Headlights beaming through front windows. Gunfire in the neighborhood. Some who live in the Locksley Manor subdivision just outside Aberdeen's city limits say it's happening again.

The owner of a neighboring golf course at the center of a dispute over annexation was charged in November after shots were fired in the neighborhood. The annexation issue came up again last week at a city meeting -- along with, several residents said, commotion in their subdivision.

Paul Burkheimer said he called police after a truck that was parked across from his house beamed its headlights through his front window about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. His neighbor, Rosemary Queen, reported hearing "a single shot, then it was like automatic fire that went off repeatedly" while walking with a neighbor Tuesday evening.

"Hopefully, this isn't starting up again," Queen said.

Residents obtained nine peace orders, and the golf course owner was charged after a disagreement in 2006 about a plan to add 524 acres to the city of Aberdeen.

Samuel C. Smedley, the owner of the Wetlands Golf Club, was charged in November with handgun possession in a vehicle, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct after being suspected of firing shots while driving through the Locksley Manor subdivision, according to court records.

State troopers found a revolver, a shotgun, an assault rifle, more than 700 rounds of ammunition and several empty rounds and casings in his Dodge truck, according to a statement of probable cause.

Three days after his arrest, nine of his neighbors filed for peace orders with the Harford County District Court.

Smedley has a court date in District Court on April 7.

When reached by phone yesterday, Smedley said he had no comment and referred questions to his attorney. His attorney did not return calls.

Residents successfully fought the annexation attempt that would have paved the way for the development of more than 1,000 homes.

Wetlands Golf Club was the largest part of the proposed annexation area. Smedley also was a partner in a development plan to build on some of his property.

The annexation would have brought townhouses, condominiums and houses priced at an average of $350,000, officials said.

With nearby Aberdeen Proving Ground expected to add thousands of jobs as part of a nationwide military base expansion, known as BRAC, developers and city officials publicized the project as an opportunity for growth and increasing the city's tax base.

But some residents who wanted to maintain a tranquil lifestyle vigorously opposed the plan. When the Aberdeen City Council passed the annexation, residents created a grass-roots group, blanketed the city with anti-annexation signs and disrupted golfers on the course by blowing horns into their backswing.

They succeeded in reversing the City Council's decision in a special election.

Less than a year later, the Aberdeen mayor who strongly backed the annexation was voted out of office in the city election in November.

Four days later, Smedley was charged with discharging firearms in Locksley Manor.

The latest annexation project, now headed by KCI Technologies, an engineering company based in Hunt Valley, has a new name: Glengarry.

This plan, which would be smaller than the previous one by 27 acres, excludes Locksley Manor, where most of the resistance originated more than a year ago.

Curtis C. Coon, an attorney for the development team, said, "We're going to have various concepts, featuring different types of land use. Certainly the developer wants to work with the community and bring in a positive situation for all parties involved."

Developers of Glengarry have proposed several public meetings and workshops through December, starting with one at City Hall on April 2.

Chuck Doty, a founding member of the group, Aberdeen Communities Together, that formed in opposition to the annexation plan, said, "Knowing what we went through with the Wetlands, Glengarry is not going to be better received, for the same reasons."

madison.park@baltsun.com