Annexation

The Hagerstown City Council will hold a public hearing Tuesday for a proposed annexation on the North End. The city is considering annexing the approximately 2-acre site of the former Long Meadow Bowling Alley and Eclipse Nite Club. Members of the public will be able to comment on the annexation at the 7 p.m. city council meeting, according to city documents. Adjacent to the Long Meadow Shopping Center, the property is owned by Aristodemos Capital Group LLC. City Comprehensive Planner Stuart Bass said annexing the land does not approve any plans for the property.

Two proposed annexations to the City of Hagerstown have been granted county approval for zoning changes upon annexation. The Washington County Commissioners voted last week to allow one property, near Interstate 70, to be rezoned for regional shopping center use, and another property, near Salem Avenue, to be rezoned for residential use. The county’s “express approval” for those changes means that if the city moves forward with...

City residents told members of the Hagerstown City Council on Tuesday they don't want the former Long Meadow Bowling Alley in the city limits if any part of it could become a night club again. The council held a public hearing Tuesday night on a proposed annexation of the approximately 2-acre site owned by Aristodemos Capital Group LLC. The building at 19330 Leitersburg Pike was once home to Eclipse Nite Club and Long Meadow Bowling Alley, among other businesses. Aristodemos plans to open a family entertainment center on the site as early as March, managing partner Ash Azadi previously told the Herald-Mail.

For 14 years, the owners of 5142 Harpers Ferry Road have thought they lived in Sharpsburg. They paid town taxes. They received town services. Maps showed their triangular lot just south of High Street as being inside the town boundary. But when surveyors attempted to verify the lot’s in-town status, they made a surprising discovery. “It was a property that was approved for annexation by the town back in 1997, but through an administrative error, the property was never formally annexed,” Washington County Planning Director Michael C. Thompson said recently.

The Hagerstown City Council said it wants more time to consider annexing some or all of the 95 properties split by the city boundary. Mayor Robert E. Bruchey II broke a tie between council members Tuesday to table a resolution that would annex the parcels into the city limits. The city has until the end of July to approve any portion of the annexation, City Planner Alex Rohrbaugh said previously. The council must approve the split parcel annexation at least 45 days before the authorizing state law sunsets on Sept.

Hagerstown City Council members voted 4-0 on Aug. 4 to annex several acres near the Hagerstown Business Park. The Startzman family asked the city to annex fewer than 20 acres, which is part of a larger parcel split by the city line. Family members are executors of the Edna B. Startzman estate, which owns the land. The annexation will become effective on Sept. 18, said Deborah Everhart, the city's economic development coordinator. The business park would not be expanded onto the Startzman land, officials have said.

shappell@herald-mail.com SMITHSBURG - For the third time in four months, the Smithsburg Town Council had to address a new annexation request Tuesday. The new request, if granted, could bring 28 homes to the growing town. In a Dec. 14, 2004, letter addressed to Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers, the firm of Frederick, Seibert & Associates Inc. officially requested that nearly 25 acres on Bradbury Avenue in Washington County be annexed into the town. The company plans to establish 28 single-family residential lots on the parcel, known as the Gardenhour Orchards property, according to the letter.

Court OKs Churchey annexation By DAN KULIN / Staff Writer The Hagerstown annexation of almost 37 acres along Mount Aetna Road was upheld Thursday by Washington County Circuit Judge Frederick C. Wright III. Wright delayed ruling on whether the city's zoning of the annexed property is valid. He did not say when he would issue an opinion on the matter. Jim Stone, attorney for the development company that sought the annexation and new zoning, said the judge probably would issue a written ruling within the next few weeks.

By DON AINES Staff Writer, Martinsburg MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - With a unanimous vote of the Berkeley County Commission Thursday, the City of Martinsburg grew by 20.7 acres that will likely become the site of a home improvement center next year. The formal request for the annexation came from the Oates Partnership, which owns the land. Developer Bruce Van Wyk has the land under contract and said Thursday he plans to complete its purchase in January. On Sept. 30, Van Wyk went before the City Council and said he wanted the property annexed and zoned by the end of the year.

SMITHSBURG - Smithsburg Town Council members Tuesday introduced a resolution to annex a water treatment plant to give Smithsburg police authority over the property. The 30.71 acres to be annexed would include the Breichner Water Treatment Plant, which is owned and operated by the City of Hagerstown. The council also approved a resolution to annex 63 acres for a housing development near the corner of Md. 64 and Md. 77. Cloverly Hill LLC, which owns the land, plans to build 71 single-family homes there.

