Bel Air Market Study 2016
The initial group that ultimately became the Bel Air Alliance was a Task Force set up by the Town of Bel Air in 2000 to oversee preparation of a Market Study for Downtown Bel Air. This effort rolled into the creation of The Alliance in 2001 with a primary charge to assist the Town in implementing the Study’s recommendations. Early successes included attraction of numerous restaurants to Downtown and lead to the resurgence of Downtown Bel Air. Many other businesses also have opened and the character of Downtown Bel Air has been substantially enhanced through this effort guided by the 2000 Market Study.
Bel Air is a dynamic town with everything a household needs to get by, including employment, commerce, seat of government and arts and entertainment. This report endeavored to study the existing and potential for various uses and sites in and around town.
Bel Air parking Study 2023
The parking challenges in small to medium suburban towns are always similar but never the same. Restaurateurs and shop owners want easy curbside or nearby parking lots for their customers; attorneys and other professional service providers recognize that off-street parking best meets their needs but don’t want their clients to pay for parking; developers want to meet the market needs of prospective tenants, but don’t want to be forced to overbuild by what they may see as an arbitrary zoning standard; planners and elected officials want to meet all of the above challenges in a balanced manner but often lack the data or tools to do so. On the edges of town, shopping centers face challenges in maintaining occupancy due to changes in shopping pattern; property owners are looking to repurpose their land for
mixed use development but face constraints in the parking requirements of the zoning code. Downtown infill development faces the same challenge.
The Town of Bel Air squarely fits this mold.
