Erection of Playgrounds in Residential Communities

     My name is Mortreese K. Blair, I live 4712 Parkside Drive Baltimore Maryland. I've lived in this community for ten years. I bought my home across from a park, which seemed like a quiet community.

     The last two years have been everything but quiet. The home owners association "Parkside improvement association Inc." placed a playground across the street from our homes. This playground is less than one hundred feet from my dwelling. The playground has become a meeting place for unruly teenagers, drug trafficking and sexual exploitation and other criminal activity.

     I went to the association meetings on several occasions asking for the playground to be relocated to another location. The response I was given was that there was no chance of that happening. I gave valid examples for wanting the playground removed, still no resolution. After attending the first meeting I learned that the community was supposed to have voted for or against the erection of this playground.

     When speaking to other residents, no one had any knowledge that this was going to take place, no signs were posted, no news letters were circulated. The two representatives for the 4700 block of Parkside have since moved. The neighbors who purchased their home from the prior residents were told that a playground was going to be erected directly across from their home.

     My husband and I have since notified Recreation and Parks and was told by them that the association had the playground placed there. We had special attention enforced for the playground, however that only last thirty day at a time. We have had dusk to dawn policies enforced.

     Each day there is a growing number of kids over the age of 12 utilizing this park. The Mayor is trying to give incentives for persons to purchase more homes in the City. Not to do anything about this problem will only deter future home buyers.

     Please inform me of the necessary steps that can be taken to to resolve this problem. Any assistance you can provide me will be greatly appreciated.