The Franklin County (Pa.) Commissioners Thursday awarded nearly $1.8 million in contracts for renovation and expansion of the courthouse complex in downtown Chambersburg. Bids were opened on Dec. 20 and reviewed for a week by the commissioners, architects Noelker & Hull Associates Inc., engineers and project managers. Commissioners Bob Thomas, David Keller and Robert Ziobrowski accepted the following bids: General construction to W. Harley Miller, Martinsburg, W.Va., for $1,325,000.

Scheduled meetings this week of the Washington County Commissioners and Hagerstown Mayor and Council: WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS County Administration Building, Room 255 100 W. Washington St., Hagerstown Tuesday, Dec. 6, 9 a.m. Agenda • 9 a.m.: Pre-legislative meeting with the delegation in the workshop area, room 255 • 10:15 a.m.: Depart for Room 227 • 10:25...

No one spoke Tuesday night during public hearings on a proposed rezoning and annexation of property owned by the Pangborn Corp., clearing the way for the Hagerstown City Council to vote on both issues as early as Dec. 20, a city official said. The council last month adopted a plan for annexing 5.16 acres of property along Pangborn Boulevard into the city. The council also voted 4-0 to introduce a resolution to annex the property. Introduction of the resolution and adoption of the plan allows the city to move forward with the annexation process, which still requires a final vote.

County approves city Pangborn zoning The Washington County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Tuesday to grant express approval for Hagerstown to apply Professional Office-Mixed zoning to the Pangborn Corp. property if it is annexed into the city. Pangborn Corp., the owner of the 5.156 acres located along the eastern side of Pangborn Boulevard, has requested that the city annex the parcel, and the parties have agreed on the POM zoning designation, Planning and Zoning Director Stephen T. Goodrich said.

High Street residents complain about speeding BOONSBORO - Two residents who live on High Street complained to Boonsboro Town Council members Monday night about speeding in that area. High Street resident Tim Roberts said speeding is a problem during rush hours in the morning and afternoon. Roberts said the problem is particularly troubling since children often walk along the road and people jog on it. Another High Street resident sitting next to Roberts said there also has been a problem with people siphoning gas out of vehicles along High Street.

In a 4-0 vote Tuesday, the Hagerstown City Council adopted a plan for annexing 5.16 acres of property along Pangborn Boulevard that is owned by Pangborn Corp. The council also voted 4-0 to introduce a resolution for annexing the property. Introduction of the resolution and adoption of the plan allows the city to move forward with the annexation process, which includes hosting a public hearing in November. The council has not yet voted to approve annexing the property. Most of the property, where the corporation formerly operated, lies within the city boundary, but a more than 5-acre piece remains outside the city, City Planner Alex Rohrbaugh said previously.

Hagerstown City Council will vote Tuesday on introducing a measure to annex a portion of the former Pangborn Corp. site. While most of the property lies within the city boundary, a piece measuring more than five acres remains outside the city, City Planner Alex Rohrbaugh said. The corporation has petitioned to be annexed into the city, he said. However, annexing the entire remaining piece of Pangborn's lot would isolate five residential lots farther south on Pangborn Boulevard that are completely outside the city, he said.

The Hagerstown City Council is to vote this month on a proposed annexation of the former Food Lion property on Eastern Boulevard and the adjacent Eddie's Tire Service Inc. on Diamond Drive. The city council was scheduled to discuss the annexation at its work session Tuesday, but no discussion took place. City Clerk Donna Spickler said the annexation resolution is to be on the Aug. 23 regular session agenda for a final council vote. It was introduced in June. The council held a public hearing on the proposed annexation on July 26, where only an owner of the former Food Lion property spoke.

Months of debating property rights versus city services ended Tuesday when the Hagerstown City Council approved an amended split-parcel annexation. In a final 4-1 vote, the council approved annexing all 95 proposed split-parcels into the city effective Sept. 9, despite another impassioned plea from a property owner. "I don't want to be in this city and this is really, really ticking me off," said Teresa Magaha, whose property on Key Circle was annexed. However, as amended, the annexation resolution allows all 95 property owners to pay graduated city taxes - even those currently paying full city taxes - starting at 20 percent in fiscal 2013, and increasing 20 percentage points per year to 100 percent in fiscal 2017 and beyond.