Waterfront Home Info

Christy

b*tch rocket
At some point I want to buy a house on the water in St. Mary's or Calvert (preferably St. Mary's). So, all of you folks who either live on the water or know a lot about zoning and planning, what is your advice on what to look for in a property and what do I need to avoid? I have seen a house/property with a gigantic boathouse. Is a boathouse a good thing or a bad thing? I have heard that you are not allowed to build docks with a covered boathouse anymore. Any idea why that is?

Anyway, lots of questions. I am in no hurry to make the leap just yet. I just want to become well informed, so I don't screw myself over and buy a cute little place that winds up to be a nightmarish money pit. Also, say the dock needs repairs, at what point do you have to get new permits? Can you just repair a bad dock as long as you keep the same footprint or do you need to get a permit?

Thanks!
 

kom526

They call me ... Sarcasmo
BUY the place with the existing boathouse. Sell a kidney sell a kid sell something and get it now! Seriously, if you buy an unimproved property, cut down all the trees you want BEFORE you go to LUGM, MDE with your site plan. You cannot build a covered structure over the water due to impervious surface allowances so anything existing is grandfathered (or was) so you would only be able to improve it. (Unless you have big fat wallet then it's game on.) Become familiar with the terms impervious surface, limits of disturbance, non native invasive species andf planting agreements. For as many different people that you will deal with at LUGM you will have that many interpretations of the laws. Be prepared, always carry some tylenol when dealing with Leonardtown.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
Look at the septic system also. Anyone in the critical area needs a nitrogen reducing system. If the house doesn't currently have one, and it fails, the new, more expensive, system is required (although there is, or atleast was, a revolving grant program that helps pay for them)
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Look at the septic system also. Anyone in the critical area needs a nitrogen reducing system. If the house doesn't currently have one, and it fails, the new, more expensive, system is required (although there is, or atleast was, a revolving grant program that helps pay for them)

That. But there are a lot of waterfront properties (like mine) that are on METCOM sewage systems. A plus; all the system maintenance in repairs is on them. Minus; a monthly sewer bill. I pay roughly 100 bucks a month for 3 EDUs.

Kom is spot on, of course. Existing boat houses or any other covered structure are the only way you'll get one if you want one. Even long piers are hard to get a permit for; my 250' pier would never be allowed now..nothing even close to it, in fact. That said, you want to pay close attention to the mean water depth of the waterfront you are looking at. Deeper mean water closer to shore and you need less dock in the first place.

Elevation is important too. Avoid properties in the various flood zones or at least recognize the possibility of chronic flooding AND the required flood insurance if you have a mortgage. We get a lot of that on St. George's.

Whether or not a permit is required for repairing a dock is somewhat of a grey area. It depends on the nature and extent of repairs. Best bet is to wait for a hurricane event and the inevitable subsequent moratorium/waiver on pier repair permits and "go for it". That's what I've always done..:lmao:
 
Last edited:

hitchicken

Active Member
I lived on the water for 50 years. My last property is NOT on the water for a good reason. You probably have some idyllic dream. It's not a dream; it's a just boatload of problems.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
I lived on the water for 50 years. My last property is NOT on the water for a good reason. You probably have some idyllic dream. It's not a dream; it's a just boatload of problems.

For some, perhaps, but not all. I've lived on the water for 40 years..7D and 9D both. Wouldn't have traded it for anything. I know it helps that I'm my own contractor for the majority of things that come up..and owning a backhoe loader has been a big help. LOL
 

hitchicken

Active Member
For some, perhaps, but not all. I've lived on the water for 40 years..7D and 9D both. Wouldn't have traded it for anything. I know it helps that I'm my own contractor for the majority of things that come up..and owning a backhoe loader has been a big help. LOL

You're right. Let me quantify 'boatload of problems'. The relative intensity/frequency of problems are often mitigated by:
1. a 'don't ask, don't tell, hope they don't find out' DIY approach.
2. being a 'good ol' boy, ye by gwad' in St. Mary's County.
3. having a ton of money.
4. a willingness to accept (without compromise or negotiation and a smile on your face) all inhibiting, eyesore, demeaning restrictions and prohibition as to what you can do on your own property. (It helps to have been a Irish tenant farmer during the potato famine to understand.)

or some combination of the above 4.

7D does not count. You could build a brothel over there and it would take years for the county govt to find out.
 

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
I was in for a culture shock when I moved here, I grew up knowing only the poor people living near the water because their house flooded once a year or so and it always smelled bad in the summer. We called them river rats.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Anyone have some wisdom Re Potomac vs. Patuxent ? The Patuxent seems more like a big inland lake than a river.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Anyone have some wisdom Re Potomac vs. Patuxent ? The Patuxent seems more like a big inland lake than a river.

Can be a huge difference when the storms hit. Fetch is a beeyatch...we've got miles of it when the storms hit from the east to south-east, but even nor'easters have enough fetch to tear our eastern shoreline apart. We're about halfway done armoring it all though...
 
Last edited:

black dog

Free America
I've done about half of my 58 years on the water at least 50% of the ti.e.
THERES WATERFRONT AND THERE'S WATERFRONT.
All waterfront is not the same, are you going to look at it or use it as a power boater, sailboat, do you want a beach? Marshland, Sandy bottom , gravel, mud for the waterfront bottom.... Lots to learn before you buy... Lots of great advice posted above.
Good Luck.
Not just look at water depth at low tide at the end of the pier, learn what's Ripairian Rights and what's Non- Ripairian Rights.
 

black dog

Free America
Are there any waterfront neighborhoods on the Patuxent that have metcom sewer ?

I believe that from Golden Beach down to Dellabrook Rd is all well and septic.
I would believe that all the newer communitys down near the mouth of the river would have city water and sewer.
 

Bird Dog

Bird Dog
PREMO Member
Buy an existing property with a house. More expensive, but tons less of BS.
I built mine...two years to get a Building Permit.....LUGM, Planning Comission, Army Corps, Critical Area Commision, Department of Health, Department of the Environment, Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Forest Service, Maryland Department of Agriculture, St. Marys County Department of Public Works, Neighbors.........and probably forgot two or more.
 

kom526

They call me ... Sarcasmo
Buy an existing property with a house. More expensive, but tons less of BS.
I built mine...two years to get a Building Permit.....LUGM, Planning Comission, Army Corps, Critical Area Commision, Department of Health, Department of the Environment, Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Forest Service, Maryland Department of Agriculture, St. Marys County Department of Public Works, Neighbors.........and probably forgot two or more.

Yeah but your place is WoW. That is a prime piece of property there, without a doubt.
 
Top