Bel Air Officials Talk Town Business

A light agenda is before the Bel Air Board of Commissioner for its second business meeting of September.

Minor changes to town development regluations are among the new business items on Monday's meeting agenda.

The proposed changes include updating smoking lounge restrictions and reducing the front setback of buildings from 20-feet to 15 feet.

Town officials are also expected to officially announce their intent to use $328,000 of tax exempt financing to repair the Hickory Parking Garage. The action is a technicality.

See live updates from the meeting below:

8:04 p.m.: The meeting is adjourned.

8:03 p.m.: Reier thanked town staff and police chief Leo Matrangola for helping the Bel Air Arts Festival run smoothly.

8:00 p.m.: All vote in favor of introducing the development regulations amendment.

7:59 p.m.: The final change deals with shed permits. A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1.

7:57 p.m.: Another amendment changes pet penning from being measured from a lot line to being measured by the nearest adjacent building.

7:56 p.m.: Small said the front yard set back should include root parking.

7:55 p.m.: Town Planner Kevin Small said the town had a request to open a Hookah lounge and that use was not specifically addressed in the zoning laws. Small said it’s proposed that these be allowed only in the B3 zone and at least 1,000 feet from a school.

7:55 p.m.: A motion is made to approve development regulation changes.

7:54 p.m.: All present vote in favor and the motion carries.

7:53 p.m.: Moody said the IRS requires the town make a resolution to declare intent to repay debt with tax-exempt finance before actually going through the process.

7:52 p.m.: Director of Finance Lisa Moody said the town will borrow about $315,000 to pay for its portion of the repair of Hickory Parking Garage repairs.

7:52 p.m.: Commissioner Susan Burdette moves to declare the town’s intent to repay a debt with tax exempt financing.

7:52 p.m.: All present vote in favor of approving the bid. Commissioner Edward Hopkins is not present.

7:51 p.m.: The hydraulic system is corroded and the under carriage of the truck is deteriorating making it necessary to purchase a new dump truck, Robertson said.

7:50 p.m.: Director of Public Works Rady Robertson said the county has arranged a contract and the town is able to piggy back on that contract to meet their needs and without repeating the bid process.

7:49 p.m.: Commissioner David Carey moves to award the bid for a new dump truck to Hickory International for $131,197.

7:48 p.m.: Reier thanked Krause for his dedication to the group.

7:31 p.m.: Seven explorers went to a national convention where they competed with teams across the nation. The team averaged in the 90 percent range.

7:30 p.m.: The explorers are a group of teenagers who meet to learn police protocols, Krause said.

7:30 p.m.: “In baseball terms this is sort of our developing league,” Reier said.

7:29 p.m.: Officer Rick Krause begins a presentation of awards for the Bel Air Police Explorers program.

7:28 p.m.: Commissioner Robert Reier calls the meeting to order.