SALISBURY, Md.- The Salisbury City Council voted to override Mayor Randy Taylor’s veto. Mayor Taylor vetoed the council’s decision to increase the residential density downtown, greenlighting construction of apartments and a parking garage that had been waiting for this decision.
After the meeting Mayor Taylor said the council did not do their homework.
"What I try to do is give them the facts. Lay out the actual math for them. And they're not even looking at it. It's not a close call," said Taylor.
However several council members like April Jackson expressed their commitment to their own lengthy research, and consideration of all sides to the argument.
Those who support increasing the residential density downtown argue that if more people lived downtown, downtown businesses would thrive. Those who oppose changing the density, like the mayor, say downtown does not have the parking to accommodate for an influx of people coming to downtown.
"The problem is they are maximizing the density with no parking standard," said Taylor.
But Council President D'Shawn Doughty says there is ample parking downtown and is a non-issue.
"We have willing developers and stakeholders who are right here in our city in our backyard who want to bring quality housing and it's gonna be good for the city," said Doughty. "When we have a vibrant core, it begins to spread out from there"
The vote was 4-1, the one dissenting vote came from councilmember Sharon Dashiell.
WBOC asked Mayor Taylor what would be next after the council overrode his veto.
"We got a few more arrows in our quiver and we're gonna do the best to work this to the best we can and we'll go from there," said Taylor.
Taylor did not clarify what actions exactly his office would be taking after the veto.