Maryland Park Service previews Newtown Neck master plan emphasizing conservation and phased visitor facilities

Mary Owens, chief of planning for the Maryland Park Service, told the Saint Mary’s County Planning Commission on Dec. 14 that the department is near finalizing a master plan for Newtown Neck State Park intended to protect natural and cultural resources while allowing modest public access and interpretation.

Owens said the property, west of Route 5 and accessed from the end of Route 243, includes about seven miles of shoreline and a mix of meadow, agricultural fields, forest and marsh. “It is an absolutely gorgeous property,” Owens said, and the department expects the park to be a regional attraction with connections to the Captain John Smith Chesapeake Trail, the Star-Spangled Banner Trail and the Religious Freedom Byway.

The draft plan, Owens said, was developed after an extensive public process that included an 11‑member citizens advisory committee that met 11 times, two community open houses and online surveys. The Maryland Park Service acquired the property through the department’s 2009 Maryland Province properties effort, Owens said, and reopened the park in February 2014 after Army Corps of Engineers work to investigate and clear inert munitions casings found on the site.

Why the plan matters: Newtown Neck combines sensitive natural systems and archaeological resources with extensive shoreline that the department says is suitable for passive recreation and interpretation. The master plan attempts to balance public access with the protection of wetlands, forest interior habitat and cultural sites.

Key elements described by Owens include: - A conservation buffer around the neighboring Saint Francis Xavier Church where no improvements are planned. - Approximately 10 miles of multi‑use trails for hikers and equestrians (the department estimates 2–3 miles already exist). - Two composting toilet comfort stations (one near Lacey Beach, one at the Russell area), two kayak launches and two paddle‑in campsites (reservations required). - A modest “turnaround” and minor roadway improvements to formalize visitor circulation; several smaller parking areas totaling about 80–100 spaces in multiple lots rather than a single large lot. - Reuse and stabilization of existing farm buildings (the Russell House is used as an operational ranger residence; several barns would be retained for storage or agrarian leases; non‑historic deteriorated structures such as the Lacey House are proposed for demolition).

Owens said cultural and archaeological surveys identified roughly 40 known sites and additional features; the park received a Maryland Heritage Authority grant to complete archaeological work and is coordinating with the Maryland Historical Trust on reporting and site protections. She said much of the historically disturbed landscape in the Russell activity area means proposed improvements there would limit digging to shallow depths and favor use of existing cleared areas and structures.

Phase 1 funding and timing: Owens described a multi‑phase, 15‑year framework. She said roughly $700,000 in planned improvements are identified for an initial phase (2015–2020 in the plan documents presented to the commission) to support parking, restroom facilities, picnic areas and stabilization of barns and other buildings. Owens said the park would pursue available grants — she noted a $400,000 federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant remains available for the property — and that some initial work could begin as funds are secured. Owens said the department anticipates beginning implementation in February (the oral presentation used shorthand that read as “02/2006” in the meeting transcript; DNR staff later told the commission they expected to begin initial projects in early spring as funds and approvals allow).

Environmental constraints and protections: Owens told commissioners that the property is largely coastal plain with low topography, hydric soils and extensive wetlands, and that climate change and flooding were central planning constraints. She said much of the interior forest is non‑tidal wetland and provides habitat for forest‑interior dwelling species and will remain forested; trail work will avoid clearing. Owens said no rare, threatened or endangered species were known on the property at the time of the presentation.

Next steps: Owens said DNR planned to present the draft master plan to the county commissioners the day after the hearing, respond to comments, and submit the plan for DNR secretary review. She told the Planning Commission the department hoped to obtain final approval in early spring and pursue implementation as funds allow.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about future public hearings and the transcript record; Owens said DNR would continue community outreach during implementation and that each project would undergo agency review (including MHT, US Fish and Wildlife Service as needed, and MDE) before construction.

Ending: Owens told the commission she and park staff were available to meet with neighbors and county staff as individual projects proceed. Planning staff did not ask the commission to take formal action; the presentation was informational.