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Planning commission endorses concept plan for mixed-use renovation at 153 Market Street
Summary
The Planning Commission endorsed a concept plan from Davis Strategic to convert the upper floors and renovate the ground floor at 153 Market Street into eight apartments (five two-bedroom, three one-bedroom) plus street-level retail, with staff finding on-street and city-lot parking likely sufficient for the development.
The Pocomoke City Planning Commission endorsed a concept plan for interior and exterior renovations at 153 Market Street that would create eight apartments on the second floor (five two-bedroom and three one-bedroom units) and retain retail space on the ground floor.
Dan Brando, Pocomoke City planning director, told commissioners the concept plan filed by Davis Strategic shows interior and exterior renovations for the building at the corner of Market Street and Second Street and that the proposed second-floor units would each exceed 750 square feet. Brando said the property—about 15,128 square feet of lot area with approximately 22,388 square feet of interior space—is in the B-1 Downtown Shopping District and that, under the zoning code, residential use on upper floors is allowed and subject to site-plan review.
Brando noted relevant code provisions and observed that the zoning district does not require off-street parking for B-1 uses; a loading space requirement for buildings over 10,000 square feet appears satisfied by a loading area off Vine Street. Staff estimated that on-street parking along Market, Second and Vine streets plus the city-owned parking lot adjacent to the site (about 22–24 spaces) provide sufficient capacity to serve the development. Brando said the private lot behind the building is split among multiple owners and would not generally be available for new residents’ parking.
Commissioners discussed possible conditions to reduce conflicts with nearby uses, particularly church parking on Sundays. One commissioner said the city could consider two- or three-hour time limits on Market Street or otherwise encourage residents to use side-street parking. Brando responded that conditions could be imposed during further plan review and that the city-owned lot is public parking without a formal reserved agreement for the adjacent church.
The commission voted to accept the concept plan as submitted; Brando said more detailed building plans and facade drawings will be submitted for subsequent review and permit processing.
