Salisbury mayor reacts to judge’s denial of housing development appeal

SALISBURY, Md. – Salisbury leaders say they are working to find a way to help progress a housing project, planned for downtown.

Appeal Denied

Recently, Wicomico County Circuit Court Judge W. Newton Jackson III denied an appeal from Salisbury Town Centers Apartments, LLC. The appeal asked the judge to allow a special exception to the City of Salisbury’s zoning for density. In this case, the developer had asked for an exception on increasing that density.

Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor says that as these legal challenges unfold, city leaders are looking at what they can do to help increase the local housing supply. For the downtown plans, Mayor Taylor says that could come in the form of a text amendment.

“The challenge is, we’ve got new demands on development downtown, with [Salisbury] University’s [performing arts center] project,” Mayor Taylor said. “So, we’re going to have to really recalibrate our part, which would be the parking garage, to size it appropriately for all the potential future needs.”

Current Challenges

Any significant changes to the city’s zoning codes would have to be done by the Planning Commission, Mayor Taylor says. And, any projects that may transform the downtown area need to be cohesive, he added.

“When you think about it, it’s only about a four-acre site,” Mayor Taylor said. “We’ve got to get it right, and we have to accommodate everybody that’s looking at the demands for parking and usage.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Taylor says, Salisbury is not alone in the current nationwide housing crisis.

“The state, and the nation, are in the same boat,” Mayor Taylor said. “We’ve had a lot of non-organic growth in our area, which has created demand for housing, both rental and purchased. So, it’s challenging. We’ve got to work through it, and get out of this hole that we’re in, relative to the demand and supply side.”

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, Mayor Taylor called a “smart growth” model the best one to follow, in order to tackle housing challenges.

“As a state, we’ve gone towards more of a smart growth model, which has slowed down the process of development. I think that’s a good thing,” Mayor Taylor said. “Sprawl development is not a good thing.”