City Council Approves Royal Farms Site Plan

8:04 p.m.: The meeting adjourns.

8:03 p.m.: Mayor Bennett notes that there will be a work day at beginning around 9 a.m. on May 4. The student-led project will aim to beautify the grounds at the school.

Bennett adds that the Aberdeen team has raised more than $2,000 for the Relay for Life event scheduled for June 8 in Havre de Grace.

7:57 p.m.: Councilman Garner notes the Eagles girls basketball team had five girls on the All-Harford team. Four Eagles will graduate this spring, he said.

7:55 p.m.: Councilwoman Young noted that the city's Earth Day festivities were among the most highly-attended events in recent memory at Festival Park. 

"We had a lot of cheerful kids and happy parents," Young said. "It was indeed a very nice event."

7:50 p.m.: Councilwoman Landbeck praised two columns in The Record recently for promoting smart growth in zoning and the benefit that smaller businesses can provide communities.

7:45 p.m.: City Manager Doug Miller said the city will be mandated to provides ramps and lifts for the city's pool, as Mr. Hartman had suggested earlier in the meeting.

7:42 p.m.: Matt Lapnsky, director of public works, notes that the city is working closely with the high school science and math academy on a number of projects—including environmental projects that may lead to grant funding.

7:40 p.m.: The department of public works recommends low bidder Grose Construction to be awarded the contract for a project to separate storm drains from sanitary sewers at Quarters 2 and 23 on Plumb Point Loop on Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Council approved the bid unanimously.

Grose bid $44,962 for the project. Stella May Contracting, Inc. ($54,891) and Frank J. Goethner Construction Co. ($79,348) also placed bids on the project.

7:39 p.m.: Council votes unanimously to approve a budget amendment from the city's finance department.

The amendments are all grant-funded line items.

7:37 p.m.: Council votes 4-1 to approve the preliminary plan for the Royal Farms project.

Councilwoman Young was the lone vote against the plan.

7:36 p.m.: Councilwoman Young noted that some planning and zoning committee members weren't aware that the proposed tanks were double-wall rather than triple-wall tanks as she said was proposed at a previously proposed station on U.S. Route 40 near MD Route 715.

Royal Farms representatives have said a triple-wall tank was proposed by a consultant, and that such a tank did not provide the extra protection warranted by the increase in cost.

Responding to a question from Councilman Garner, Tom Ruszin of Royal Farms said there are only a few triple-wall tanks—all used in a small region in Texas.

7:25 p.m.: Councilwoman Sandy Landbeck thanks the representatives of Royal Farms for bearing with the city through the site plan approval process.

"We put this in sort of a holding pattern last month, and they were very diligent in gather information to answer many questions," Landbeck said.

Councilwoman Ruth Ann Young begins to ask a series of questions.

Council has been apologetically studious in its approach with the approval of the proposed gas station after a prior gas station along U.S. Route 40 had a leak that poisoned a community water table.

7:24 p.m.: Bennett passes out a packet of paper on the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget.

"Thank you all, and good reading tonight," Bennett said.

A public hearing is set for May 7, meaning the budget could be open for adoption on May 21.

City Manager Doug Miller said there will be no need for a constant yield hearing this year, due to a decrease in tax assessment funding.

7:22 p.m.: Council unanimously approves Ordinance No. 12-O-04, pertaining to forest conservation.

7:20 p.m.: Only one resident comes forward to speak during the period for public comment.

Bob Hartman, of the 200 block of Paradise Road, notes that in the proposed budget, funds are set aside for repairs on the Aberdeen Swim Club. Hartman asks that the city consider making the pool more accesible to "impaired individuals," following suit as California recently mandated such accessibility.

"As California goes, the rest of the nation goes. It seems like whatever California gets, Maryland gets," he said. "If we’re going to renovate up there, then lets get it to where its accessible to all members of our community."

7:15 p.m.: Robinson reveals community development block grant funding will provide $81,750 to Aberdeen. Coupled with what is left over from previous allocations, Aberdeen has $197,096.05 remaining in CDBG funding.

7:13 p.m.: Tiffany Robinson of Harford County government begins her presentation of a five-year consolidated plan for housing and urban development.

7:12 p.m.: Council approves the minutes from the past meeting.

7:11 p.m.: The council chambers clear out significantly with the departure of the basketball team and parents.

7:09 p.m.: Each Eagles player is presented a trophy.

Mayor Bennett introduces the team to Councilman Bruce Garner, who he calls the Eagles' biggest fan and cheerleader.

Patch will post photos Tuesday of the team receiving its awards.

Share your photos from the Eagles season here.

7:05 p.m.: Mayor Michael Bennett proclaims April 23 as Aberdeen Lady Eagles Day in Aberdeen, presenting the proclamation to Coach Stacey Liles.

Liles draws laughter from the crowd by giving her twins, seated in the back of the room in a dual stroller, some extra snacks before heading to the front of the room.

7:03 p.m.: "Coach" Richard Slutzky, Harford County Councilman and former Aberdeen teacher and coach, is in attendance.

7:02 p.m.: Pastor Ben Cordle delivers the opening prayer.

7:01 p.m.: The meeting begins with all elected officials in attendance.

6:50 p.m.: The first two rows of seating at the council chambers are roped off for the athletes and the parents of the Aberdeen girls basketball team.

Members of the Eagles state championship team are seated to the left of the room.

6:45 p.m.: Welcome to our City Council live blog, where we will be updating the news coming from  at it happens.

Check back regularly. We will be adding nuggets of news immediately. Feel free to email sean.welsh@patch.com with any questions.

Check out our , which includes a link to the agenda.

NOTE: Lulls in reporting happen from time to time due to connectivity inside the council chambers.