1) Explore Better Alternatives for Public Access at Valentine Creek Woods

2) Supporting Public Access • Protecting Natural Resources • Promoting Fiscal Responsibility

Funding Update: The Anne Arundel County Council recently approved a one-year delay in construction funding for the proposed Valentine Creek Woods Water Access Project. This one-year pause provides an important opportunity to thoughtfully evaluate whether the current proposal represents the best way to expand public access to the Severn River before approximately $1.7 million in taxpayer funding is committed to construction.

This petition IS NOT about opposing public access.

The surrounding communities support expanding opportunities for residents to enjoy Anne Arundel County’s waterways. The concern is whether the current design at this particular location represents the most practical, environmentally responsible, and fiscally responsible way to achieve that goal.

Valentine Creek Woods is already a valued public resource enjoyed by hikers, birdwatchers, anglers, mountain bikers, photographers, and others seeking passive recreation. The current proposal would introduce significant new infrastructure—including a parking area, roadway improvements, an extended access corridor, stormwater facilities, and shoreline improvements—within one of the few remaining undeveloped shoreline forests on the upper Severn River.

This one-year pause gives Anne Arundel County an opportunity to ask an important question:

Can we achieve the same—or even greater—public benefit through a solution that is more practical, less environmentally impactful, and a better value for taxpayers?

We believe that question deserves a transparent, data-driven evaluation before construction funding is committed.

Our goal is to respectfully ask Anne Arundel County to:

• Conduct a transparent evaluation of alternative locations and design concepts that may provide equal or greater public benefit with lower environmental impact and lower cost.

• Continue meaningful collaboration with Valentine Creek, Arden on the Severn, Herald Harbor, Chambers River, and other surrounding communities throughout the review process.

• Carefully evaluate environmental impacts, including forests, wildlife habitat, specimen trees, wetlands, steep slopes, stormwater, invasive species, and the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area.

• Fully assess pedestrian safety, emergency access, ADA accessibility, anticipated public use, and overall project practicality.

• Demonstrate that the project represents the most effective and fiscally responsible use of taxpayer dollars by evaluating expected public benefit alongside construction costs, long-term operating expenses, and maintenance obligations.

• Publicly share the analyses, assumptions, and alternatives considered so residents can understand how the final recommendation was reached.

Why Does This Matter?

The one-year funding delay is not the end of this discussion—it is an opportunity to collectively make the right decision.

Public access, environmental stewardship, fiscal responsibility, and meaningful community engagement are not competing priorities. They should all be considered together.

Let's use this time to thoroughly evaluate alternatives, engage surrounding communities, and identify the solution that best serves both preservation and purpose. Regardless of funding already expended, the commitment of additional funding should be driven by feasibility and responsibility.