Developers propose 20‑lot subdivision at 711 Irwin Road; school capacity and wetlands cited as hurdles

An engineer for Morris & Ritchie Associates presented a Preliminary Subdivision Plan on April 15 to create 20 single‑family detached lots at 711 Irwin Road. The site comprises two parcels totaling 13.893± acres in R2 zoning; the applicant proposes an NRD development with a temporary T‑turnaround at the road extension and about 6 acres of forest to be retained in a Forest Retention Area.

Dan Spiker, the project civil engineer, said the plan includes public water and sewer connections tied to existing infrastructure near the Bel Air Heights subdivision, ESD stormwater practices and a downstream pond for quantity control. The submission requests a modification to Harford County road pavement width standards (proposing a 28‑foot pavement width rather than the standard 30‑foot closed section) and submitted forest, landscape and lighting plans for review.

County departments requested a new version and multiple technical corrections. The Harford County Department of Public Works said utility design must show services for all 20 lots and flagged a conflict where a proposed stormwater facility and easement at the rear of Lot 11 overlap a drainage and utility easement for a public sewer main; DPW warned that the configuration must allow future sewer maintenance without compromising the stormwater facility. The DPW Water & Sewer section said a Public Works Utility Agreement and separate water/sewer construction contracts (identified as contract numbers 20421 and 20422) are required and that the parcel is currently in Water and Sewer Category 5; the developer must request a category change to Water and Sewer Category 3 and secure Council approval before utility construction drawings can be approved.

Planning and Zoning raised a non‑technical but decisive hurdle: Harford County Public Schools advised that Bel Air Elementary School was at 110% of its state‑rated capacity based on current enrollment and projections, and ‘‘preliminary subdivision plans with more than five lots cannot be approved if a school is at or projected to reach 110% of its state rated capacity within the next three years,’’ the Planning reading stated. That APFO condition prevents approval of the Preliminary Plan until the school adequacy issue is addressed.

The Harford County Health Department approved the preliminary plan subject to conditions: the existing dwelling on Lot 1 must be connected to county water and sewer prior to final plat approval and the private well must be properly abandoned with documentation submitted to the Health Department; the OSDS must be pumped and the septic tank abandoned with receipts and contractor statements provided.

Neighbors raised localized concerns. Dwayne Jones (731 Henderson) asked that the developer extend a sewer stub or easement nearer his property line so he can connect in the future; officials said they would consider stubbing options during design but cannot require extensions beyond the project footprint. Multiple residents questioned a recent tree clearing and asked to review the Forest Stand Delineation and wetland delineation reports; some urged lower density and fewer lots in recognition of mapped NRD/wetland buffers.

Engineering and SHA comments will require roadway, sidewalk and drainage revisions (DPW called for sidewalks on both sides of the Irwin Road extension and for driveways to be paved within the county right‑of‑way) and SHA said improvements on US‑1 (Conowingo Road) will be required and must be shown on a new plan version and in SHA access permit plans.

No approvals were granted at the DAC meeting; the applicant must submit a new series addressing DPW, Health, SHA and Planning comments and resolve the school capacity/APFO constraint before the preliminary subdivision can be approved.