The Harford County Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday night on a bill to allow the expansion of gas stations, including those located in agricultural areas without a public water supply, without Board of Appeals approval, under certain circumstances, the council will determine if a Gas station Feasibility study needs to take place..
After Fallston, Upper Crossroads, and other communities experienced contaminated residential wells resulting from the infiltration of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from leaking underground gasoline storage tanks, a 2005 bill prohibited new gas stations in Harford County in areas where adjoining properties were not serviced with public drinking water.
However, since MTBE is no longer used as a fuel additive and now that Maryland has adopted new underground fuel storage tank requirements that are “among the strictest in the nation,” a proposed bill would exempt gas stations in existence prior to August 29, 2005 from the requirement of being located adjacent to properties with a public water supply – as long as the underground fuel storage tanks are replaced in compliance with state code.
Although most of the MTBE contamination occurred in the northern portion of Harford County, the proposed gas station reform bill is sponsored by county councilmen Dick Slutzky and Jim McMahan, who represent Aberdeen/Churchville and Bel Air, respectively. The public hearing begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Another public hearing Tuesday night concerns a proposed bill which would permit electronic message boards in the agricultural district. The bill, proposed by county councilman Joe Woods, who represents Abingdon and Fallston, would limit such electronic signs to 6-feet tall, hours of operation from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and prohibit any “animation, motion, flashing, blinking, or shimmering.”
A third public hearing Tuesday night is in regard to the repeal and recodification of the ethics code to be consistent with requirements approved by the State Ethics Commission.
Also on the agenda Tuesday night, the county council will introduce a Water & Sewer Capital Project Fund Balance Transfer from the Bush Creek project and consider amendments to bills regarding the Commission on Veterans’ Affairs, Signs, and the Ethics Code.
The council will also receive a report from the Bipartisan Commission and present a proclamation in recognition of Community Foundation Week.
The full agenda is listed below:
COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARFORD COUNTY November 8, 2011LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 11-25
A.A. Roberty Building
102 South Hickory Avenue
Bel Air, Maryland 21014PUBLIC HEARING
6:30 p.m.– Bill No. 11-48 (Gas Station Reforms)
– Bill No. 11-49 (Signs)
– Bill No. 11-50 (Ethics Code Repeal)
***********************************************************************November 8, 2011
7:30 P.M.
AGENDA1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. OPENING PRAYER – Council Member McMahan
4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION
a. Community Foundation Week5. CITIZEN INPUT
6. CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS AND APPLICATIONS
7. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – PH (11/1/11) and LSD (11/1/11)
9. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS
10. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
a. Bill No. 11-55 (Water & Sewer Capital Project Fund Balance Transfer – Bush Creek)
11. INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS
a. Amendments to Bill No. 11-47 – Commission on Veterans’ Affairs
b. Amendments to Bill No. 11-49 – Signs
c. Amendments to Bill No. 11-50 – Ethics Code Repeal
12. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS
13. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS
14. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
15. NEW BUSINESS
a. Bipartisan Commission Report
16. BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT
17. BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS
18. COMMENTS FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS
19. ADJOURNMENT
********************************************************************************************To request disability-related accommodations, please call 410-638-3343 or 410-638-3491 (TTY) NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION
This document is available in alternative format upon request.
www.HarfordCountyMd.gov
November 15, 2011
A.A. Roberty Building
102 South Hickory Avenue
Please leave us alone. I know I cant speak for everyone, but the majority of us in the rural areas(I live in White Hall)dont want large gas stations,or electronic signs.I attended a community meeting several months ago on the gas station topic. There was a lawyer from Brown,Brown, and Brown in Bel Air speaking in favor. Man, did he get an earful!
“…bill to allow the expansion of gas stations, including those located in agricultural areas without a public water supply, without Board of Appeals approval…”
–what could possibly go wrong with that?!?
“…most of the MTBE contamination occurred in the northern portion of Harford County, the proposed gas station reform bill is sponsored by county councilmen Dick Slutzky and Jim McMahan, who represent Aberdeen/Churchville and Bel Air…”
–I wonder who might be supporting those two folks in their push for this legislation???
There’s nothing quite like seeing elected officials acting for the “good of the public”, while being lobbied by special interests. Gotta love it. At least we’re consistent….we follow that same method at the local, state and federal levels of government. Have you all had enough yet?
Has anyone ever torn down a town to build a farm or forest?
I would like those who are in the position to make decisions on actions involving the community to keep in mind that throughout the county, but especially in the rural areas, there are a significant number of people whose interest goes beyond business and dollars.
There is a lifestyle and an attitude that goes with the statement “Keep Us Rural.” Even given all the “development” that has occurred in our county during the last generation, we are thankfully still in a position where citizens have a choice. We have communities offering quick access to highways. We have communities that have a municipal focus and we have areas that remain rural. While there are some in the rural community that lament the “inconvenience” of having to travel to conduct business, the majority of people in our rural communities prefer the isolation. Unfortunately there are too many people who do not understand the dislike of living by or near “business hours.” Even more unfortunate is that there is no opportunity to turn back. Once the lights are on, the people come and the rural flavor is lost. So those living in rural communities are forced to fight back, not out of choice but of necessity. If we don’t fight against encroachment, our country life is taken away. And town-folk just don’t understand our concern.
