Route 589 rezoning issues on hold

(Oct. 23, 2009) Concerns about increased traffic due to slot machine gambling at Ocean Downs and an overabundance of vacant commercial buildings on Route 589 caused consternation among the Worcester County Commissioners on Tuesday as they considered the proposed comprehensive rezoning maps.

During a discussion about Palmer Gillis' request for his property, located on Route 589 just north of Route 90, to remain commercially zoned, some commissioners said they were opposed to more commercialism there.

Gillis wants to develop a medical and professional office park with related services. To rezone his property from its current zoning as a neighborhood business district to residential zoning, as the county staff has suggested, would be an unwarranted dramatic change, he has said. He has also said the county has an oversupply of residential property and his site is in an already developed area and his development would not be sprawl, but would prevent sprawl.

The property was proposed to be given a suburban residential district classification by the comprehensive rezoning. The revised proposed zoning would make it a neighborhood commercial district.

The county planning staff prefers the suburban residential district classification, because of the property's extremely close proximity to the northbound ramp of Route 90. The staff also noted that although Gillis has said he wanted a medical and professional complex, he would not be bound to do that.

The staff had also noted that the comprehensive plan notes that Route 589 is a busy road and land uses there should not be intensified until the road's vehicular capacity is improved.

Although the county's Planning Commission considered the county staff's recommendation, it chose to recommend that the parcel be zoned as a neighborhood commercial district. The commission's vote, however, was not unanimous.

Commissioner Judy Boggs said it is a "terrible traffic area" and the county's comprehensive plan recommends no drastic changes to land along Route 589. There is already 72,000 square feet of unoccupied commercial space in the area and no more is needed.

A Pavilions office building remains vacant and space is available in the new Taylorville Center as well as at the older Pines Plaza.

"I just think it's the wrong time and wrong place," for additional commercial businesses on Route 589, Boggs said. "That is a really bad spot to begin with," she said of Gillis' property.

Commissioner Bobby Cowger said there would be even more traffic coming from and going to Gillis' property if it is zoned for residential uses instead of commercial.

Cowger is also concerned that a rezoning would make a negative financial difference to property owners, including those who own land across from Ocean Downs Racetrack. That land should be zoned for commercial uses, he said. If it remains residential, it will not be worth much, he said.

"Who's going to buy residential property across from the racetrack?" Cowger asked.

Commission President Louise Gulyas foresees more business uses along the route, but wants the land across from Ocean Downs to remain residential. If it is rezoned for commercial uses, a hotel could be built there and the hotel could take business away from Ocean City, she said.

"I'm concerned about the repercussions to people in Ocean City," she said.

The commissioners chose not to make a decision about rezoning any property along Route 589 until Commissioner Linda Busick returns. She did not attend Tuesday's meeting because of her husband's hospitalization.