In 1965, the Broadneck Development Corporation with officers Tom Baldwin and Bill Dixon purchased 420 acres of farm and horse-riding land along Shore Acres Road from Irvin Robinson and Richard Hammond.

Our story

Mr. Baldwin wanted to build a Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a variety of housing types but needed public utilities, rezoning and amenities to draw home buyers to this rural area.  At the time, the Anne Arundel County Zoning Ordinance contained no provision for planned unit development so the developer requested separate single-family, multi-family and commercial zones based on a master plan to accommodate the developmental concept.

The rezoning and master plan were approved in 1968 and included a golf course, neighborhood shopping center, single-family and multi-family units as well as a community marina.  The developers called it Bay Hills because of its proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and the rolling nature of the land.  A golf course theme was used with the various sections and streets named after well-known golf courses.

The first section was developed in 1969 and consisted of 50 single-family house lots and the golf course.  Several local builders contracted to purchase the lots and community development got underway.

At that time, access to Bay Hills was via Ritchie Highway to Jones Station Road, a narrow winding county road, portions of which still exist.  From Jones Station Rd, motorists had to turn onto Shore Acres Road which was narrower and even more curved than Jones Station Rd.  County sewer connections and the Bay Hills pumping station were not complete and a spray irrigation sewage disposal system was utilized on the golf course for the first 50 lots.

In 1971, College Parkway was opened and access was greatly improved.  Home construction and sales were slow in 1972, and the developers contracted to sell lots to Ryland Homes which had just started operations in Anne Arundel County.  Ryland Homes completed many of the homes in Section I and ultimately built most of the single-family homes throughout the balance of the subdivision.

The Bay Hills Village and Oakland Hills Apartment were built during the early 1970’s and the developer believed that Bay Hills could be expanded and purchased additional land from Richard Hammond.

That land contained frontage along College Parkway where the neighborhood shopping center was relocated from its original site (which is now Five Acres Play Area where the pool, pavilion and a playground are located).   The balance of the Hammond land was planned for town houses.

Although the County denied a permit to build a marina on land adjacent to Deep Creek, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, it did later allow the development of town homes near Deep Creek while preserving the property’s wooded steep slopes and wetlands. Those town homes now comprise the Pine Valley community of the Bay Hills Community Association.

The balance of the multi-family and townhouse sections were constructed by various builders.  The construction of Andrew Hill, the final section, began in 1996.

Through more than 30 years of Bay Hills’ history, Tom Baldwin, the developer, has always worked to hold the subdivision to high standards and has contributed greatly to the community in time and financial support.