Mayoral Candidates Discuss Residential Development

Patch asked candidates for the May 3 election to share their opinions on more than a dozen topics relating to the city.

In this installment, the candidates for Havre de Grace mayor—incumbent Wayne Dougherty and challenger City Councilman Mitch Shank—discuss residential development in Havre de Grace:

Wayne Dougherty

Dougherty said a lot can be done to boost housing. But he thinks his proposed stimulus plan will help boost residential development in Havre de Grace.

“The stimulus there, its just not the economic side of building more homes that are scheduled to be built that will help us (with more money for the water and sewer fund), but also folks who own property in Havre de Grace that would like to build,” Dougherty said. 

The key, Dougherty said, is reducing capital cost recover fees, which the incumbent calls “astronomical.” Those are fees paid to the city and county for new construction and he suggests delaying payment of those fees.

“I think that’s one of the biggest things when somebody goes into a lending institution, that’s a hold-back on them,” Dougherty said. “The proposal of the stimulus, I think it might spark some interest and get some things moving. I know for a fact that builders and developers and citizens, they have expressed a very positive reaction to it. Hopefully it will take off and move in the right direction.”

Mitch Shank

Shank said the city can take on only so many more homes. He estimates only another 1,900 pre-approved lots—including Bulle Rock and Greenway Farm—can be built upon.

“We’re limited by the size of our (water treatment) plant,” Shank said. “Those are the ones that have been approved.”

Shank doesn’t anticipate any more annexation taking place, in part because the asset that people who are outside the city seek from Havre de Grace will become available via a regional water system.

“I believe this water authority is going to come in. It has to happen,” he said. “The biggest reason why people want to be annexed in is water and sewer.”

Shank said if the regional water authority idea were to falter, the only other direction to annex would be further up Chapel Road.

“The only way you’d annex anything is through infill, property that’s already surrounded (by the city),” he said.

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Other issues the candidates for mayor have addressed:

—April 20

—April 21

—April 22

—April 23

—April 25

—April 26