Pocomoke City board approves variance for Sixth Street subdivision; owner must address stormwater maintenance

The Pocomoke City Board of Zoning Appeals voted to approve a variance application (Case No. 1142025) by property owner Craig D. Collins to create five lots from two parcels on Sixth Street, with the board attaching conditions relating to stormwater management and requiring a development or maintenance agreement with the city.

Staff told the board the proposal would create four residential building sites plus a fifth lot to contain an existing stormwater retention pond that serves the adjacent Oxford Court subdivision. The staff report said the two parcels have a combined acreage of about 0.987 acres and are zoned R-2 (medium-density single-family residential). Staff recommended that, if the board granted the variance, the city and owner enter a development agreement that spells out expected maintenance requirements and improvements for the pond and any related easements.

The staff report noted that R-2 zoning requires 8,000 square feet of lot area and 60 feet of frontage for new lots. Under the plan presented, Lot 1 would be 7,779 square feet (requiring an area variance of approximately 221 square feet) but meets the 60-foot frontage requirement. Lots 4 and 5 were shown with 25 feet of…