Developers back off Abingdon Business Park project

A big victory for land conservationists in Harford County.

Planned development of Abingdon Business Park has permanently been halted thanks to a new settlement.

BTC III I-95 Logistics Center was in the process of clearing out 327 acres of land at the site, which consisted of forestry and non-tidal wetlands, to make way for warehousing.

Despite approval from Harford County's Department of Planning and Zoning, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation argued the project would increase flooding and pollution by the Bush River.

The dispute ended up in court and has been tied up in litigation since 2019.

RELATED: Debate over development of 330 acres of Abingdon forest, wetlands

Since then, advocates say much of the forest has already been cleared including 29 specimen trees.

In May 2023 a Circuit Court judge ordered a stoppage to the clearing-out.

That ruling was later appealed, but ultimately both sides settled out of court.

Part of the settlement requires developers to reforest roughly four acres of land and revegetate much of the cleared area as meadow. They also agreed to install storm water management on the property.

Harford Investors LLP, the property owners, still maintain development rights, but would have to reapply for new permits etc.

This is just one battle over warehouse development in Harford County. Residents were also similarly concerned with plans for Perryman Peninsula , prompting new legislation to be passed limiting the sizes of new warehouses.