Tensions between the Baltimore Country Club and the Roland Park Civic League surfaced before an ugly meeting Oct. 14 about the club's plans to sell 17 acres of its green space to Keswick Multi-Care Center for development as a 343-bed retirement center..

In a stern letter to its members, the club accused the league of being obstructionist.

"Keswick and the club have attempted to establish a constructive dialogue with the Roland Park Civic League," says the Oct. 3 letter signed by club president John Daue. "Unfortunately, the civic league has declined to engage in any meaningful dialogue."

The letter also accuses the league of spreading misinformation about Keswick's proposed development -- 343 beds and underground parking at Falls and Hillside roads.

The letter lists a litany of complaints about the civic league's conduct, including the allegation that the league has overstated the environmental impact of the project and hasn't posted Keswick's concept plans, traffic impact studies and other documents on the league's Web site, www.rolandpark.org.

The letter also defends the sale, saying the club's board voted to accept Keswick's proposal because it would preserve more land than under another offer.

Facts such as those have not been accurately portrayed by the league, Daue's letter says.

The league wants the club to sell the land to the league, whose members are trying to raise as much as $14 million to buy it.

In the letter, the club encourages its members, most of whom live in Baltimore County, to write letters to Mayor Sheila Dixon and members of the City Council to show support for the project.

Included with Daue's letter are two sample letters for supporters to use when writing to city officials.

The first sample letter is for club members who live in Roland Park; the second for those who don't.

Daue's cover letter asks supporters to attend a special league meeting Oct. 14 to "state their support."

Other points made in the club's letter include:

* The club's board of governors seriously considered voting for a proposal to develop a single-family residential development on the property but decided Keswick's proposal would be "preferable," because it would preserve more green space and it called for "a relatively limited area of development."

* The club liked Keswick's "favorable financial and operational profile and experience."

* Most of the purchase price to be paid by Keswick -- said to be $12.5 million -- would be invested by the club to renovate and enhance the Roland Park clubhouse on Club Road.

* There is a compelling demand for a retirement community in north Baltimore, where many seniors in Roland Park, Guilford and Homeland are being forced to move to the county to "age in place."

The club's letter has not been well received in Roland Park.

David Blumberg, a league plat representative and past president of the league, chafed at the notion that the league is being unreasonable and is unwilling to talk.

Blumberg said the league was never asked to present its side of the story to country club members or to Keswick's board of trustees, yet the league is planning the Oct. 14 meeting just so Keswick can make its case for the retirement center.

"We can't be that bad -- because they're inviting people to the party we're throwing them," he said.

League officials are also angry that the club and Keswick are inviting supporters from outside the community to the meeting.

Recent assertions by Keswick Chief Executive Officer Libby Bowerman that invitations have not been sent to people outside Roland Park are disingenuous, Blumberg said. He said the meeting date is posted on Keswick's Web site.

"Cyberspace must only be available in the 21210 (ZIP code)," he said sarcastically.

Chris Corbett, a Roland Park resident, said the letter completely misrepresented how the community has behaved.

"The letter from Baltimore Country Club is just a pack of lies, and it speaks to the country club's history of dealing with the community in bad faith," Corbett said.

Daue, the club's president, "should be ashamed to sign that letter," Corbett said.

Country club representatives did not return calls seeking comment.

For coverage of Tuesday night's meeting, go to wwwbaltimoremessenger.com.

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