The Town of Bel Air recently received two road easements, including a key one near Harford Mall, as discussed by town commissioners and department heads in a work session Tuesday afternoon at Town Hall.
One easement is for a potential traffic signal at Boulton Street and Gateway Drive, although the town has not agreed to install stoplights, despite requests from residents of the English Country Manor community off of Gateway, several traffic control measures have been under discussion.
After submitting the easement request to Harford Mall's management months ago, Public Works Director Randolph Robertson said, he had not expected a response.
The mall owner did, however, finally grant the easement to allow the town to undertake future traffic control measures.
More than a year ago, the town proposed putting in a camera at the intersection to monitor traffic stopped at Gateway and to control traffic signals on either side at the entrance to Best Buy and at Boulton Street and Tollgate Road.
Even that device could not be considered until the town had the requested easement from the mall.
Robertson also announced at the work session that the town has received a road improvement right-of-way easement for a 30-foot portion of Western Alley.
The easement came about because someone wanted to build a house along the alley and, with the easement, the town hopes to eventually make it a "true road," Robertson said.
Western Alley runs between Thomas and George streets and is one-way. It borders part of Plumtree Park, but there are also a few residential properties and one business property along it.
Town Commissioner Edward Hopkins, who has wanted to turn the alley into a wider street, also brought up the idea of changing the name, citing research that showed no historical significance in the name Western Alley. Possible changes are Scott Avenue or Scott Way, Hopkins added.
The Scott family was prominent in Bel Air for much of the town's early history, owning most of the land that became Bel Air and which was originally known as "Scott's Old Fields," according to the town's website.
All that's required of the commissioners is to accept both easements, Robertson said.
Packer purchase
Commissioners said they will consider the purchase of a new 20-cubic yard demolition packer trash truck during Monday's regular town meeting. The purchase was approved in the budget, Robertson said, at last year's purchase price of $145,570 from Hickory International.
This year, however, the price went up $2,000, to $147,570, but the Department of Public Works saved around $2,000 on the refuse collection calendar mailouts this year, thus providing the extra funds, Robertson reported.
'Impact fees'
Planning Director Kevin Small also briefly discussed current legislation on impact fees and the possibility of changing it in the future.
Many of the changes were to make the code a "bit more focused," Small said, including altering the name from "impact fees" to "adequate public facilities" and clearing up ambiguous language.
The name change reflects a more focused view as well, he said, because impact fees are directed toward costs per housing unit in a new development, while adequate public facilities would assess the new development's overall effect on the town's roads, water and sewer systems, schools and other facilities.
The possible changes would also make the fee formula easier to read and delete ambiguous language, Small explained.
Town Administrator Chris Schlehr reiterated that this was just the first consideration for a change and in the coming weeks they could discuss more about what modifications are recommended.
Town commissioners will also need to vote on a resolution for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford County at Monday's town meeting. The club intends to start a project to provide an educational enhancement program, according to Department of Administration Director Joyce Oliver.
In order to receive donations from area businesses, Oliver said, the commissioners would need to pass a resolution supporting the project, in accordance with a Department of Housing Community Investment tax credit they received.
Club President Tory Pierce is expected to be at the meeting to offer more insight on the request.
Other Business:
Monday's town meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall at 39 N. Hickory Ave.
The Bel Air Braves and members of the Teen Center will be recognized at the next meeting, as will two police department promotions.
Oliver announced the town's Sept. 11 commemoration will be held Saturday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. in Shamrock Park. There will be music from the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra and the Deer Creek Chamber Choir.