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This GoFundMe has been created by the Adamstown Village Community Association to fund efforts to preserve our community as it currently is: a charming and relaxed neighborhood, full of character that you can't find or replicate in modern planned developments.
Background
Throughout the past 20 years, Frederick County has granted permits to various developers to build on the undeveloped greenspace on the south side of Tuscarora Street (formerly the Adamstown Carnival Grounds). The most recent plan approved by the County permits the developer to make the following changes to our neighborhood to accommodate the new development:
- Construction of modern sidewalks that would cut into our residents' yards, destroying gardens, trees, pathways, and lawns that our residents have been maintaining as their own for over 100 years
- Widening the roadway that was originally built to accommodate horse carriages, which would leave some residents with nowhere to park their cars
- Creation of a road connection between Adamstown Village and the newer Adamstown Commons subdivision, which would exponentially increase traffic on our small roads
- Tear-down of the historic school at the end of Adams St. without completion of a sufficient environmental impact and safety study
Development attempts have failed to date, in large part due to the residents' resistance to these changes and insistence that the property in front of our homes is not owned by the County. Although there has been success to this point in thwarting development efforts, this space is under threat again after being recently sold to a new developer.
Our Current Plan & Need for Funding
In response to this threat, the community has come together to formally investigate whether the County has the authority to expand the roadways and build sidewalks on homeowners' properties. Given that our development predates modern building practices, it is possible, perhaps even likely, that the County does not "own" the roads. Instead, it is far more likely that an easement was created in the 1800s that permitted the County to construct the roadways. If this is the case, then said easements would be restricted in size and scope of use and without consent of the homeowners, it would be improper for the County to grant the current developer these permits when the created easements only contemplated 1800-style transportation.
The investigation of who owns what, and what is owned, is the focus of the investigation. To answer these seemingly basic questions, the community will commission a title survey. This survey will provide evidence, one way or another, about what was conveyed by the original owners of our community and what they conveyed to the County.
This GoFundMe is the vehicle chosen by the community to transparently collect the necessary funds to pay the title surveyor(s) and/or any attorney that the community hires to litigate for us. Any additional funds beyond the fee required to commission the title survey will be used for community events.