ARTICLE III Designation of Districts

R-1 Low-Density Residential District. The purpose of the R-1 Low-Density Residential District is to protect the existing low-density residential districts and to provide for orderly development in such districts in areas where public utilities are most readily available and to exclude uses not compatible with such low-density residential development.

(2)

R-2 Medium-Density Residential District. The purpose of the R-2 Medium-Density Residential District is to provide for the orderly development of single-family and multifamily residential uses where adequate public service and circulation facilities make it appropriate to encourage principles of good design and efficient use of the land at moderate densities.

(3)

R-3 High-Density Residential District.

The purpose of the R-3 High-Density Residential District is to provide for the orderly preservation, conservation, rehabilitation and renewal of older residential areas by encouraging the assembling of land parcels to create development sites sufficient in size for multifamily dwellings.

Further, it is the purpose of the R-3 District to encourage high-density residential development in those areas where adequate public services and transportation systems are most readily available, but to control such development so as to provide for the public's convenience and to avoid congestion of the streets.

(4)

B-1 Downtown Shopping District. The purpose of the B-1 Downtown Shopping District is to provide for the orderly development of those uses necessary to meet the community and regional needs for general goods and services as well as those of a social, cultural and civic nature and to exclude uses not compatible with such activities. Standards applicable to waterfront properties are intended to protect and enhance the appearance of the Town as viewed from the Pocomoke River and increase physical and visual access to the water from the downtown.

(5)

B-2 General Business District. The purpose of the B-2 General Business District is to provide the logical development of land for business with adequate parking and circulation to ensure a safe, convenient and attractive business area.

(6)

HC Highway Commercial. The purpose of the HC Highway Commercial District is to provide areas for commercial establishments which offer accommodations, supplies, or services to the traveling public and which draw from a market area generally broader than the immediate corporate area. The HC Zoning District is also intended to provide appropriate space and, in particular, sufficient depth from the street to satisfy the needs of modern commercial development where access is almost entirely dependent on motor vehicles; and to encourage the development of the zoning district with such uses and in such a manner as to minimize traffic hazards and interference from highway oriented businesses and to create a positive image of the Town. All proposed development in the HC Highway Commercial District is subject to the design guidelines in § 200-72.

(7)

M-1 Light Industrial District. The purpose of the M-1 Light Industrial District is to permit industrial uses within buildings which are compatible with residential and business uses. It is the intent of this article that no use is permitted which will create environmental pollution or offensive conditions, i.e., odor, noise, vibration, dust, heat, smoke or glare.

(8)

M-2 Heavy Industrial District. The purpose of the M-2 Heavy Industrial District is to permit manufacturing, processing and storage facilities which should be separated from other uses. It is the intent that no use is permitted which will create environmental pollution to either water or air or offensive conditions such as excessive noise, smoke or odor.

Overlay zoning districts.

H Historic District. The purpose of the Historic District Article shall be to:

Preserve sites and structures, and districts, together with their appurtenances and environmental settings, of historic and architectural significance to the Town of Snow Hill, Worcester County, the State of Maryland and the nation.

To enhance the quality of life and to safeguard the historical and cultural heritage of Snow Hill by preserving these sites and structures.

(c)

To strengthen the local economy and to stabilize and improve property values of such sites and structures.

(d)

To foster civic beauty and to promote the appreciation of such sites and structures for the education and welfare of the residents of Snow Hill and Worcester County.

(2)

FP Floodplain District. It is the purpose of these regulations to promote the public health, safety and general welfare, and to:

Protect human life, health and welfare;

Encourage the utilization of appropriate construction practices in order to prevent or minimize flood damage in the future;

(c)

Minimize flooding of water supply and sanitary sewage disposal systems;

(d)

Maintain natural drainage;

(e)

Reduce financial burdens imposed on the community, its governmental units and its residents, by discouraging unwise design and construction of development in areas subject to flooding;

(f)

Minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public;

(g)

Minimize prolonged business interruptions;

(h)

Minimize damage to public facilities and other utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges;

(i)

Reinforce that those who build in and occupy special flood hazard areas should assume responsibility for their actions;

(j)

Minimize the impact of development on adjacent properties within and near flood-prone areas;

(k)

Provide that the flood storage and conveyance functions of floodplains are maintained;

(l)

Minimize the impact of development on the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains;

(m)

Prevent floodplain uses that are either hazardous or environmentally incompatible; and

(n)

Meet community participation requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations at 44 CFR 59.21.

(3)

CR Community Redevelopment District. Intent: The district standards encourage appropriate development of underutilized properties and consolidation of developable land where the Planning Commission determines it will achieve a more efficient land use and improve site design. Design standards promote compatible infill and redevelopment by, among other things, allowing development on sites that may not meet the minimum land area and dimension requirements of the underlying zones. It is the general intent of the Community Redevelopment Overlay District to:

Accommodate growth in Snow Hill by encouraging and facilitating new development and redevelopment on vacant, bypassed and underutilized land where such development is found to be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood and adequate public facilities and services exist;

Allow adaptive reuse of historic structures that preserves sites and structures, and districts, together with their appurtenances and environmental settings consistent with the intent of the Snow Hill Historic District;

(c)

Encourage efficient use of land and public services;

(d)

Stimulate reinvestment and development in order to strengthen the local economy and to stabilize and improve property values;

(e)

Provide developers and property owners flexibility that achieves high quality design and results in infill and redevelopment projects that strengthen existing neighborhoods; and

(f)

Implement the goals, objectives, and policies of the Snow Hill Comprehensive Plan.

Floating zoning districts.

§ 200-12 Official Zoning Map and interpretation of district boundaries.

PDD Planned Development District. Planned development districts are intended to encourage the best possible design of building forms and site planning for tracts of land under a unitary plan of development. Unitary control over an entire development, rather than lot-by-lot regulation, is intended to produce a well-designed development that will provide a variety of housing types, preserve open space and natural vegetation for scenic and recreational uses and have a beneficial effect upon the health, safety and general welfare of the people of the Town. The regulations established in this article permit and encourage sound and imaginative development. To ensure that a residential planned community shall conform to the character and nature of the district in which located, achieve a maximum of coordination between the residential planned community and neighboring land uses, promote the intent and purposes of this title and encourage and most appropriate use of land within the area of the residential planned community, specific and additional standards are established as set forth in this article.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See Art. IV, Part 2.

Boundaries of the districts enumerated in this article are hereby established as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which map is hereby made a part of this chapter.[1] The Official Zoning Map shall be identified by the signatures of the Mayor and Council and attested to by the Town Manager per the following words: "This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map defined in Article III, § 200-12, of the Zoning Chapter of the Town of Snow Hill, Maryland," together with the date of the adoption of this chapter.

[1]

Editor's Note: The Zoning Map is on file in the Town offices and may be examined there during regular business hours.

Where uncertainty exists as to the boundaries of any district as shown on said map, the following rules shall apply: