Bel Air commissioners oppose moving district court out of downtown, plan outreach to county delegation

Bel Air commissioners publicly discussed the state’s purchases of properties near the Target on Marketplace Drive and said relocating the district court there would harm downtown businesses and remove tax‑generating parcels from the town rolls.

Chair Eddy said she requested the item so the Board of Town Commissioners could discuss it publicly. “My concern about moving the district court is gonna be very disruptive to our downtown economy,” she said, adding that the state has purchased several properties but may still be negotiating for the Walgreens parcel.

The commissioners framed the issue as both a local economic concern and a countywide service question: keeping a fully staffed district court downtown supports attorneys, court staff and the small businesses—cafés and…