Sharp Road Park proposed plans prompt concern about lighting

DENTON – As the Denton Planning Commission reviewed proposed plans for the expanded Sharp Road Park sports complex, one resident expressed concern about a proposed lighting plan.

However, Denton Little League President Kyle Bringman, citing increased registration, voiced approval for an opportunity for kids to play more games and to play them under the lights.

The five planning commissioners met the evening of Jan. 28 in the town hall.

A memorandum of understanding between the town and Caroline County in March 2024 spelled out how the two entities will share the 24-acre complex.

The county acquired 7.54 acres and a right-of-way from the town of Denton. The county’s parcel is located behind Choptank Community Health and the Food Lion shopping center on 5th Avenue, but will be accessible from Sharp Road. The property will be used for ball fields and other multi-use facilities.

The town retains ownership of the remaining two-thirds of the park, or 16.33 acres, which contain a basketball court, lacrosse field and soccer field.

At the Jan. 28 meeting, Alec Chosta of Lane Engineering presented a proposed site plan to the planning commissioners, including the lighting layout, which concerned at least one resident who lives on Siesta Drive.

Town Planner Peter Johnston said the town codes “do make exceptions for lighted ball fields in public parks.” He suggested additional plantings along the eastern border of the park “of canopy trees that could, in time, mitigate that light overflow on the other properties.”

Caroline County Recreation and Parks Director Jamie Beechey suggested lights-out at 11 p.m. to correlate with the noise ordinance’s cut-off time.

While Chairman William Quick was in favor of the lighting concept, he said he was reluctant to sign off on the presented plan without consulting the town attorney. He requested a “more thorough lighting diagram” to see how the lighting would affect neighboring properties.

Vice-Chairman David Burroughs and Kevin Waterman agreed with Quick. Waterman requested that letters of no objection from adjacent property owners be obtained.

The commissioners tabled a decision about lighting until their next meeting.

During a public comment period, Alan Kampmeyer, a resident of Siesta Drive west of the park, objected to the ballfield lighting. “It’s a pretty big change,” he said. “It’s a very dark area. We like that.”

Kampmeyer expressed concerns about the environmental impact as well, including herring migration in Poor House Run behind the park.

He also questioned the need for new ballfields, listing the fields at the Denton Lions Club ballpark, Denton Elementary School and Lockerman Middle School. “I'm not against kids playing ball. I used to play ball,” he said. “This seems to me like it's just a little bit of overkill.”

As a compromise, Kampmeyer suggested at least an earlier lights-off time.

Bringman offered a different perspective, citing a “dramatic increase” in children playing Little League ball in Denton.

Before 2020, the league, which features T-ball, baseball and softball teams, averaged about 145 kids a year, he said. The numbers have climbed steadily, and in 2024, the total was 280 players.

A lack of field space may limit recruitment next year, Bringman said.

“I don't know where these kids are going to play ball,” he said. “I know this project obviously isn't going to be done and ready for our season this year, but we need it for next year, or else we're going to be turning kids away and having to put limits on each of our age groups of who can play, and they'll have to go elsewhere outside of Denton to play ball.”

Opening day is usually the first weekend in April, he said. The season usually finishes about mid-July.

Caroline County Commission President Travis Breeding addressed Kampmeyer’s concerns, suggesting that of the two county fields, the larger field be lit instead of the smaller one close to his property.

Breeding asked the Planning Commission to consider the constraints the county is under to use Project Open Space development funds.

“We don't have any other property around Denton that was purchased with Program Open Space money,” Breeding said. “So we're gonna light a field somewhere and use Program Open Space funds to do it. This is really the only centrally located property in the county that we can do it on.”

“It is a very important project, and it's kind of the hand we're dealt,” he said. “The county just does not receive enough funds from the state of Maryland to go out and buy another piece of property and do this somewhere else. It would never happen. It wouldn't happen in the next 50 years.”

The next meeting of the Denton Planning Commission is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, in the Town Hall.