[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6583069,"mediaKeyId","3102499-043ac6f5c72f61022b59e481a1f7a1ef","parentId",3102499,"title","Pocomoke planners debate transect-style zoning, —ish— missing-middle housing and a proposed 74-acre overlay","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",2191000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3102499-043ac6f5c72f61022b59e481a1f7a1ef&start=2191&end=2191","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3102499-043ac6f5c72f61022b59e481a1f7a1ef/thumbnail_2191000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6583069/Pocomoke-City/Worcester-County/Maryland/Pocomoke-planners-debate-transect-style-zoning-ish-missing-middle-housing-and-a-proposed-74-acre-overlay","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583069-f79fc32ffa48393ba3fa5c48cc0870a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639681&Signature=SmqvekwbODsCovFRNY~AXho8~IxwZx8NDQWvnxwwdoxDNgILtCoPfQd0c2K-Pns0zg2O5pMWfbRQViMFd2a0GXUO6SAdTitg9JViMkLmHDFbp2liG7PU7EXpyYcpNpbCWHKMVVAGP4YFjuZ3pf0T5lrQPH1A17lOYOVBGplWBhthiLKSm~h0lGlzC4vczRHoSZrY99kG0LEzotP0zh9heJRGWsffg0uI-LqXpGcPk1cGL7O-LA9gqvFaGMJG3QZht594IPe0wUXvwRPu2CaG5zJUlYnquaZoGVcdP5pOrTFFt7RhiQjd4IJWbJjguHgz6lbtCpuxln6d-awHz~5cfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Pocomoke City, MD","date","2025-04-23T23:39:09.15Z","article","Pocomoke City planning commissioners spent the bulk of a work session examining a consultant\rraft land-use element that would reorganize existing zoning into a \"transect\" framework and expand allowances for middle-housing types such as townhouses, duplexes and accessory dwelling units.

The consultant's draft proposes six transect categories (T1 central business, T2 core neighborhoods, T3 fringe neighborhoods, T4 suburban, SDC commercial and SDI industrial) that reclassify parts of the city by proximity to the downtown core and intended density. The presenter and commissioners agreed the concept has merit but warned the proposed implementation is broad and risks community pushback unless it is tailored to local conditions.

\"This is somewhat of a radical approach,\" Speaker 2 said, summarizing the consultant's framing, and added that \"the devil is in the details\" when it comes to allowing higher-density and mixed housing types across residential transects.

Commissioners raised several implementation concerns and clarifying points:

- Boundary adjustments rather than wholesale replacement: Several speakers said the transect map largely mirrors existing zones and recommended tweaking boundaries and definitions rather than replacing the city's familiar zoning categories outright. \"You could utilize our existing zoning model and modify it rather than presenting a completely new zoning model,\" Speaker 1 said.
- Missing-middle and neighborhood compatibility: Commissioners supported the concept of adding townhouse, duplex and accessory-dwelling-unit options in parts of the city, but urged careful limits to avoid tearing single-family neighborhoods apart. One commissioner said permitted conversions in the past had hurt property values when owner-occupancy and design standards were not enforced.
- Where to allow multifamily: The consultant draft eliminates a separate multi-family (R3) district and instead suggests allowing apartments across several transects; commissioners asked the staff and council to clarify where new construction of multifamily housing would be appropriate.
- Local corrections to the land-use map: Several parcels near Market Street extension, the Armory block and other downtown lots were flagged as misclassified on the consultant's map and in earlier city maps; staff noted some of those are already corrected in the consultant\rraft but asked commissioners to identify other parcels that warrant amendment.
- Floating mixed-use overlay for large vacant parcels: Staff told the commission the mayor and council had asked staff to explore a mixed-use overlay for a 74-acre city-owned tract. Staff said such an overlay could be considered through a planned-unit-development or redevelopment overlay ordinance and could be brought to the planning commission for review as soon as next month.

On infrastructure and fiscal impacts, commissioners noted that concentrating higher density in the downtown core would better leverage existing streets, sidewalks and utilities, while suburban sprawl increases per-parcel infrastructure costs. The presenter argued that encouraging density in the core yields better returns on city maintenance budgets.

Commissioners also discussed process mechanics: potential demolition or redevelopment timelines (the city code currently allows 12 months to commence work on a property; some commissioners suggested aligning with the International Building Code and changing the timeline to six months) and neighborhood compatibility rules, ADU standards and potential reductions in minimum dwelling unit size.

No formal zoning changes were made at the session. The commission directed staff to provide written feedback to the consultant, to flag misclassified parcels for map correction, and to prepare draft overlay language for the 74-acre tract for consideration at a future meeting. Commissioners emphasized public engagement, saying a wholesale rebrand of zoning terminology would be harder for the public to accept than a localized set of targeted code updates.

