pier.
"The pier is back open," Rollins said. "We've taken down the no vehicle access sign. I presume people are using it. I haven't heard of any issues down there."
"Why can't Phil Rollins make up his mind?" Russell said. "One day the pier's falling down" and signs go up to keep vehicles off, and then the sign comes down.
Rollins said last month that the pier does need work, but it was designed for watermen to drive their vehicles out onto it.
Fox Harbor leads out to Smith Creek, which runs out into the lower Potomac River.
Russell said local watermen can use the public landing at St. Inigoes on the other side of Smith Creek. The state recently purchased 985 acres at Kitts Point there along with Newtowne Neck from the Jesuits in order to preserve the lands as part of a $56.9 million purchase of 4,473 acres from the religious order in the state.
Russell said she has had it with the unruly users of the pier. "No parking, no picnicking, no peeing," she said.
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