Town Residents Need To Act NOW To Save This Historic Landmark
UPDATE: I will be meeting for an interview with the owner of the Property, David Snyder, on Friday so he can share his ideas for the Robert Morris Inn. We’ll do a follow up to this article on Friday and will include that interview.
Built as the River View House in 1710 and an Inn since 1800, Oxford’s Robert Morris Inn is the oldest full-service inn in America. The historic landmark has been considered a treasure in the town, the State of Maryland and the United States. It has been a central gathering place for Oxford citizens and visitors to the town from time immemorial.
The Town of Oxford has an historic district that is anchored by the Robert Morris Inn, a working Inn with a restaurant nestled on the corner of Oxford’s Morris Street and historic Strand. But the time of seeing this grand old lady next to the Tred Avon River may be coming to an end.
If owner David Snyder, who once said, “The history of this property is unbelievable,” implements his alleged recent plans, the Inn could soon be developed into five to twelve upscale condos. The connection to history would be tenuous, and possibly non-existent.
Snyder purchased the property in January as a working inn and restaurant. He has recently changed his plan from maintaining the business as it is and has asked for a special exception from the zoning designation of C-2 to include both commercial and residential zoning. This would allow him to build the condos/villas/townhouses under a mixed-use zoning. The language of the exception states:
Section 26.02 of the Oxford Zoning Ordinance is hereby amended as follows:
26.02 – Special Exceptions. The following uses and structures may be permitted by special exception in the “C-2” district:
M. Apartments
N. Condominiums
O. Townhouses, providing that any row of townhouses may not include more than six dwelling units. The facades of dwelling units in a townhouse shall be varied by changed front yards or not less than three feet and variation in materials or design, so that no more than three abutting units will have the same front yard depth or the same or essentially the same architectural treatment of facades and roof lines.
It’s unclear if Snyder plans to have this nationally historic building demolished or preserved. Would he build the six possible townhouses allowed in the ordinance to extend down the Strand from the Inn, down Morris Street from the Inn, or to extend with three down the Strand and three down Morris Street?
Any way you look at it, the end result is an Oxford no one ever thought we would see or live in.
His plans have to be approved by Oxford’s Planning Commission. Unbelievably, the Commission is considering his request and a draft ordinance has been created to provide the exception. During a recent Historic Commission Meeting, Snyder presented his plans for the Robert Morris to the Historic Commission. A livestream of his presentation can be found here at approximately 10 minutes 30 seconds:
Stream Video – Town Hall Streams
Another consideration of this exception would be that ANY commercial property owner in town could now use the approval of the Robert Morris Inn’s exception to build condos, apartments or townhouses because of precedent. This might mean that local marinas could turn this wonderful town into St. Micheals or, even worse, Kent Island, by adding development that would ruin the quiet, beautiful nature of Oxford. What might be next?
This consideration of re-zoning appears to be yet another move toward the degradation of Oxford. Converting the Robert Morris Inn into so-called luxury condos must not happen for many reasons. Beyond eroding quality of life for all of us who call Oxford home, this kind of exclusivity would be as insulting to the residents of Oxford as the bloated development currently happening in Bellevue.
And, as always, it waits to be determined who will make money off the ruination of the Inn and Oxford. Aside from the possible business involved, will there be locals looking to line their pockets because of this amended ordinance? Will they trade the history and character of this town for their own aggrandizement? Possible.
It’s time for the residents of Oxford to speak up.
The next meeting of consequence for the fate of the Robert Morris Inn will be the Historic Commission Meeting on Monday, November 4, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. at the Town Office. This will be the agenda:
Citizens who want information about Mr. Snyder’s ideas and wish to protect this treasured landmark should pack the room. Whether you can attend or not, you should remind the Commissioners and the members of these committees that we must PROTECT this historic Oxford landmark and the integrity of our beautiful town. Send emails/letters to the following:
Town Commissioners:
Norm Bell – nbell@goeaston.net
Katrina Greer- kgreer@goeaston.net
Tom Costigan – tcostigan@goeaston.net
Town Attorney:
Lyndsay Ryan – lryan@bbcmlaw.com
Town Office:
oxfordclerktreasurer@goeaston.net
Also address your emails to “Members of the Historic Commission, the Planning Commission and the Zoning Appeals Board”
The residents of Oxford may not agree on everything, but we must work to save this wonderful part of our town’s history.
Tell them NOT to give an exception to the Zoning Ordinance. Tell them to protect the Robert Morris Inn and our history.
Special Notes: The Maryland Historic Trust has been contacted by citizens but have indicated they cannot help the situation.
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