On January 26, the Lovettsville City Council agreed to an open space easement with the Lovettsville Game Protective Association for its entire 5.5-acre property.
The easement will limit future development on the property and ensure that the public will continue to have access to the on-site baseball diamond and part of the parking lot.
The signed order states that “the easement would restrict the uses of the property in perpetuity and run with the land, with only court proceedings available to extinguish the easement.”
The property, located on South Berlin Pike and zoned as an R-1 residence, would allow 16 single-family homes without the easement.
The agreement allows the Game Protective Association to continue its operations on the property and provides them with the opportunity to construct improvements to the main building as well as a pavilion and bandstand.
Association president Fred George said he wanted the property to remain a place of entertainment for many generations.
“We want to make sure this property stays the way it was when I left, when my kids left,” he said. “And my grandchildren, who will still live in Lovettsville, can come and enjoy the game club like my grandfather did.”
Association board member Russ Mullen said the easement supports the goal of the Game Protective Association and aligns with the city’s overall plan.
“Preserving the rural way of life is the basic principle of the Protection Association and we are convinced that this plan fits in very well. Because we can’t guarantee what our organization is going to be doing in 20 years, 50 years, 100 years… The idea of building cottages on this property and increasing revenue by doing an Airbnb-like situation, this idea is venue up… I absolutely do not want that to happen to this property,” he said.
The association will also remain responsible for maintaining the property and structures.
The motion passed 5-0-1 in the absence of council member David Earl.
“I really appreciate everyone coming out tonight and reiterating what everyone is saying, keeping the town small and rural and not wanting to take this space and do something with it that none of us want,” said Vice Mayor Joy Pritz.
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