(March 31, 2016) Ocean Pines Association Director Dave Stevens emailed the following statement, titled “What the Board approved today,” referring to the Tuesday special meeting.
“The Board approved, at a cost not to exceed $150,000, the site preparation and storm water management mitigation actions that will enable the construction of eight pickle ball courts in the playground area, the consequent relocation of the playground and the changes to the parking lot and fencing for the playground /community gardens.
What was not approved with this proposal was the construction of any pickle ball courts or the movement and renovation of the playground.
The two additional platform tennis courts that have been requested and approved by the Board for years are also not a consideration.
What we have to show for this vote is the preparation for a $750,000 complex. No playground. No platform tennis. No pickle ball.
Why exactly is this preparation necessary?
We have a proposal for pickle ball and platform that are low impact with regard to storm water management (SWM) and do not require clearing, cutting trees or movement of the playground.
Consequently the playground can be rebuilt in place without significant SWM mitigation measures.
If we don’t know what we will get for this or why, we also do not know what this preparation work will cost. We have from the GM an explanation that could be called charitably, a guess.
As to Tom Herrick’s proposal, the ‘feel good’ motion to investigate it is a bit of a farce.
If you are going to take that seriously why would you clear the space to put it somewhere else?”