Lord said he has tried to allay fears that the course would overwhelm the community with traffic and noise and siphon off too much water for irrigation. He said he's committed to leaving the property in better condition than when he bought it.
Michael Lofton, president of the Harwood Civic Association, said Lord's willingness to engage the residents has "earned him a lot of credibility."
Lord said he understands the homeowners' concerns.
"If my neighbor was buying up land down the street from me and you saw all these trucks all over the place, I would be nervous, too," Lord said.
Lord said that the course could include 100 members, about half of them living "out of town." He envisioned up to 10 foursomes playing a day, especially during warmer weather.
That has spurred concerns that Lord's vision could more closely resemble a country club. Lord, though, said the course won't include amenities that attract much larger numbers, such as a swimming pool, tennis courts or a children's recreation area.
Anne Arundel County Councilman Edward R. Reilly, a Republican who represents Harwood, has introduced a bill that would relieve Lord of an obligation to build a mile-long access road to divert traffic from Polling House Road, a two-lane road that's designated by the county as a scenic and historic road.
A public hearing on the bill will be held on Nov. 5, and a vote could occur that night.
"It's an environmental issue," Reilly said, referring to water runoff concerns. "We don't want another mile of impervious surface." Alan R. Friedman, a senior aide to County Executive John R. Leopold, said the administration concurs, although amendments are expected to limit the scope of future building there.
Lord hopes that he could play a full round by Christmas of 2008.
"You can do that?" Lord asked his superintendent.
"Yes," Walker said.
phil.mcgowan@baltsun.com