So I do not want to be thought anti-business but I do want to have to drive to the bank and the pharmacy and to get a burger. And I can get gas while I’m out. Living near these things is not a convenience to me. I want my surroundings dark and quiet at night.
So please, members of the council, do not relinquish any control of “developments” that impact our rural community and be especially aware that the changes you make are not only permanent, but also serve as seeds for further change (read: deterioration of our rural community.)
Who votes for these people?
The Headline Reads: Electronic Signs Coming to Agricultural District. Is that a given? Do we have to? Are the hours of operation and prohibitions on motion etc. a concession?
In this day of virtually universally available instantaneous information, “signs” should be disappearing rather than proliferating. What happened to “Going Green?” Take the signs down, don’t light them up!
We have a GPS that can show us; we have a smart phone that can tell us. We have friends that can send us more information than we can possibly use.
All the farmers I know are smart enough to find what they are looking for without any need for a lighted sign. Are the farmers asking for this change? So why are we even considering lighted signs in an agricultural community?
“We have a GPS that can show us; we have a smart phone that can tell us. We have friends that can send us more information than we can possibly use.”
Uh, that smart phone needs cell towers that are usually fought hard by the “Keep Us Rural” type of groups, who often will also complain if their cell coverage is weak. How do you feel about the towers?
I agree. This Council and Administration has done a horrible job with the the proliferation of signs and electronic signs, now they are spreading them to the Agcicultural District. I thought the County was spending millions to preserve the rural character of northern harford county….
I don’t intend to speak for anyone, but a limited code for electronic signs (even in rural areas) seems sensible, because you’re also talking about signs in front of schools, churches, small local business, family restaurants, etc. Banning electronic signs entirely seems unreasonable to me– and perhaps unrealistic.
But if most of the people in a rural area would prefer none at all, and it’s legal, I’d support that wish.
I hope this reply does not come off as critical of the previous writer, but the idea of a reasonable compromise is exactly why we have the problem we are facing. A sign above a store would seem reasonable. Fast forward a number of reasonable compromises and we have a lighted marquee at the street and a sign above the store that is lighted 24/7. Don’t even get me started about the security or parking lights!
A name on the side of or in front of a school or church or business seems reasonable, but with all the information technology available today do we also need the lighted marquee? At what point does the right to advertise become too invasive? Does reasonable have a finite number? If you are an advocate for a rural environment, when do you get to call, “Enough?”
Banning electric or redundant signs is completely realistic. I recently saw a smart-phone that when held up at the end of the street, identified all the businesses on that street. And then you can get hours of operation, make a reservation or call. Signs do not have to be gaudy or invasive to be effective. The problem is that signs are meant to be seen and invasive signs stand out more. But we should consider…customers will find a good business that meets a need…flashing marquee notwithstanding.
Agri-businesses, retail businesses; agriculturally and commercially zoned property owners have the right to install security lighting and to sign their properties in a effort to compete in the marketplace.
There are innumerable actions that are not illegal and are within one’s rights that still count as bad ideas.
Paul, your statement is entirely true. Is there any room in what you have said for those who prefer to maintain the rural flavor of their community or are we damned to the encroachment of your “development” and “progress?”
While I’ve never farmed, I have lived in an agricultural community for most of my life and fail to see a strong need for security lighting or six foot lighted signs. But that is digressing from the point. The issue is whether a business in an agricultural district ought to be able to expand or add lighting or signs (lighted and up to six feet tall) without preview or input. As a “Keep Us Rural” supporter I just wish that you consider us and “Be careful what you wish for…”
It would seem from your statement that the only individual who can avoid these urban encroachments is the one who has bought the farm!
MTBE is a potential carcinogen so we had to get it out of drinking water and ban it.
However, ethanol is a PROVEN carcinogen.
Hmmmm, so we banned the POTENTIAL carcinogen but now that it has been replaced by a PROVEN carcinogen (thanks to the environmental/Iowa special interest groups), we are going to start allowing it back into areas that are potentially hazardous for drinking water. Smart move.
In reply to Phil Dirt:
I appreciate you reading my comment
Cellular towers? I hate ‘em!
But just as you noted, I use a cell phone so it is a dilemma. I don’t know how effective they are, but I prefer seeing antennas on silos. At least it’s dual purpose. I think the faux foliage is silly. Those things don’t appear to be built to last a thousand years so I’m hopeful that we’ll come up with a better solution. I’ll admit it. If someone proposed a tower in close proximity to my home view, I would want to fight against it. I hope I’m not being hypocritical; I’d rather I be considered practical. Let’s limit the number of necessary evils. How? Item by item and case by case.
Public hearings start in 10 minutes in Bel Air.
Tell the council what you like or dislike about these proposals.