American Dream

Dobbins Island owner strives to limit access
Man seeking OK to build says trespassers treat land as park

By Phillip McGowan
Sun Staff

August 21, 2005

Quotes:

He has been prevented from building a home on the Magothy River property he bought last year, but David L. Clickner Sr. said that's not the reason he has stepped up efforts to prevent trespassing on Dobbins Island.

Last week, the Glen Burnie businessman wrapped the perimeter of the 7-acre crescent with yellow tape and placed red-and-white
signs telling boaters not to trespass -- and to call County Executive Janet S. Owens. He also has the state Natural Resources Police keeping a watchful eye on his property.

What has raised Clickner's ire is that people treat his island as a park. Clickner said Anne Arundel County knows it, allows visitors to frequent there, but doesn't police the area.

That leaves him to deal with "2 percent" of the visitors who are rowdy and vulgar, and to pick up debris they leave behind, he said. On top of that, he worries that heavy foot traffic will cause further deterioration of the decaying island.

"I can't get the [Owens] administration to understand that they are fostering an environment" in which it's acceptable for the public to use "the island as a park," he said.

Dobbins has served as a popular site for weekend campers, despite the presence of large blue-painted markers warning against trespassing. Some in the community are concerned that Clickner is trying to discourage boaters from using the island's cove and sandbar, considered traditional summertime sanctuaries for generations.

Clickner, who bought Dobbins Island in October for $825,000, is seeking a variance request to build pier access to the island and a nearly 5,000-square-foot house. A county hearing officer last month rejected his request because of environmental concerns; Clickner is appealing.

Clickner reaffirmed his stance last week that "the island is not for sale to anyone at any price" -- whether he can build a home there or not. He also added: "The Clickners will not subsidize an Anne Arundel County park."

Matt Diehl, a spokesman for Owens, said the county executive supports the rights of property owners, and encouraged Clickner to contact authorities, such as Natural Resources Police, to remedy the situation.

Natural Resources Police were called to the island last weekend to remove people from it. Lt. Bob Davis, a spokesman for the Maryland Natural Resources Police, said the agency will take action to protect Clickner's property rights.

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