Today the County’s Zoning Director, Jack Lenox, presented the County Council
with his plan to downzone land in the residential (R-8, R-15, R-20 and R-30)
and other (Town Transition and Village Conservation) zoning districts to
a “base density” of 1 home per acre in order to promote the downzoning that the
Council is considering in the Agricultural zoning district. It looks like a
misery loves company marriage may be in the making.
That “base density” (1 unit/acre) could be increased by the purchase of so-
called “TRD’s” (transferable development rights) from landowners in the Ag.
District – for example (and this is simply a guess) the density could be
increased to allow more than 1 home per acre for about $3,000 per additional
home, but it could be higher or lower, depending on what the TDR market would
bear at the time. In essence, developers in those other zoning districts would
be required to pay owners in the Ag. district in order to build more than 1
home per acre. It’s unclear if existing lots in already approved subdivisions
would be exempt from this scheme.
For land that is not exempt, the effect would be to (1) reduce its value and
(2) increase the cost of development by the “TDR price” for each additional
home. And a possible unintended result is that there could be more large (1
acre or more) lots – i.e., urban sprawl – in those areas.
It’s part of the scheme to prevent more “cluster” development in the Ag.
District by requiring developers in other districts to buy TDR’s. If you own
land in the other areas, you better speak up or forever hold your peace after
this shotgun marriage occurs – the first opportunity to speak to the Council
members “up close and personal” will be in two weeks, September 16, when the
County Council meets again.
And if you own land that gets downzoned to eliminate "cluster" lots in the Ag.
District, remember that you only have a buyer if someone is willing to pay you
in order to have higher development density on their property in another
district, and that some property can obtain a higher density by being annexed
into the City of Salisbury or another town in Wicomico County. And then there's
the question of whether the lots that are already subdivided will be exempt
from the new "base density" limit. As they say in the city, "better keep your
day job" for the time being, and possibly much longer.
7 comments:
Why can't these clowns leave well enough alone. One thing for sure, anyone who votes for this garbage won't be sitting there after the 2010 election.
Maybe this is death to the Waller Landing Fiasco!
How do we know if we live in one of the zones that they are talking about?
5:29- WRONG!
The Waller Landing site was annexed into the Town of Hebron several years ago, so it can't be downzoned by the County.
5:54-
Call the County zoning office at 410-548-4860. Tell em' Kris Hughes & Dave Nutter say "Hi".
Hopefully this council will put the lively hood of their children/grandchildren and the quality of life of all residents ahead of the GREED of a few.
I know you find it hard to believe, but there are those of us with land that would prefer to see fields of green than subdivisions of concrete, even if there is a decrease in value. Sacrifice a little now financially or suffer a lot later.
Anon 8:22
You are a hero! Run for office and make yourself known!
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