ELDERSBURG — Neighbors of the proposed Liberty Exchange business park along Old Liberty Road in Eldersburg told developers last week they're concerned about potentially traffic at the site.

"It is hard to see (the business park) as favorable to the area with the things you're describing," said Larry Stockdale to representatives of St. John Properties.

About 60 people turned out May 21 for a forum on the project hosted by the Freedom Area Citizens' Council.

The Baltimore-based St. John Properties is proposing to build the park on the site of the former Freedom Golf Center.

Plans call for two 16,645-square-foot retail buildings, a 4,000-square-foot bank, a 6,000-square-foot restaurant, two office/warehouse buildings totaling 127,400 square feet, another two 24,480-square-foot office-only buildings and a 12-pump gas station and convenience store.

Thomas Pilon, development director, said the company wants to break ground this summer — if the County Planning Commission approves the project and the State Highway Administration supports road projects to accommodate it.

St. John plans to fund improvements to Old Liberty, Liberty, White Rock and Linton roads, including widening some sections of Liberty Road to four lanes.

Improvements would end at Emerald Lane, said Pat Varga, development review coordinator for the county's Bureau of Development Review, creating sections of Liberty that are four lanes, then two lanes, then four lanes again -- with about a one-third mile gap in each direction.

The State Highway Administration must approve whatever upgrades are made for Liberty Exchange because Liberty Road is a state highway.

The SHA plans to eventually widen the entire length of Liberty Road when funding allows, but developers often perform some of the work themselves when projects are built as part of traffic mitigation agreements.

In addition, the developer is proposing to shift the entrance to the business park and also shift Old Liberty Road to create a longer waiting lane for traffic leaving the property onto Liberty Road.

Other projects call for lengthening the right-turn lane on White Rock Road and creating a left-turn lane on Linton Road.

St. John will seek SHA approval for a traffic light at the Old Liberty-Liberty intersection, Pilon said.

Given the extent of needed road improvements, Sumners Hollow resident Stephen Richter said the developer should have considered another site.

"You don't have the road infrastructure in place that need to be put in place," Richter said.

Pilon said St. John will spend about $3 million on road upgrades, and added, "There's only so much you can do on $3 million."

Economics and aesthetics

Despite concerns, some residents complimented the aesthetics of the project and said it's likely to meet zoning standards — and thus gain approval.

One resident questioned the need for another gas station in Eldersburg, noting that a BP station closed twice and then re-opened, others have changed ownership and the former Crown gas station near Carrolltown Center re-opened as a Texaco in 2007.

But Pilon said amenities such as a restaurant, bank, a gas station and shops will provide convenience to employees in Liberty Exchange, and h said that could reduce traffic on Liberty Road.

"You're trying to reduce trips by providing the things they need there," he said.

Larry Twele, director of Carroll County Department of Economic Development, said after the meeting that Liberty Exchange is important because the county is trying to better use its available industrial land to gain jobs.

The county has the sixth least amount of industrial zoned land in the state, he said, and of that, only about 28 percent of it is currently being used.

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