Stemen's statement praised the current commissioners for their "forward thinking" because the DRRA will "ultimately bring millions of dollars in benefits to current residents of the county."

J. Steven Kaii-Ziegler, director of planning for Queen Anne's County, said Hovnanian is prohibited from doing anything further until the development moratorium is lifted on Nov. 21. He said the project still requires preliminary and final approval before ground can be broken.

The DRRA spells out Hovnanian's obligations to the county in return for approval of more intensive development within 1,000 feet of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The company has agreed to spend about $40 million for improvements to public water, sewer and road systems in the vicinity of Four Seasons. It has also pledged cash contributions as part of what it earlier called "the most comprehensive, exacting and costly agreement" it had ever experienced. 

Four Seasons is an age-restricted residential community of 1,350 homes planned for an area north of Route 50 on both sides of Cox Creek and Castle Marina Road.

The commissioners' decision to sign the DRRA before they leave office in December continues to have repercussions. "We're very concerned," said Stan Ruddie of the Kent Island Defense League Board of Directors which sought to have the Four Seasons issue placed before the voters in referendum. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled that the project is not subject to referendum. Ruddie is anticipating an appeal to the state's highest court.

"This is not a good thing," said Jack Broderick, president of the Kent Island Civic Confederation. "We're not surprised, but we're disappointed. One of the frustrating things is that it underwent some changes and there should have been an opportunity for public input."

County Commissioner George O'Donnell said the changes that were made were minor ones - "nothing of significance."

Rodger Weese, chairman of the Queen Anne's County Planning Commission, said he would have preferred that the DRRA be held over so the new board of commissioners could consider it. The planning commission signed off on the DRRA this summer, and Weese said it did so because the agreement is consistent with the county's comprehensive plan. But he raised questions about annual caps on the number of building permits that could go to Hovnanian. He said that would leave relatively few permits for other builders.

Weese had donated space for a full-page advertisement in the Bay Times on Sept. 4 that was signed by 370 local businessmen urging the commissioners not to sign the DRRA because the agreement "guarantees this project over half of all the permits allowed for under the recently imposed building permit cap." 

He said he had voiced his concerns at the time the commission approved the DRRA and felt that as a businessman he had a right to donate the advertisement. He said it did not constitute any conflict of interest.

The Friends of Four Seasons, a citizens' group founded this summer, has applauded the commissioners' action. "This is a significant development," said David H. Crossan, the group's president. "We're happy. It was a big step that was conducted in the normal course of business."

In a related development, it has been learned that K. Hovnanian at Kent Island LLC is active, but not in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation because it has not filed a personal property tax return for 2002. Paul Anderson, a charter specialist with the department, said the return was due by April 15. "Legally, they are still a valid LLC (Limited Liability Corporation)," said Anderson, "but if they don't file by October 2003, they could have their LLC revoked." 

Anderson said it was probably an oversight, since the company did file the return in 2000 and 2001. He likened it to the first drip in a leaky roof. "You want to take care of it before it gets worse," he said.

Efforts to reach Hovnanian for comment were unsuccessful.

©The Star Democrat 2002