Harford County has not changed any of its traffic improvement requirements for the proposed Bel Air South Walmart in response to a recent state decision to permit partial access from the store site onto Route 924.
A Walmart spokesperson, meanwhile, says no changes should be necessary and the giant retailer hopes to work out a "mutually agreeable plan" with the county "in the near future."
With the prospect that the controversial project is back on track, some Emmorton-area residents told the Harford County Council Tuesday that they hope the Walmart does get built so 924 and other area roads can be made safer.
The State Highway Administration caught county leaders off-guard last month in reversing its prior stance that it would support the county's position against allowing access to and from Route 924 east of the 35-acre site south of Plumtree Road. The county was informed of the change by letter on Jan. 21.
The letter cites a Sept. 17, 2014 meeting, attended by SHA, county and Walmart representatives, at which Walmart renewed its request for Route 924 access, which the state had denied, citing a 2012 County Council resolution requesting such a denial.
According to the letter, written by Stephen D. Forster, chief/development manager of the SHA's Access Management Division, the state based its decision on its "independent review," adding: "The SHA respects and considered the input of Harford County Planning and Zoning and Harford County Council Resolution 26-12 in reaching this conclusion."
County officials have been quick to point out that nobody in the current or former county administrations asked SHA to permit any 924 access.
"As far as the county is concerned, nothing has changed here," spokesperson Candy Mumby said Tuesday.
Mumby explained that if Walmart were to bring a plan that incorporated the newly-granted 924 access, which would be a right-in and right-out entrance-exit only, the county would then require the company to do a new traffic study incorporating the change.
Mumby cautioned, however, that Walmart has not been heard from since the SHA reversal and no plan for the store is moving forward in the county approval process.
"The ball is in Walmart's court," she said.
Many improvements outlined
The county's original requirements for other road improvements still stand, Mumby said. They include building a roundabout at Blue Spruce Road, extending that road to connect with Plumtree Road, widening Plumtree between Routes 24 and 924, adding lanes to 24 and 924 and installing a traffic light at Bright Oaks Drive and 924.
County transportation planner Alex Rawls sent a list of the requirements to Walmart representatives Jan. 15, six days before Foster informed the county of the agency's change for 924. The Rawls letter, however, made it clear: "There has been no action taken by Harford County to modify its position regarding denial of access to MD 924 for this development."
Walmart spokesperson Bill Wertz said Thursday the company does not believe any "new" plan is needed for traffic improvement.
"We have made adjustments to the initial plan, working with the County and the State, since our original application submission over two years ago, and we remain open to additional changes to ensure safe and convenient access to our site," Wertz said in an emailed statement. "We have extensively analyzed the implications of having site access to MD 924 – as well as not having site access to MD 924. No firm timeline has been established for the conclusion of the review, but we hope to come to a mutually agreeable plan in the near future."
"While we are still reviewing the SHA's correspondence, we are pleased that both the County and the State seem to recognize that allowing site access to MD 924 might provide a transportation benefit to the overall roadway network," Wertz continued. "This access would give Walmart customers an additional entrance and exit point, reducing the amount of traffic entering the site from Plumtree Road and exiting the site onto Bel Air South Parkway."
"Together, with other improvements that the SHA and County are asking for, traffic to and from the site - and throughout the surrounding area - would flow more smoothly," he said. "We will continue to work with local and state officials as we move toward a mutually agreeable solution for both the County and the project."
No stopping it
Councilman Jim McMahan, who represents the Bel Air area, explained to the audience at Tuesday's council meeting why elected officials could not just stop the project.
Hundreds of residents spent much of 2012 and 2013 fighting against plans for Walmart to move to the corner of Plumtree Road and 924. Once the 186,000 square foot store is built, Walmart officials say they will close their existing Constant Friendship store, about two miles south of the Plumtree – Bel Air South site.
In a letter sent to County Executive Barry Glassman on Jan. 28, McMahan said he was shocked by the SHA's reversal on 924.
But McMahan said he understands "the emotion," but also does not think constituents want the "type of government where an elected official could stop or grant any type of project."
"I can't say, 'I want this and I want it now.' I am only one vote," he said, adding the county has a system of laws, with checks and balances.
"Government doesn't work on my schedule, and I seriously doubt it would work on anybody else's schedule," he said.
After the council meeting, two residents said they hope Walmart gets built so traffic improvements can finally be made on 924.
Elizabeth Cox, who lives in the Bright Oaks area, said besides the partial access to 924, Walmart would be required to install a signal at Bright Oaks Drive, which "will allow citizens to exit their community safely, finally."
She urged the council to work to build the store and get the traffic improvements.
"This has been going on for 30 months and this store could have been [built and opened]," she said.
Robert Juliana, of Box Hill North, also said he supports the Walmart project, noting the site has been slated for high-density development since the county's development envelope was conceived in the late 1970s.
"This is 30 months in the making, far longer than any project of its size in the county," she said. "Think of all the people who could have had jobs by now."
Bill Wehland, a Bel Air resident, who has worked to stop the Walmart project in the past, said he still believes more people are against it than for it.
He also wondered, however, if Walmart would even be able to meet the county's traffic improvement requirements, whether current or future.
"I think the roads are overcrowded at this point," he said, noting other projects, including the new MedStar medical arts building at 924 and Plumtree, are also being built in the area.