SNOW HILL – County officials are expected to take a comprehensive look at zoning along a portion of Route 589 following a decision this week.
On Tuesday, the Worcester County Commissioners agreed to give the county’s planning commission authority to consider a sectional rezoning of roughly a dozen properties on Route 589 near the Ocean Downs Casino. Though none of the commissioners expressed interest in the concept when it was introduced last month, when it was presented again Tuesday they voted 6-1 to have the planning commission move forward.
Commissioner Bud Church said that while some of the commissioners supported exploring a sectional rezoning in March they weren’t sure a motion to that effect would pass and so no action was taken.
“Some of us were leaning that way we just weren’t sure the votes were there,” he said after Tuesday’s meeting.
The concept of a potential sectional rezoning came up in early March when the planning commission was presented with rezoning requests from five Route 589 property owners. They want to see their properties, which all have E-1 estate zoning, reclassified as commercial. Ed Tudor, the county’s director of development review and permitting, said members of the planning commission thought that it might be better to take a broader look at the neighborhood rather than to consider each of the individual requests.
“These properties are part of a little bit larger area that is all zoned E-1,” he said.
He added that the properties were all in the “Agricultural Land Use” category in the county’s comprehensive plan and had been considered for a zoning change during the county’s last comprehensive rezoning, although that change was not approved. While property owners wanted commercial zoning then, the county’s planning staff advocated for residential zoning. The commissioners at the time opted to leave the area’s E-1 zoning in place.
“The planning commission, in reviewing these five individual cases, felt in light of the fact that those conditions had not changed with respect to Route 589, with respect to the agricultural land use and comprehensive plan, that perhaps this should be looked at in a more comprehensive or sectional basis,” Tudor said.
Commissioner Chip Bertino expressed concern for the property owners whose lots were in the area but who were not seeking a rezoning. He asked what impact a potential change in zoning could have for them.
Tudor said that in addition to affecting taxes and property values, a rezoning would mean other changes.
“If you had a residential property that was rezoned commercial and still being used as a residential property and they wished to make changes or make additions to that property, it’d be considered a nonconforming use and have to go to the board of zoning appeals for approval of those changes,” Tudor said.
Bertino also asked what impact a rezoning would have on Route 589 and traffic. Tudor said the effect of potential traffic would have to be explored.
“The impacts would be difficult to ascertain at this time,” he said. “Certainly I think it would have an impact. Whether it’s a terrible one or not it’s hard to tell.”
Commissioner Jim Bunting made a motion to give the planning commission the authority to explore a sectional rezoning. It passed 6-1 with Bertino opposed.