Staff planned to return a revised draft that maps transects to existing city zone categories and offers specific, limited allowances for middle housing in defined areas rather than a blanket permission across all transects. The commission scheduled continued review at upcoming work sessions and discussed including the consultant in a later public presentation or using Zoom for engagement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Melinda Stafford's Zoom Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Planning commissioners reviewed a consultant\rraft land-use chapter that introduces 'transect' zoning and broader allowance of middle-housing types. Commissioners supported refining boundaries and localizing recommendations, and discussed creating a floating mixed-use overlay for a 74-acre city-owned tract.","taxTitle","Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland","taxId",53953,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6583074,"Pocomoke planning panel says consultant—ommunity profile understates local growth, asks for more local trend data and outreach",4392,168000,4560000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3102499-043ac6f5c72f61022b59e481a1f7a1ef&start=168&end=4560","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3102499-043ac6f5c72f61022b59e481a1f7a1ef/thumbnail_168000.jpg","/articles/6583074/Pocomoke-City/Worcester-County/Maryland/Pocomoke-planning-panel-says-consultantommunity-profile-understates-local-growth-asks-for-more-local-trend-data-and-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6583074-a1288e4921dab7f5aa38bab08c29ff2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773639681&Signature=MIw0MGi1bGHenSOyaT4jPxxSCFh5gWm1kFa9TWuNjHJxG6pBV5mI1qFeEJhAr2sEM5dui6l10znzQPHq1jr3czQ-180HdR02xuzT1~J1RtjGRiRB1Os9p8T9eRDpyyfDY-GRUDWQkJ696K7C~ZjqQLkmTZ53A5-fzUrs17UF6B0zANtksxu3JmywjvEB6UG2SpGZ55NDDO81gXE4Lmd-y738e6pCEjqeiGHltnTqQrd4K2uFB9rCRsHYw-p0YvzWhvkW9eaWCNrpFOFfNJkGDK6zQJGo6-HwxbAZp6mTfq2OV4~~ALlJ~3SWMA0j3uq0Hy~CxP270tmrlNxXkqw7OQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Pocomoke City planning commission work session, commissioners and staff reviewed the consultant\rraft comprehensive plan and criticized its community profile for overemphasizing slow or declining growth while underrepresenting recent local gains.

The criticism focused on the consultant\u000executive summary and the community profile chapter, which several participants said relied heavily on county- and state-level comparisons and U.S. Census tables without offering local trend analysis on employment sectors, business openings and permits, or other metrics the commission considers crucial.

\"A lot of the data concerning me has changed since when we did the census,\" said Speaker 4, a planning commission participant, noting residents and workforce shifts and urging the plan to reflect recent local changes. Speaker 2, identified in the meeting as the staff presenter, said he had reviewed the chapter and distributed written comments to the commission and the consultant.

Commissioners pointed to several specific shortcomings they want fixed before the draft is released widely. They asked for:

- Local trend lines (multi-year series) for employment by industry, business license issuances, single-family building permits and school-enrollment changes so readers can see whether recent changes represent short-term variation or sustained trends.
- Contextual comparisons to similarly sized towns (for example, Snow Hill and Berlin) rather than direct comparisons to Worcester County and Ocean City, which commissioners said distort the city\fontext because Ocean City is an outlier in countywide growth.
- Corrections and clearer labeling for tables that meeting participants flagged as mislabeled, and better explanation of where the consultant used county- or state-level proxies versus city-specific data.

Commissioners noted concrete figures from the draft that they said needed clearer context: the plan reports a median household income of $30,909 in the city versus $57,474 for Worcester County, and the draft notes commuting patterns and a rising share of residents working outside the county. Several participants argued the plan should show how those figures have changed over time and what local factors (for example, the presence of Hardwire LLC or proximity to Wallops Flight Facility) mean for the local economy.

Several speakers urged that the city solicit additional local input and data. \"I just wish that we could have still put something out so we could get more accurate numbers,\" Speaker 4 said, referring to using a local survey to supplement census data. Speaker 2 said the consultant\rraft had been circulated and that he would relay the commission's direction to request more localized trend analysis and to avoid framing the city primarily as declining compared with Ocean City.

Participants also discussed a draft job posting for the city manager and noted early interest: Speaker 4 said the posting had attracted 10 applicants within two weeks. The commission viewed the manager recruitment and the comprehensive plan as connected: language in the plan that better markets Pocomoke\fity could help recruitment and economic development efforts.

The planning commission asked staff to request revisions from the consultant that emphasize city-specific trend data, correct labeling errors, and provide a clearer presentation of local strengths. Staff also proposed additional public outreach: post drafts on the city website and use scheduled public meetings and hearings later in the process to gather broader community feedback.

The commission did not adopt any formal ordinance or take a vote at the meeting; members framed these items as guidance to staff and the consultant and asked for revised drafts ahead of the next scheduled work session.

Looking ahead, staff said the consultant will be asked to incorporate the commission's comments and to present a revised community profile that includes recommended local trend measures and improved comparisons. The commission also discussed scheduling broader public engagement before the plan advances to formal hearings.","At a Pocomoke City planning commission work session, commissioners and staff criticized the consultant\rraft community profile for overemphasizing slow growth, urged more local trend analysis (employment, housing, business openings) and recommended wider public engagement before the comprehensive plan is finalized.","actionData","errors"]

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Pocomoke planners debate transect-style zoning, —ish— missing-middle housing and a proposed 74-acre overlay

Pocomoke planning panel says consultant—ommunity profile understates local growth, asks for more local trend data and outreach