[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6568408,"mediaKeyId","3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754","parentId",3195089,"title","Council introduces $2.3M living-shoreline grant; resident questions whether cleanup includes private parcel","audioSeconds",5335,"startMs",1951000,"endMs",7286000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754&start=1951&end=7286","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754/thumbnail_1951000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6568408/Havre-de-Grace/Harford-County/Maryland/Council-introduces-23M-living-shoreline-grant-resident-questions-whether-cleanup-includes-private-parcel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568408-e1cbb4020208265b6fd37613ad468184/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151373&Signature=CzkRj6TOnNnzShtZdgdJ75Hex5~1yz~~F2D4Gkp9DuN6ZCXl~B3QnDkJT3Dc9ROdH4uTxIpodT4IZitOvsLYQMaqvHaV~ah1WUv7IEi1H7xlOiNd~jHAPRM3ekN3Njg-ygY1Aq~d7xcq7KbeWi1bkXEKNXCwEMt2a0nPDX~V7Dr37egvLd452pUHCS7bNTfBiCA2-erNFvdwU8MWIvmlthV-BQwtTCFbV79QkDPRk0fD9XG6JYVs8LgCEDht07v8fwY-MQDTljXUhBr289QckVUybOsqEI4j3nIjir~WUPI4nv5toM4GLgTzA~ZUQ8ti0dbhFeEW6QeoND064E2UfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Havre de Grace, MD","date","2025-05-06T01:18:30.787Z","article","The Havre de Grace Mayor and City Council on Monday introduced a budget amendment to receive and allocate $2.3 million in federal grant funds for a living‑shoreline project, and scheduled a public hearing on the measure for May 19. During comments earlier in the meeting, a resident said portions of proposed work appear to be on private property and asked the city to explain ownership and procurement history.

Councilmember Robertson moved the budget amendment (ordinance 11-86) to increase revenue and expenditure lines by $2,300,000 for the federal grant; the motion carried on a 6-0 roll call and the council set a public hearing at its May 19 meeting. Councilmembers said the amendment simply places the grant in the city budget for the project and that a public hearing will provide additional opportunity for public questions.

Resident concerns

Carrie Parsons, a Havre de Grace resident who spoke during the meeting’s public-comment period, raised concerns about the portion of the living‑shoreline work that she says lies on a parcel recorded as Map 601, parcel 463 and that was last listed for sale in 2014. Parsons said the matter appeared to involve multiple agencies and prior actions, and expressed concern that public funds would be used to clean up a privately owned LLC parcel without clear ownership or agreement.

Parsons told the council: “The perception is that we have the city, the citizens, approved a cleanup of a contaminated 1.5 acre lot of a private LLC under the guise of this million dollar plus grant from the National Wildlife.” She asked for further discussion and explanation later in the council meeting.

Next steps and staff notes

The council’s adoption on first reading places the grant in the FY2025 budget; staff told the council the item will return with public‑hearing materials on May 19. At the meeting the deputy director of public works noted a May 15 public planting event connected with the living‑shoreline work and said the city is developing a multi‑year capital plan for water and wastewater infrastructure.

The public hearing will be the next formal opportunity for the council to receive evidence and hear staff explain land ownership, procurement history and how grant funds will be applied to specific parcels. The council and staff did not make further commitments at Monday’s meeting beyond scheduling the public hearing.

Ending

The council’s first‑reading action does not commit funds beyond the budget amendment process. Residents and stakeholders seeking clarification about parcel ownership, grant terms and planned uses of the $2.3 million have an opportunity to raise them at the May 19 public hearing, when the council will hear formal testimony.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Havre de Grace City Council May 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council introduced a $2.3 million federal grant for a living-shoreline project and scheduled a public hearing May 19 after a resident raised concerns that part of the proposed shoreline work appears to be on a privately owned parcel.","taxTitle","Havre de Grace, Harford County, Maryland","taxId",52147,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568413,"Havre de Grace adopts Envision Havre de Grace comprehensive plan with multiple amendments",845,5648000,6493000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754&start=5648&end=6493","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754/thumbnail_5648000.jpg","/articles/6568413/Havre-de-Grace/Harford-County/Maryland/Havre-de-Grace-adopts-Envision-Havre-de-Grace-comprehensive-plan-with-multiple-amendments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568413-bcf42b13a984ea5db48b8334771587a4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151373&Signature=LX9Wk4s18b3f9w~X8gI14Kzc~LtJjEGqw7xPgjXtioH7ZWIRRZh7AtUnsogWu5LHcMRPX8zABLhUKE7VNvLDdQ~r-1lI4zIjxyV~ziEExdDNyoMcGgf6MD6UgKSP8Dv14iaIh6QhNKEZ4QWZTJGC1iQoh2IPDz0em1Hv-pt2bc8xwsBPHJhSOFdlanoPKu9648ivL2UNQHFjOxLJ0swoGe58FE-qb3zeNufgn5Ylhw7xiHcIjCX4yy60T1jtKyVkjhjStOUzR25xp1gPO10BH43x2GUKZdfl4ipwuIYFa8ghJugCeeuaO4MoRgviW7l~9bxKLdFD9V5lAdm714aikg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Havre de Grace Mayor and City Council adopted the Envision Havre de Grace comprehensive plan on Monday with a series of council-led amendments intended to reflect public input and recent staff updates.

