SALISBURY — A proposed apartment building in Salisbury is drawing concerns from some city council members about whether it will be considered for affordable housing.
Three properties currently located in the county on the west side of West Road and north of Booth Street are under consideration to be annexed into the city.
900, 902 and 904 West Road — owned by Diya Patel Properties, XII — would be combined into an .80-acre site, where a three-story, 12-apartment building would be built.
The city planning department said the Salisbury Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2010 designates the land and nearby areas as commercial zoning.
“The proposed use of the site for an apartment complex is an appropriate use within the requested zoning classification, as apartments are an inherently permitted use within this district. Impacts on the surrounding neighborhood, as well as the city’s infrastructure will be minimal, as only twelve apartment units are proposed for this project,” City Planner Amanda Rodriquez said in city documents presented to the council.
A public hearing on the annexation resolution will be held June 10 at 6 p.m. in room 301 at the Government Office Building on Division Street.
Councilwomen April Jackson and Sharon Dashiell, who voted against the annexation resolution during a May 13 City Council meeting, said they need more information on if the apartments will be “fair and affordable” housing.
“I think we asked that question when we met last week, and the implication was that it was,” Council President D'Shawn Doughty said.
“We can’t go on implications,” Jackson said. “We need to know for sure. We’re sitting here and we’re making votes and saying yea or nay, but I need to know because that community needs fair and affordable housing.
“I’m not saying that the whole city of Salisbury doesn’t need it everywhere, but that particular area does need it and I know we can’t tell developers what to build, but we can tell them how we want it in our communities and that’s what I’m fighting for.”
Council Vice President Angela Blake said the petition to the city for annexation of the property has existed since 2022. City documents said the signed petition consists of 25 percent of nearby eligible voters and 25 percent of property owners in the area to be annexed.
City Administrator Andy Kitzrow told the council what is built on the three lots goes before the planning commission, which previously recommended approval. The resolution they were voting on was whether or not to annex the land into the city.
“Affordable or not, there could be conclusions drawn based off of the drawings, and recommendations from our city planner based off what it looks like there, but it would be out of turn for me to say exactly what the developer is going to build or intends to build without the developer presenting that information further,” Kitzrow said.
Jackson said she is not saying to stop the project, but the council needs to know whether the 12 apartments will be affordable or not.
“We just can’t assume that something is going to take place, and we are annexing land and then we’re not holding the people’s feet to the fire to do what needs to be done in our communities,” Jackson said.
Reach Managing Editor Richard Caines at rcaines@iniusa.org.
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