Proposed Bel Air Walmart Site Plan Released

A meeting seeking community input on a proposed 185,706 sq. ft. is scheduled to take place next week and some members of the community are already voicing opposition to the project.

Advertising for the meeting, scheduled to take place July 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at , was originally printed in The Aegis before Harford County Planning and Zoning was aware of it.

The meeting has since been announced on the county's web site along with a proposed site plan, which you can find attached to this article.

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The plan outlines a 185,706 sq. ft. building at the southwest corner of the intersection of Plumtree Road and Emmorton Road, or MD Route 924. It also includes a proposed extension of Blue Spruce Drive and several acres designated for future development. The front of the building would face away from Plumtree Road toward a parking lot about the same size as the building.

"The purpose of this meeting is for the Applicant to provide information to the community regarding the proposed commercial development (including draft plans for the site layout), and to allow citizens to ask questions and make comments and suggestions," the legal ad states.

In March of 2011, Walmart representatives told Patch the chain was considering to the 33.7-acre lot.

Based on preliminary discussions, Walmart plans to build a superstore at the new location and sell the current building located in , a Walmart employee told Patch last year.

It remains unclear whether closing the Abingdon store is part of the current plan. In addition to the Abingdon store, there are also Harford County Walmart locations in Aberdeen and Fallston.

The plan for the Bel Air location was met with backlash from the community at back in 2011, with residents along the Route 924 corridor holding meetings and expressing opposition to .

The opposition base remains strong against Walmart, with one online petition gaining 400 signatures.

There is also a video on YouTube.com called "Stop Walmart Bel Air" which includes musical lyrics that oppose Walmart in a small town. The video is also attached to this article.

Does Harford County need another Walmart? Leave a comment.