The Worcester County Commissioners voted May 6 to approve a conveyance of a small county-owned parcel along Bank Street in Snow Hill to the town for use in the Bank Street Promenade project, provided the town confirms the funding to complete planned improvements.

Why it matters: Downtown Snow Hill Inc., the town planning team and local stakeholders have designed a promenade to better connect the downtown shopping district to the Pocomoke Riverfront. The project aims to improve pedestrian safety, add accessible parking and loading, and create an activated public plaza for events. Project leaders said design and community outreach began in 2020 and multiple state and local funding sources were secured; project organizers asked the county to donate about 9,000 square feet of county-owned land to make the design work.

Larissa McAllister, Snow Hill’s director of economic development, told commissioners the donated parcel would allow reconfiguration of the library parking lot and add parking at an annex building to increase dedicated parking and handicap access. Robert Hendricks, president of Downtown Snow Hill Inc., said the grant funding is in place and warned that delays could jeopardize time-sensitive grants.

Commissioners approved a conveyance (quitclaim) with a condition stated on the record: county counsel and staff will not transfer title until the town demonstrates the funding necessary for the planned improvements is available. The board’s approval was unanimous in the meeting record.

Ending: Town staff and proponents said they will coordinate with county staff on final design and will return with documentation of funding before the county transfers property title.