Bel Air Denies Annexation Request For Land Near Liriodendron

BEL AIR, MD — The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners voted Monday to deny the petition by a developer to annex a parcel of land near the Liriodendron mansion into the town of Bel Air.

The company, Liriod LLC, proposed annexation of the 1.46-acre parcel off Gordon at Catherine streets to enable the development of three homes on the property.

Commissioner Pat Richards, who proposed denying the annexation, made the suggestion after his fellow commissioners would not require the developer to limit development to two homes.

"Now is the time to restrict development," Richards said at Monday night's Town Hall meeting, which was held virtually. "Be careful of the unintended consequences."

Commissioners Kevin Bianca and Donna Kahoe also voted to deny the annexation request.

The decision to deny annexation came after two months of public input on the matter.

Nearly 20 citizens spoke out against annexation and development on the property at an Oct. 1 meeting of the planning commission, held at Calvary Baptist Church rather than the Bel Air Town Hall due to public interest and the need for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Afterward, the Bel Air Planning Commission recommended approving Liriod LLC's request to annex the land from Harford County into the town of Bel Air, based on three conditions: any future land use is limited to three single-family detached lots; no vehicular access will be allowed on Gordon Street; and the subdivision plan must include a landscape buffering plan.

Attorney Bradley Stover asked the town commissioners at a virtual Nov. 16 public hearing on the matter to postpone a vote since his client, Liriod LLC, wanted to research the stipulations.

"The big one is the access," Stover said. Going from Catherine Street instead of Gordon requires "more development work, more stormwater management, which increases the development costs," he said.

"Ultimately, the applicant's preference would be that the annexation move forward without any development conditions," Stover said at the continuation of the November hearing, which took place virtually Monday, Dec.7. "But we understand," he said, the commissioners are "going to take into consideration whatever it is that the planning commission has recommended."

Bel Air Mayor Amy Chmielewski and Town Commissioner Erin Hughes voted against denying the annexation.

"I'd rather have a say in what happens to that property," Chmielewski said after the board voted to deny the annexation request. Had the annexation request been approved, the town would be able to set stipulations for the property.

"It is not longer before the town," Bel Air town attorney Charles B. Keenan said after the annexation request was denied.

"It's likely they would pursue development in the county," Bel Air Director of Planning & Community Development Kevin Small said of Liriod LLC at November's hearing. Liriod LLC does not have access to sewer in the county and would likely "pursue" access, he explained, which could entail legal action.

This story will be updated. Get news alerts from Bel Air Patch.

See Also:

• Liriodendron Area Annexation Request: November Hearing Planned
• Land By Liriodendron Can Be Annexed: Bel Air Planning Commission
• Public Hearing Continued About Annexation Of Land On Catherine Street