Who Won?

We want to thank Chesapeake Station residents for participating in the 2019 “Door or More” decorating event that successfully made our neighborhood look beautiful and very festive.  Thank you all for all your hard work!  And now we would like to acknowledge the following awards:

Spirit of Christmas – Charlie Pritchart

Creativity – Bruce and Becky Wahl

Beach Theme – Bill and Elizabeth Leebel

And Special Acknowledgements for Holiday Lighting to:

Keith and Debbie Belhumeur

Jim, Lois and Abundance Boekestein

Thanks for a job well done and have a wonderful 2020!

I don’t know if the fox population in the beaches is increasing but we’ve been hearing reports of more sightings than in the past. A Chesapeake Station resident recently reported seeing a fox on C St. See the video here. Foxes are opportunistic feeders and it’s important that you keep your trash containers well secured. Although cat is not their first choice, they will attack cats if hungry enough or threatened. So also keep your fur babies indoors.

Non-Resident Parking in Chesapeake Station

Many residents have been frustrated with the on-going construction at the Rod & Reel and the loss of on-premises parking there.  While they have free valet parking, satellite parking lots with 24/7 shuttles, and ask patrons not to park in our neighborhood, it has not stopped regular daily parking by non-residents on Chesapeake Station streets.

As much as we’d like to completely prohibit parking by Rod & Reel patrons in Chesapeake Station, our main streets – C Street, Arcade Ct. Band Shell Ct., Carousel Way, and Dentzel Ct. – are owned by the Town and public parking is permitted.  But only at legal spots.  Parking within 30 feet of a stop sign, near or in intersections, or blocking driveway access is prohibited by Maryland law.  Our Townhouse lots are HOA property and parking by outsiders in those lots is also prohibited.

A resident who parks some of the family’s cars on C St. because they don’t all fit in the driveway has complained recently about being accosted by other residents, who mistakenly believe the vehicles are owned by Rod & Reel patrons. The Sheriff’s Department advises citizens not to initiate a confrontation with drivers parking in our streets.  It is potentially dangerous and also rude to aggressively confront strangers based on presumptions they don’t belong.  If you must approach someone you don’t recognize, please only do so respectfully and politely to understand who they are.  If their vehicle is parked illegally, you can advise them and hope the person will respect that and move their vehicle.  If a vehicle is parked illegally, you can contact the Sheriff’s Dept. at their non-emergency number (410-535-2800) and request that a Deputy be sent out.

Also, we ask that residents display a CSHOA parking decal on their vehicle window.  While not a perfect solution, it does provide the Board some insight into who is parking in our development.  If you do not have a parking decal you can request decals via email to [email protected].

We are expecting that the problem of non-resident parking in Chesapeake Station will greatly improve when construction of the Rod & Reel garage is completed.  Current estimates are early November for an opening of the garage.

HOA Rental Properties

For those of you who do not receive the Chesapeake Beach Town Newsletter, or don’t read it, there is an important item about residential housing in the new Summer 2019 newsletter.  The Town has recently adopted Ordinance O-19-11, which includes requirements for residential rental properties and landlords who rent out a home located with the Town borders.

Of particular note, Section 162-14 of the Ordinance sets down a requirement that all residential rental properties in the Town must be licensed!   Approximately 17% of the homes in Chesapeake Station are rented out by their owners and this Town requirement will apply to those properties.  More information about the new Ordinance can be found on the Town website here.

The first step by property owners in meeting this Ordinance is to register their rental property with the Town.  The on-line registration form can be found here. The Town expects to begin inspection of rental properties in the Spring of 2020.

Note that this Town Ordinance is in addition to the long standing requirement in the Chesapeake Station HOA Covenants (Section 13(b)(iii)), which are incorporated in owners’ deeds by reference, that a Chesapeake Station owner who leases out their property must notify the CSHOA Board of Directors within 5 days and provide a copy of the lease.  The reason for this provision is for the Board of Directors to understand, for reasons of management and safety, who is living in our development.  The notification requirement also helps prevent short term rentals such as seen on AirBnB and VRBO and the transient population associated with that.  A notification form is available on the CSHOA website here.  This form must be be sent to the Board of Directors each time a new lease is signed or an existing lease renewed.

Chesapeake Station Trespasser

8/31/2018

It has come to our attention that a well dressed and groomed female, short haired blonde, forties, heavy set, has recently been approaching Chesapeake Station residents on the street, crying and stating that she has an emergency in her family and needs a ride to a designated place, which turns out to be a sketchy area in Upper Marlboro. Upon arrival at the destination, she has also asked for money.  At least four Chesapeake Station residents have been approached by her.  We would like to heighten residents’ awareness that this is a scam.  If you do experience an encounter with this person, you should call the Calvert County Sheriff’s Dept. non-emergency number (410) 535-2800 to report it.

Trash Removal – Reminders

The Town has asked us to remind residents of guidelines and schedules for Trash Pickup.

Household Trash
Household trash must be bagged and placed out for collection in proper storage receptacles.  Pet waste must be placed within the regular trash bags.  Bags full of pet waste are considered hazardous material and will not be picked up.

Pick up in Chesapeake Station occurs every Tuesday.  Town Ordinance 200.3 (9) requires that receptacles be placed out no earlier than the evening preceding the day of collection and promptly returned to the premises after collection.  Storage receptacles shall be made of a durable material and shall be watertight with tight-fitting covers to control odor and prevent animal access.  Because of heavy rain, the trash company sometimes finds trash cans full of water along with being full of trash.  This causes the cans to be so heavy that they can’t physically be picked up.  The company will not collect the trash if the can is full of water.

Bulk Trash
Bulk Trash are large items that normally would not be picked up by the weekly household trash contractor.  Pickup takes place on the third Thursday of each month and must be scheduled by residents in advance by calling Town Hall at (410) 257-2230.  Residents are limited to three (3) items per pickup per house. Items in excess of three (3) items will be charged at $150 per item, paid in advance.  Items that will not be picked up include:

• Anything that was not included in your request to Town Hall

• Hazardous Materials, Paint, Oil, Tires, and Batteries

• Gas Motors or Farm Equipment

• Pianos, Pool Tables, and Assembled Play Equipment

• Heat Pumps

• Carpeting

• Grass and Yard debris

• Construction Debris, e.g. drywall, wood, flooring, tile

Recycling
Recyclable materials must be in clear plastic bags or within blue or yellow recycle containers.  One container per household may be obtained free of charge from the Town by submitting the form found here.  Pickup in Chesapeake Station occurs every Thursday.  All residents should review the Town list of acceptable and unacceptable materials here.  If in doubt, place in the regular trash.

Yard Debris
Bagged yard waste and sticks, twigs, and branches are picked up April through November by Public Works. Pickup of sticks, twigs, and branches in Chesapeake Station occurs on the first Tuesday of each month.  The material must must be cut into 3 foot lengths and bundled together.  Bagged yard waste is picked up every other Tuesday.  Items that will not be picked up include:

• Whole or Cut Down Trees

• Tree Stumps

• Planter Pots and Boxes

• Planting Soil

• Dirt