Take part
Take action
Three ways to make a difference, in order of impact: sign the shared neighborhood letter, send your own personal note, and tell your neighbors.
Where the rezoning stands
May 14, 2026 Planning Commission meeting — discussion only
The rezoning was listed as a Discussion item on the May 14, 2026 Planning Commission agenda — not yet a public hearing or vote. A separate public hearing must be scheduled before any recommendation goes to City Council. Next public hearing: Date to be announced. Sign now and we'll email you the date as soon as the City posts it.
Most effective · Step 1
Sign the neighborhood letter
One letter, many names. Volume is the signal local officials look for. Read the letter below and add your signature — please sign before Date to be announced.
Dear Salisbury Planning Commission and City Council, We, the undersigned neighbors of Tony Tank Pond and Salisbury residents, respectfully ask you to deny the proposed rezoning of 1522 S. Salisbury Blvd from R-5A Residential to General Commercial, or — at minimum — to require a narrower zoning category that includes Comprehensive Site Plan review. Our concerns are grounded in the City's own staff report dated May 14, 2026: • The Comprehensive Plan designates this property as "High Density Residential," and the current draft of the updated Plan does not propose changes to that designation. • City staff itself wrote that the General Commercial designation "may be too broad in terms of by-right uses" for this site, and raised Select Commercial (§ 17.44) as a possible alternative because it requires Comprehensive Site Plan approval. • Staff specifically noted that "the rear of the property is visible from the nearby residential neighborhood" and that they are "sensitive to the type and quality of development that may occur." • Conditions placed by the City Council at rezoning "cannot be used to limit uses otherwise permitted in the zoning district." Once rezoned, the full § 17.36 use list becomes available. • No specific development plan has been submitted publicly. The property sits on a peninsula extending into Tony Tank Pond, surrounded on three sides by residential neighborhoods — Canal Woods across Route 13, and Wicomico County R-20 Residential beyond the pond. A use list as broad as General Commercial is not compatible with that context. We are not opposed to thoughtful development. We are asking the City to follow its own Comprehensive Plan, heed its own staff's caution, and protect the pondfront character that defines this part of Salisbury. Thank you for your service and for considering our request. Respectfully, The undersigned
Step 3 · Direct contact
Contact Salisbury City Council
The City Council casts the final vote on rezoning requests. A short, personal email to your Council representative — especially if you live in their district — is one of the most effective things you can do. Contact info below is published on salisbury.md.
Tip: if you live in a specific Council district, lead with that — your own councilmember gives the most weight to constituent voices.
Step 2 · Adds weight
Write your own letter
Personal, individually-written letters carry extra weight — they read as a distinct constituent, not a campaign. Pick a starter, edit in your own words, and email it to the City Planner. Copy your City Council representative if you wish.
Send to
Betsy Jackson, AICP — City Planner
Infrastructure and Development
125 N. Division St., Room 304
Salisbury, MD 21801
410.548.3170
Tips
- Include your name and address.
- Reference 1522 S. Salisbury Blvd (parcel 2595).
- State your position in the first paragraph.
- Send well before the hearing date.
Tell a neighbor
The most effective outreach is a doorstep conversation or a personal text.
Attend the hearing
Planning Commission and City Council hearings are open to the public, and your presence matters even if you don't speak. We'll text and email a reminder once the date is posted — sign up above.
See talking points →Contact the group
Reach the neighborhood group
Send a question, share a document, or volunteer to help with outreach.