Rooftop Dining Area, Hospital Expansion Approved In Bel Air

BEL AIR, MD — Three proposed developments in town were approved Thursday night in Bel Air. Among them were changes at the Main Street Tower and Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

The Main Street Tower was granted permission for its rooftop deck to be used for outdoor dining. The proposal calls for a 1,658-square-foot outdoor dining area.

In September 2019, owner Renato Buontempo appeared before the Bel Air Planning Commission about a 2,311-square-foot outdoor dining area on the rooftop deck.

At that time, the Tower received authorization to update a railing and install a sound wall over the winter. The architect who presented the proposal described it as "phase one" of the deck project, for which he said planning began in early 2019. Buontempo and his architect were told they would need to come back to the board with a site plan outlining proposed use of the deck. The planning commission also stipulated that permits would be required for the deck, roof rails and outdoor dining.

At Thursday's hearing, the commission approved the site plan and special development request.

One other proposal before the commission was for an 11,000-square-foot addition to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center at 500 Upper Chesapeake Drive. The expansion would be on the support services part of the hospital. A site plan, landscape plan and special development request were approved.

Plans also got the green light for additions to the previously approved ambulatory surgical center at 515 South Tollgate Road. They include a 16,061-square-foot addition and 2,299-square-foot addition to the first floor, according to the planning commission. The surgical center will offer surgery in a less costly setting than a hospital and is designed to meet the needs of the community for more inpatient and outpatient beds with the future closure of Harford Memorial Hospital, Upper Chesapeake's representative said at previous hearing in November 2018 about the project.