SALISBURY, MD - Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor has formally vetoed an ordinance recently passed by the City Council that seeks to increase Salisbury's downtown density.
Ordinance #2909, passed by the Salisbury City Council in a 4-1 vote on January 13, would double the allowable density within the Central Business District from 40 units per acre to 80. Proponents argued the increase would allow for more people living in the area and a boost to downtown businesses.
Taylor has maintained his opposition to the ordinance, however, saying downtown parking should be the focus of the conversation. He officially filed his veto on Wednesday.
“The potential impact of this change would be devastating to the downtown and has no place on the stage of good planning or common sense,” Mayor Taylor said, going on to claim Maryland planners, design professionals, and zoning specialists found the ordinance to be “grossly inappropriate.”
The density change would also be inconsistent with Maryland planning law and Salisbury’s Comprehensive plan, according to Taylor.
Salisbury City Council President D’Shawn Doughty expected the veto, but told WBOC earlier this week he was confident the ordinance would stand having gained a supermajority vote in the City Council.
