Bel Air amends fee schedule to add Harford County recording fees and adjust traffic-impact review charges

The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Resolution 12-51-25, updating the town’s fee schedule to add Harford County document-recording fees and to change several traffic-impact analysis (TIA) and study-review charges. Commissioner Rutledge moved the resolution and the board approved it during the May 5 meeting.

Under the resolution, the town will collect and remit Harford County recording fees and surcharges on behalf of the county; examples cited in the meeting included a $40 surcharge, a $20 recording fee for documents of nine pages or fewer, and a $75 recording fee for documents of 10 pages or more. The resolution also reorganizes the TIA-related charges: it inserts a separate $1,000 fee for TIA review/study and creates a $250 fee for the “determination of scope” that precedes the review. The changes were described in the meeting as largely administrative and pass-through costs for developers rather than new charges borne by taxpayers.

"The town essentially shall collect and remit all those fees, surcharges, or other charges as required by Harford County for the recording of such documents," Town staff said while reviewing the amendments. Commissioners repeatedly characterized the recordation charges as pass-through fees that previously were being borne by taxpayers and which the town will now collect from entities undertaking development work. The resolution was approved by roll call: Commissioners Rutledge, Chismar, Taylor and Chair Eddings voted aye.

No public speakers addressed the fee-schedule amendment during the public hearing; the public hearing opened and closed with no comments. Staff recommended approval and noted that the fee amounts for county recording are established by Harford County and available on the county’s land records website.