Georgetown planning commission recommends denial of rezoning, land-use change for East Market parcels

The Georgetown Planning Commission voted on Oct. 15 to recommend that Town Council deny a proposed change to the town’s comprehensive plan future land-use map and a related zoning-map amendment affecting two parcels at 501 and 503 East Market Street.

Planning staff had proposed changing the two parcels, identified in the meeting packet as Sussex County tax parcels 135-15.13-16 and 135-15.13-17, totaling about 0.91 acres, from a commercial future land‑use designation and Highway Commercial (HC) zoning to single‑family residential and UR‑1 (Urban Residential) zoning. Town staff said the change would allow a potential cottage‑community residential development that the applicant is pursuing, and noted the Office of State Planning Coordination concurred with the town’s determination that the map change was a “minor variation” and therefore not subject to the state’s preliminary land use (PLUS) process.

The planning commission’s recommendation to deny came after about an hour of public comment in which multiple…