SNOW HILL – Two rezoning requests will be forwarded to the Worcester County Commissioners with favorable recommendations.
The Worcester County Planning Commission last week voted 6-0 to support commercial rezoning requests for a parcel on Route 113 in Berlin and a parcel on Market Street in Snow Hill.
Attorney Hugh Cropper told the commission that his client in Berlin was seeking to rezone 5.5 acres on the east side of Route 113, which is less than a mile from Atlantic General Hospital, from C-1 commercial to C-2 commercial based on a mistake in the current designation. He said across the highway were municipal and industrial uses and that a C-2 zoning classification would be more suitable for the property. According to Cropper, the property had been zoned general business in the 1960s and in 2009 was designated C-1, which is neighborhood commercial. He noted, however, that there were large contractor shops on the property at the time.
“It’s the policy of the comprehensive plan and the commissioners in doing a comprehensive rezoning to bring things into compliance,” he said. “. If you look at C-1, the neighborhood commercial district, it’s a pretty strict district. It’s not very permissive. It’s intended to provide for convenient commercial areas strategically based to serve day to day shopping and service needs of the local neighborhood. This property doesn’t do that.”
He said it was on a busy highway and was across the street from a public works yard.
“Neighborhood commercial is supposed to be on the corner to be where people go to get their milk and their paper,” he said.
He said he believed the C-1 designation had been a mistake and C-2 would be more appropriate.
“We believe the C-2 is more desirable in terms of the comprehensive plan , if for no other reason it’ll take what’s a nonconformity now and make it conforming,” he said.
He pointed out the property had small septic systems, not access to public sewer, and as a result its uses were limited. Contractor shops and storage facilities would be feasible.
The commission voted unanimously to provide the request with a favorable recommendation. The commission also supported a second rezoning request, this one presented by Cropper for property owners Howard and Amy Kelly. He said they owned Black Water Relics, a Pocomoke antique store.
“It’s been very successful and well received and they want to bring that to the Snow Hill community,” he said.
Cropper told the commission the land was zoned for agricultural use but that he was asking that the not-quite one acre piece of land be rezoned commercial. He said it had been zoned for commercial use until the 1990s when it was classified as agricultural. He said he believed that was a mistake because the property was in the growth area shown in the comprehensive plan. He said there was nothing that could be done with the small property under the agricultural designation.
“It’s simply not a usable property,” he said.
While there were concerns voiced regarding parking and traffic circulation on the small site, Cropper said his clients owned the adjacent parcel as well and could use that if needed.
Commission member Phyllis Wimbrow said it bothered her that the property had been downzoned and agreed the current zoning was likely a mistake. Commission member Ken Church said he supported the concept and the fact that an existing business was trying to expand.
The commission voted 6-0 to give the request a favorable recommendation as it is forwarded to the Worcester County Commissioners for consideration.
