The Bel Air Town Commissioners renewed their agreement with the Rockfield Foundation, approving another annual lease during their meeting Monday evening.
The original lease, according to Town Administrator Chris Schlehr, was approved in 1997 and has been renewed yearly since. This year, however, the town met with the Rockfield Foundation to work out revisions to the original lease, including increasing the liability insurance from $1 million to $2 million.
The lease includes the main house, barn and outbuildings at the town-owned property on Churchville Road, Schlehr said, and requires the town to maintain the grounds as well as make repairs to Rockfield Manor. In return, the tenant, the Rockfield Foundation, pays the utilities.
The Rockfield Foundation, which had already approved the new lease, is also required to submit monthly financial reports, Schlehr added.
Schlehr also confirmed that the new lease, which requires the Rockfield Foundation to pay utilities, will save the town money.
For the first time, he also added, the foundation will help with a project at the property - installing a new patio - by funding half of the estimated $15,000 cost, with the town paying the other half from grant money.
The town commissioners also received an ordinance on development regulations codification with a public hearing to be scheduled at an October meeting.
Planning Director Kevin Small presented the ordinance, saying the changes to the code primarily deal with formatting and have few textual changes. The textual changes are minor, he added later, such as streamlining department names for consistency.
Public comment
Patrick Sullivan, of Tollgate Road, was the only person to comment at the meeting, bringing to light his issues with Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.
The hospital, he said, was building an access road only 10 feet away from his property and the physical barrier between the two properties, which was required, has been destroyed with new parking lot construction.
Sullivan also said diesel engine machines run constantly, violating the noise ordinance.
Schlehr acknowledged Sullivan's concerns and pointed out that the access road, though close, was the correct distance away, according to development regulations. Schlehr did, however, say they would look into the noise issues and the lack of a barrier, as well as the portion of Sullivan's fence hospital contractors supposedly knocked down.
Other business
Mayor David Carey announced the next two concerts in the noon Friday series. The Jules Jams concert will be Sept. 23 at noon on Office Street and the Bel Air High School Jazz Band and Chorus will follow the next Friday, Sept. 30, at the same time and place.
The Bel Air Police Department is teaming with the Bel Air Lions Club to host a Child Safety Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 8 in Shamrock Park.
There will also be a Cultural Arts Film Festival, sponsored by the Bel Air Cultural Arts Committee, at the Bel Air Armory Oct. 21 through 23.
The next town hall meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall at 39 N. Hickory Ave.