Annexation Procedures

Annexation Procedures

Overview.   The City of Salisbury has experienced significant growth in population and land area over the years.  The land area increases are a result of annexation of unincorporated areas of Wicomico County in to the City of Salisbury.  Annexations usually occur to provide City water and  sewer services to the petitioning landowners, as well as other services provided by City Police, Fire, Code Enforcement and Public Works Departments.

                           

Annexation Process:

  1. An applicant for annexation should attend a pre-filing meeting with the City Annexation Team to brief the Team on the proposal and to obtain guidance on the City’s Annexation Procedures and Principles.
  2. The property owner submits a request for annexation using the “Petition for Annexation”  form that can be picked up at the City of Salisbury’s Office of the Mayor, located in Room 304 of the Government Office Building at 125 North Division Street, Salisbury, Maryland.
  3. A meeting occurs with the applicant, their consultant(s), and the City Administrator to discuss the details of the annexation request including, but not limited to, conditions included as part of an Annexation Agreement.  After this meeting, the applicant can decide to move forward or terminate the annexation request.
  4. The applicant signs and returns the Petition for Annexation form to the City Administrator.
  5. The applicant provides the City with a Concept Development Plan for the subject property and pays an upfront Annexation Fee.  The specific amount of the Annexation Fee varies based on the size of the parcel and the complexity of the proposal.
  6. Upon receipt of the requested deliverables, the City schedules a meeting of its Annexation Team, which is comprised of staff members from Salisbury Public Works, Salisbury Fire Department, Salisbury Police Department, and Salisbury, and the Salisbury-Wicomico County Department of Planning and Zoning & Community Development.   The Purpose of this meeting is to obtain comments about the Concepts Development Plan from each department represented on the Annexation Team.
  7. The Annexation Team forwards their comments and/or recommended revisions of the Concept Development Plan to the City Administrator for review.
  8. The City begins drafting the Annexation Agreement.
  9. If revisions to the Concept Development Plan or continued negotiations of the Annexation Agreement are deemed necessary, a meeting is scheduled with the applicant and their consultant(s) to discuss the revisions of the Concept Development Plan before scheduling an informational briefing to the City Council during a regularly scheduled work session.
  10. The annexation request is presented to the City Council to receive their concurrence to proceed forward with the annexation request.  If the City Council does not concur with the proposed annexation request, the process is stopped.  Additional revisions to the Concept Development Plan and/or the Annexation Agreement may be required before proceeding with the annexation request.  Based on the complexity of an annexation, the City Council reserves the right to request additional informational briefings. 
  11. Following the City Council’s information briefing, the annexation request is forwarded to the Planning and Zoning Commission for review of the Concept Development Plan and the requested zoning proposed by the applicant.  The Planning and Zoning Commission will provide a favorable recommendation, modify the applicant’s requested zoning of the subject property, or may propose zoning changes based on the current or future land use.  In addition, the Planning and Zoning Commission reserves the right to establish conditions associated with the Concept Development Plan.
  12. If the density of the proposed zoning is 50% greater than the existing Wicomico County zoning, the annexation request is presented to the Wicomico County Council for their concurrence.
  13. The applicant submits a signed Letter of Intent to the City.
  14. The City Council conducts the first reading of the resolution authorizing the annexation and establishing a City Council Public Hearing date for this annexation.
  15. The proposed annexation and the second reading of the resolution and Public Hearing is advertised in the Daily Times newspaper in accordance with the requirements contained in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 23A, Section 19, 3, (d).
  16.  The City Council conducts a Public Hearing and a second reading of the proposed annexation.  During this Public Hearing, the City Council will establish a date for the adoption of the annexation request.
  17. The City Council meets to vote on the decision to approve the annexation of the property.  If the City Council approves the annexation, the applicant provides the City a signed and notarized Annexation Agreement.  The approved annexation becomes effective forty-five calendar days after this City Council meeting 

                               Note: The applicant and their consultant(s) should be in attendance at all meetings to answer any questions of the City Council, County Council or the Planning and Zoning Commission.