Havre de Grace planning panel approves preliminary plan for 290‑home 'Legacies' subdivision despite traffic, forest and school concerns

The Havre de Grace Planning Commission on May 29 approved a preliminary subdivision plan for the Legacies, a proposed 290‑lot residential development on about 63 acres near Lehi Road and Bulle Rock Parkway, voting 5–1 to accept the application subject to four staff conditions.

The proposal, submitted by members of the Green family, would create 101 single‑family detached lots and 189 townhome (single‑family attached) lots and dedicates a 5.72‑acre park adjacent to Bulle Rock Parkway. Planning staff had recommended approval with five conditions; commissioners struck the fifth condition before voting. The decision advances the project to the next (final plat/site) phase but does not authorize construction, which remains contingent on later approvals and infrastructure work.

Why it matters: The Legacies is a large infill subdivision that will add hundreds of residents, new vehicle trips and pressure on nearby schools, roads and existing forested areas. The hearing drew extended testimony from residents raising safety, traffic and environmental concerns and from the applicant’s legal and engineering team. Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant about adequate public facilities — water, sewer and traffic mitigation — and about forest conservation and specimen trees.

The plan and staff review

The plan covers roughly 63 acres at 2000–2010 Lehi Road in the city’s RB (Residential Business) zoning district. The applicant proposes three development phases that together total 290 lots (101 detached; 189 townhouses). The submission includes a concept stormwater management plan, a preliminary forest conservation/forest stand delineation that staff said was approved in 2021, and a landscaping plan under review.

Planning staff told the commission that the site is not in a FEMA floodplain or in the Chesapeake Bay critical area, that sewer capacity had been reviewed by Public Works and deemed adequate under the city’s Adequate Public Facilities (APF) rules (chapter 2 of city code), and that a Lampson development agreement will fund upgrades to a booster pumping station that will provide sufficient water capacity for the site. Staff also noted a traffic impact study reviewed by Harford County and advised that the county recommended a mini‑roundabout at Chapel Road and Grace Manor; staff said right‑of‑way constraints mean the city cannot yet commit to building that roundabout and will hire a third‑party traffic engineer to determine the best mitigation approach.

Staff recommended approval of the preliminary plan with five conditions: 1) a six‑foot wide paved trail within a 20‑foot public pedestrian easement along Bulle Rock Parkway from Sion Hill Drive to the north boundary of the public park; 2) addition of six rustic parking spaces at the new park; 3) pedestrian crosswalks from Narcos (Monarcos/Monarchos) Drive to the park entrance on Bulle Rock Parkway; 4) ingress easements at least 10 feet wide to allow rear access to townhome units from common open space or rights‑of‑way; and 5) construction of a stub road between Lots 262 and 251 at least 20 feet wide and graded for emergency vehicles (after review by the Susquehanna Hose Company chief).

During deliberations commissioners amended the proposed conditions by deleting condition 5 (the 20‑foot stub requirement) before voting to approve the preliminary plan on the remaining four conditions.

Applicant presentation and responses

Attorney Eric McLaughlin (PK Law) and land planner/engineer Mitch Enser (Baystate Land Services) presented for the Green family. Jonathan Green, the property owner, told commissioners the Greens have supported the city’s long‑range plan and asked for approval subject to the staff conditions.

Engineer Mitch Enser said the project complies with the city’s code and the November 2020 single concept plan (amended in late 2024), that the development will include 5.72 acres of parkland to be dedicated to the city, that the proposed townhome open‑space and density calculations meet the zoning standards, and that concept stormwater and forest conservation submissions have been reviewed by staff. Enser also said the project would extend waterline infrastructure and connect to existing lines in phases so the system gains redundancy.

Public testimony and recurring concerns

More than a dozen residents and community commentators spoke. Common concerns included: traffic and safety at the Chapel Road/Grace Manor/Bulle Rock intersections (many speakers urged stronger mitigation than a simple mid‑block crosswalk near the park), school capacity for Meadowvale Elementary and nearby schools, potential loss of mature forest and specimen trees, stormwater/drainage impacts, and whether public notice and opportunities for written comments were being handled consistently.

Representative remarks during public comment included: Michelle Wall, a former police officer, said, “I’m thinking safety here,” and urged stronger crosswalk measures and lighting near the new park. Resident Jen Ziemer told the commission, “Please stop. Please pay attention to the studies,” describing long‑standing traffic congestion and cut‑through traffic in neighborhoods. Forest conservation advocates including Carol Zimmerman urged field verification of the 2021 forest delineation and additional consideration for contiguous mature forest and potential specimen trees.

Procedural dispute

The hearing included a procedural dispute when a commissioner circulated a memorandum about the application shortly before the meeting and the chair sought a motion to strike it from consideration. That motion failed, the commissioner re‑submitted the memo into the record and parties objected; the planning commission ultimately proceeded to take public testimony, later closing the record before deliberation. The commission admitted at least one exhibit provided during the hearing into the record after a motion and vote.

Votes and next steps

The commission approved the preliminary subdivision plan by roll call: five members voted yes and one voted no. The chair and staff confirmed this is a preliminary approval only; final plats, site plans and construction permits remain subject to further review and completion of conditions. Building permits will not be issued until APF requirements and other infrastructure conditions are met, as required by city code.

What remains open

- Traffic mitigation at off‑site intersections (notably Chapel Road and Grace Manor) remains subject to additional study; Harford County recommended a mini‑roundabout but staff said more engineering work is needed and the city will hire a third‑party traffic engineer to evaluate options. If that engineer determines physical improvements are required, the timing and funding remain to be resolved. - Forest conservation: some commissioners and public speakers asked staff to re‑verify whether all specimen trees were identified in the 2021 forest delineation and whether the contiguous forest area should be prioritized for retention under state and local forest conservation rules. - School capacity: commissioners and residents requested up‑to‑date enrollment/capacity data from Harford County Public Schools covering the most recent school year(s) before final approvals are granted.

The next formal steps for the applicant are final subdivision/site plan submissions, resolution of any outstanding APF items and execution/recording of easements or dedications required by the city. Building permits remain contingent on those subsequent approvals and on completion of required infrastructure improvements.