Those looking to buy or sell homes in the area should note that service members by code are prohibited from entering the neighborhoods.
People interested in buying or selling real estate in the Ft. Meade, Md., area should note that the commander of the Ft. Meade military installation recently declared two local off-base neighborhoods off limits to military personnel.
Installation commander Edward Rothstein announced that because the Arwell Court and Meade Village neighborhoods in Severn are plagued by high crime rates, service members who enter these areas are subject to punishment under the Uniform Military Code of Justice.
The story was published on the Odenton (Md.) Patch website (http://odenton.patch.com/articles/some-neighborhoods-businesses-off-limits-to-military-personnel).
Both neighborhoods are less than a mile from Ft. Meade. The neighborhoods have long been cited by Anne Arundel County Police for a host of violent and nonviolent crimes.
Arwell Court is located off of Reece Road and includes part of Pioneer Drive. Meade Village, also located off of Reece Road, includes Meade Village Road, Meade Village Circle, Barnett Court, Fairbrook Court, Briarview Court and Brookstone Court.
Obviously, high crime rates can have a significant, negative impact on a neighborhood’s property values. The announcement by the base commander is of particular interest to military and civilian personnel who are transferring to Ft. Meade, looking for housing, and are unfamiliar with the region.
As part of his announcement, the installation commander also added two local gas stations to the list of off-limit areas and establishments. The Exxon stations on 7898 Ridge Rd. in Hanover and 1318 Annapolis Rd. in Odenton are known to have sold synthetic marijuana, often referred to by the brand name "spice," according to Odenton Patch. The possession of synthetic marijuana is banned by all branches of the military.
Jerry Kline is a Realtor with the Odenton, Md., office of Keller Williams Flagship Realty (1216 Annapolis Rd., Odenton.) For more information on the local real estate market, contact him at (443) 924-7418.
