A Carroll County Circuit Court judge extended a golf course’s restraining order against the town of Hampstead on Thursday in what local officials predicted is the first of many legal complaints that will be filed against municipalities attempting to use eminent domain to secure new water sources.

Judge Michael Galloway extended Oakmont Green Golf Club’s restraining order for 10 days to give Hampstead time to file its intent to appropriate one of the golf course’s two irrigation wells for the public water system.

A wave of correspondence between Oakmont and Town Manager Ken Decker about when municipal employees could visit the property to survey the well sparked the battle.

The golf course wanted prior notice to avoid disruption of pre-paid rounds of golf, said Oakmont’s lawyer, Richard Titus, but Decker wrote in a letter dated April 25 that town employees could enter without permission.

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Galloway ruled that Hampstead must provide notice and extended the restraining order to give the town and the golf course time to work out a schedule for visits.

“Most people are not crazy about … [eminent domain] but when we’re talking about water, we’re talking about something that’s essential,” Galloway said. “The issue of adequate water supply is not one that just Carroll faces, but the state and nation.”

Oakmont Vice President Leland Snyder vowed to fight for his well.

“Buying my own water back is ridiculous,” he said. “I’ll be out of business.”

Carroll’s towns are working to comply with new Maryland Department of the Environment calculations that lowered how many gallons municipalities are allowed to pump from the ground.

Similar lawsuits “will be popping up all over,” said Decker, who described water as a public resource.

In July, Hampstead will determine whether it should enact a building moratorium until it finds more water.

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com