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Commission denies request to rezone Ridgeville parcel from commercial to multi-family after split vote
Summary
Dorchester County Planning Commission denied a request to rezone a 15.88-acre Ridgeville parcel from General Commercial to R-4 multi-family following staff recommendation that commercial land be preserved and wetlands constrain development.
The Dorchester County Planning Commission voted to deny a rezoning request for a 15.88-acre parcel at the corner of Ridgeville Road and Highway 78 (TMS 09-00-00-094), rejecting the applicant’s proposal to change the site from CG General Commercial to R-4 Multi-Family Residential.
Staff reopened the item after a March deferral and recommended denial, noting the county has taken steps to preserve commercial property, including a text amendment to limit multifamily development in commercial districts. Staff also said the parcel is designated as a natural riparian corridor on the future land-use map and that wetlands on the site were documented with a delineation provided. The town of Ridgeville’s comprehensive plan designates the area for business use and the parcel is proximate to existing industrial and commercial development.
Jason Esposito of Center Park Group, the applicant, said the owner rezoned the property to commercial in 2022 intending a grocery or commercial center but has been unable to attract grocery operators. He told the commission a wetland delineation shows about 8.8 acres of wetland and roughly 7+ developable acres; he expressed concern the delineation could be reset by regulators (he cited an expiration in December 2027) and reduce developable acreage further. Esposito described an intent to develop townhomes to provide a more attainable housing product and estimated the R-4 yield would be roughly 70–80 units while R-3 would be roughly 49 units (applicant estimates).
Commissioners discussed density limits, sewer capacity (applicant said DCWS capacity questions were coordinated and a pump station upgrade had been completed), and the county’s policy direction to retain commercial land at major intersections. An initial motion to approve R-4 was tied 3–3 and therefore failed; a follow-up motion to deny the rezoning passed on a 4–2 recorded count.
The staff recommendation and the commission’s denial preserve the parcel’s commercial zoning for the time being; any future change would require a new application and coordination with adjacent jurisdictions and utility providers. The applicant said the decision risks leaving the parcel undeveloped while the wetland delineation remains valid.
