Light Industrial Rezoning Stalled for Pidgeon Bay Road

Three steel buildings on 116 and 120 Pidgeon Bay Road in Brownsville, currently zoned residential, will continue to operate a commercial light industrial business, but the requested rezoning was stalled Monday after Dorchester County Council heard appeals from the surrounding neighborhood residents.

Marva Hardee-Thomas was one of the residents hoping to block the rezoning of the property.

"Someone's considering changing this area that I'm living in from residential to industrial," Thomas said.

Monday's reading was to be the third and final. The property was originally zoned as commercial light industrial but in the past eight years, the county reverted the property to residential zoning. The problem was discovered when the property owner went to get a business license for an auto repair shop, Planning & Zoning Manager Alec Brebner said.

However, the owner was able to obtain the business license due to grandfather clauses, Brebner said.

For residents like Thomas, who made up about half of the attending audience, allowing light industrial into their neighborhood would diminish quality of life.

"Family outweighs industry," Thomas said. "I understand there is congestion there already; industry would just add to the congestion."

John Haynes also addressed council.

"This is a major concern right now. We don't like that idea," Haynes said. He also worried about property taxes and value. "Why can't it be within one of the industrial areas?"

Before taking a vote on the issue, Councilman Bill Hearn moved to address the rezoning in executive session to get legal advice from the county's attorney. Hearn also refuted residents' claims about lowering the quality of life.

"There's a little mischaracterization of what's going on here," Hearn said, adding that if commercial light industrial shouldn't create any residential problems. 

After council convened into executive session, Hearn was surrounded by Pidgeon Bay residents voicing their concerns. Once executive session concluded, council decided to postpone the issue until the Jan. 3 meeting.