Developer Files Lawsuit Against Salisbury Over SBY Market Development

SALISBURY, Md. — The developer behind the proposed SBY Market project is pursuing legal action against the City of Salisbury and Mayor Randy Taylor, alleging the administration has unlawfully delayed the downtown development.

David Layfield, founder of Green Street Housing, said the proposed $25 million project would bring affordable apartments and a public food hall to downtown Salisbury. He argues the city is preventing the project from moving forward over parking concerns despite existing agreements and city code.

Layfield said the project has been in development since 2016, when the city declared the property a surplus parking lot and issued a request for proposals seeking affordable housing on the site. Layfield said Green Street Housing was the only respondent and later purchased the property under an agreement requiring affordable housing to be built there.

“We are contractually obligated under that purchase and the deed to build affordable housing,” Layfield said.

Layfield said Mayor Randy Taylor has halted the project because of what he describes as a lack of parking.

“He likes to claim that we have a need for 140 parking spaces here,” Layfield said. “This property is in the central business district … and Salisbury city code requires exactly zero parking spaces for any development in the downtown district.”

Layfield also claims Taylor is not honoring agreements reached under previous city administrations.

“We are entitled contractually to a 99-year lease on that property to provide an extra 23 parking spaces for our property, and Randy Taylor refuses to sign it, though he’s complaining that we don’t have enough parking,” Layfield said.

In response to Green Street Housing’s claims, Taylor told WMDT, “Advancing a project without sufficient parking would create avoidable operational challenges, negatively impact surrounding businesses, and conflict with the City’s obligation to maintain orderly, sustainable growth.”

Layfield also alleges Taylor removed the project’s files from the city’s Department of Infrastructure and Development and made himself the sole point of contact for the development.

After filing an appeal with the city’s Board of Appeals, Layfield said he expected the matter to be heard during the board’s Aug. 6 meeting but claims it was not placed on the agenda.

“We were supposed to be put on the agenda for the Aug. 6 meeting, and they concocted an excuse,” Layfield said.

Layfield said he is asking the courts to require the city to allow the Board of Appeals to hear the case.