The council voted 6-0 to adopt Calendar Resolution 2025-01, approving the comprehensive plan after the council accepted a package of amendments that change the plan’s year designation to 2025, reorder transportation priorities to emphasize sidewalks before bikeways, add language on “aging in place,” note the city’s bird-friendly initiatives, and remove hyperlinks with broken federal links. The council also approved a repeal-and-replace for Chapter 11 (transportation) to clarify active-transportation language and the order of sidewalk/bikeway content.

Why it matters: A comprehensive plan guides city decisions about zoning, parks, transportation, affordable housing and future capital investments. The amendments reflect both technical updates and policy choices — for example, prioritizing sidewalks over bikeways signals an emphasis on pedestrian infrastructure in the city’s built environment.

What the council changed and why

- Year and housekeeping: The council replaced references to the “2024 Envision Havre de Grace comprehensive plan” with “2025,” updated staff names and removed broken hyperlinks that staff said were no longer reliable.

- Transportation chapter: The council approved a repeal-and-replace for Chapter 11 to reorder walking infrastructure (sidewalks) ahead of bikeways, add explicit language defining active transportation (shared multimodal use), and clarify that many sidewalk/bikeway items were intended to be treated together. Council members said the change better reflects the city’s walkable character.

- Aging in place and parking: Amendments added language encouraging aging-in-place strategies and included guidance on parking requirements, including consideration of reduced parking ratios for certain housing types to support affordability.

- Tranquility Homes and other site references: The council accepted edits addressing specific sites and changed some text to reflect that the city includes a significant number of second homes.

How the council handled the amendments

Councilmember Schneggis introduced the adoption motion and Councilmember Boyer moved a consent calendar of many amendments. Those amendments were discussed, and a subset was handled as separate votes — including striking one amendment (number 15) from the packet after further review and approving other changes by unanimous voice or roll call. Staff described the changes as primarily editorial and reordering; the transportation chapter was replaced to consolidate edits.

Public engagement

Council members and staff repeatedly noted public sessions and work sessions that produced the recommended edits. Planning staff thanked the council and multiple staff members for time spent refining the plan.

Ending

With the passage of Calendar Resolution 2025-01, the plan becomes the council-adopted guide for the city. Several implementation steps remain: staff and council will use the plan to inform future zoning, capital projects and parking/transportation decisions; some changes will require ordinance action when they affect zoning code or capital budgets.","The council adopted the city’s comprehensive plan after accepting a package of amendments that include reordering transportation priorities, adding aging-in-place language and other edits; the final vote was 6-0.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6568417,"Havre de Grace council approves fire funding and multiple ordinances; several budget items, rates introduced",1416,3648000,5064000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754&start=3648&end=5064","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3195089-1343722416095d3dea426f78819fa754/thumbnail_3648000.jpg","/articles/6568417/Havre-de-Grace/Harford-County/Maryland/Havre-de-Grace-council-approves-fire-funding-and-multiple-ordinances-several-budget-items-rates-introduced","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6568417-3ff38617a087747924fb3b9e7a00ce79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151373&Signature=c6tnhfa4jWFpzGOR9ZX5esISaiRCDoxjKTuiJpS7ianKlbUUCtYu2klTd2~ped2jbvtRQx1~6erQPhVGczTMRpV~nnxztlsswr6iPBqZnKtcQQrg8l3QCYLMbb7fEYItlMNxze0kD1pF-Q9c4tqdH1TbFnfx4njU3WPPwjuqiZpnT7GdMWr-fWZlXHKjKC516PVJs~XWyNxKGhrDrWTZEALjHLrdp5UkHqmXEqKWXvJhChsNZZCn-xVKRNpMMbrF1qHK8wkg5y2Bnu~ve64uBA0f~iRgHmp3tLzygm1GDbbd5YIVbynTyvrIIZc~9iC0K7SycZOil6kHEqXjE0NgQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Havre de Grace Mayor and City Council on Monday adopted a series of ordinances and introduced several budget and rate measures, approving a new method of funding for the Susquehanna Hose Company and enacting changes to subdivision and water/sewer rules.

