FALLSTON, Md. — A community crying out in Harford County against the plan for new apartment buildings. They say they love their rural area in Fallston and want to keep it that way.
The plan proposed is for two, four story apartment buildings with parking garages to be placed on Mountain Road at Bel Air Road. It would bring a new place to live for some, but people already living in the area said it will bring an unwanted change and they are making it heard.
"Traffic safety, that's what it's all about,” said one person.
"The entrance and exits to that shopping center cannot handle additional cars, they can't handle the cars now,” expressed another concerned resident.
"So I'd like to know who in the county will actually produce a traffic plan, are they licensed professional engineers or not?" said one resident.
It's a similar reaction from a packed room of people from Harford County. Stepping up to the mic expressing overdevelopment and traffic as some of the main concerns.
"We don't want our county turned into a giant metropolis, if left unchecked developers will turn a gem that Fallston is into a cheap piece of jewelry" said Diana Sadowski who lives in Fallston.
Mike Euler, a partner in ownership of Fallston Village Center, said these apartments will actually generate less traffic in the area.
"This particular use generates about 250 less cars a day according to our traffic engineer which is a criteria that's given to us by the county and the state to use. There was 7 hundred and something cars previous, we're just over 400 now,” said Euler.
Traffic isn't the only issue that raises eyebrows.
"Schools, environmental issues really these apartments coming into our community is going to create a very unsafe environment for many reasons” said Josh Koziol who started a petition against apartments.
Councilman Aaron Penman who represents District B, said he hears the concerns from residents but can't take away their freedom to build apartments on this property as it's been a permitted use to do so since 2017.
"What I’m hoping to bring forward and advocate for, is if this project moves forward I just want to make sure the infrastructure is improved to allow it to happen, I want to make sure that the roadways are improved and put the expense on the developer,” said Penman.
Penman said if the project checks all the boxes with the Harford County Planning and Zoning Department the project will move forward.
