Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Farm Creek Road Boat Ramp Transfer topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council OKs transfer of Farm Creek Road segment and failing boat ramp to private owner after public hearing
Summary
Dorchester County Council voted unanimously to proceed with legislation to close and convey a portion of Farm Creek Road and an adjacent boat ramp to Horstman Enterprise LLC in exchange for roughly 9,100 square feet of private property, following a public hearing with attorney and owner testimony about safety, liability and trespass problems.
The Dorchester County Council voted unanimously April 15 to move forward with legislation to close and transfer a portion of Farm Creek Road and an adjoining boat ramp to Horstman Enterprise LLC, after a public hearing in which the company’s attorney and the property owner described long‑standing safety and trespass problems.
The request, presented by attorney Brandon Mullaney, asked the council to convey the county’s boat ramp and a segment of the road to Horstman Enterprise LLC in exchange for about 9,100 square feet of the company’s adjacent land. Mullaney said the ramp is “dilapidated,” lacks a parking area and forces visitors to turn on or cross private property, creating repeated trespass and liability issues.
Mullaney said the Department of Natural Resources declined to fund or maintain the ramp because there is no parking area, leaving the county and the property owner to manage mounting damage. Owner John Horstman said the ramp’s failing bulkhead has caused vehicles and hazards and that waterfront repairs would require tearing into the owner’s property.
Council discussion cited on‑site visits and agreed the existing ramp and road segment are effectively unusable as public access without significant engineering and parking—work that faces environmental and wetland constraints. One council member described the proposal as a “win‑win,” saying conveyance could activate the site, reduce liability for the county and create a clearer path to future, if limited, public access.
The motion to proceed with the transfer and to prepare introduction of the closure legislation passed on a roll call vote with Councilman Travers, Councilman Detmer, Councilman Kramer, Councilman Nichols and the council president voting yes. The council instructed staff that introduction of the ordinance to close the road and formalize the sale will be the next step and that a contract of sale will follow.
Key details cited at the hearing: Horstman Enterprise LLC purchased the marina property in January 2022; the proposed land swap is roughly 9,100 square feet; the ramp lacks a parking area and has caused bulkhead damage at high tide; DNR indicated it would not fund maintenance without parking; repairs are constrained by wetland rules and permitting.
The council closed the public hearing and directed staff to prepare introduction language for the next meeting. No final conveyance will occur until the closing of the formal sale and passage of the closure ordinance.