The council voted 6-0 to set a funding method for the Susquehanna Hose Company at 3.6 cents per $100 of net assessable real property, an amount the council president said will provide about $710,500 annually. Council also adopted ordinances amending the city subdivision regulations to allow administrative waivers for certain relocations of rights-of-way (with an amendment removing the word “utilities”), and updated the water and sewer code to allow enforcement of grease-trap installations.

The measures matter because they affect city services, regulatory enforcement and the municipal budget. The fire funding secures a recurring contribution method for the volunteer department, the subdivision change is intended to streamline administrative action for right-of-way relocations, and the sewer ordinance makes an existing city practice enforceable in code.

Major actions and outcomes

- Ordinance 11-81, method of funding for the Susquehanna Hose Company — Adopted 6-0. The council established the rate at 3.6 cents per $100 of taxable real property; the council president said the change will bring the department to about $710,500 per year. (Mover: Council President; second: Councilmember Boyer.)

- Ordinance 11-82, amendments to Chapter 173 subdivision regulations — Adopted 6-0 after an amendment to delete the word “utilities” from the provision allowing administrative waivers; the amendment was made to limit the administrative waiver to roads and rail rights-of-way, not broader utility expansion. (Mover: Council President; amendment mover: Councilmember Boyer; amendment second: Councilmember Robertson.)

- Ordinance 11-83, amendments to Chapter 198 (water and sewer) regarding grease traps — Adopted 6-0. The ordinance codifies the city’s ability to install grease traps and seek reimbursement if property owners do not install them voluntarily; the change is intended to reduce wear on city sewer infrastructure. (Mover: Councilmember Jones; second: Councilmember Schnegas.)

- Ordinance 11-84, budget amendment to accept and expend donations for a police K‑9 — Adopted 6-0. The ordinance places $10,000 in donations into the FY2025 budget to fund a K‑9 in the police department. (Mover: Councilmember Jones; second: Council President.)

- Ordinance 11-86, budget amendment to receive and expend federal grant funds for a living shoreline project — Introduced and adopted on first reading 6-0. The amendment increases both revenue and expenditure by $2,300,000 for a federal grant to support a living-shoreline project; the council scheduled a public hearing at the May 19 council meeting. (Mover: Councilmember Robertson; second: Council President.)

- Ordinance 11-87, budget amendment reallocating funds in Fund 9 — Introduced and adopted on first reading 6-0; public hearing set for May 19. (Mover: Councilmember Robertson; second: Councilmember Boker.)

- Ordinance 11-88, establishing the city tax rate for FY2026 — Introduced 6-0. The council said the rate is unchanged from the previous year; a separate public hearing will be held on May 12. (Mover: Councilmember Robertson; second: Council President.)

- Ordinance 11-89, establishing water and sewer rates for FY2026 — Introduced 6-0. The Water and Sewer Commission’s recommended rates were introduced; a public hearing is set for May 12. (Mover: Councilmember Boker; second: Councilmember Schneggis.)

Other council business

- The council adopted Calendar Resolution 2025-07, approving a memorandum of understanding with the Havre de Grace Arts Collective for management and promotion of the Arts & Entertainment District (roll call 6-0).

- The council approved multiple commission appointments and reappointments by consent (Arts Commission, Economic Development Advisory Board, Water and Sewer Commission chair reappointment). Appointments were approved 6-0.

- The council approved amendments to the Relay for Life event application to allow a 40-by-40 tent to be set up a day early and to allow earlier on-site setup time; the vote was 6-0.

What the votes did not decide

Several measures were introduced on first reading (the tax- and water/sewer-rate ordinances and two budget reallocations). Those items require a public hearing before the council’s next full consideration, and the living-shoreline budget amendment will have a public hearing on May 19.

Ending

Roll-call votes were recorded for each measure; where the record shows a roll call the meeting minutes list each council member’s recorded “yes.” The council president, councilmembers Robertson, Boger, Jones, Boyer and Shenagas (six members present) voted in favor on the listed items.","At its May meeting the Havre de Grace Mayor and City Council adopted a new funding method for the Susquehanna Hose Company, approved code changes for subdivisions and grease-trap enforcement, accepted a $10,000 donation for a police K-9 and introduced several budget and rate ordinances including a $2.3 million living-shoreline grant.","actionData","errors"]

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Council introduces $2.3M living-shoreline grant; resident questions whether cleanup includes private parcel

Havre de Grace adopts Envision Havre de Grace comprehensive plan with multiple amendments

Havre de Grace council approves fire funding and multiple ordinances; several budget items, rates introduced