UPDATE: Smithsburg Convenience Stores Zoning Change to be Further Revised

The Town of Smithsburg hosted a public hearing on January 7, 2025, to discuss a proposed amendment to its zoning ordinance that would redefine “convenience store” and expand the scope and size of allowable uses. Based upon community input, the Planning Commission will now revise the proposed ordinance.

This article was updated on 1/8/2025 to reflect the events of the January 7 hearing.

The proposed amendment, which is now undergoing further revisions, broadens the definition of convenience stores to include establishments selling freshly prepared, prepackaged, or preprocessed food products, along with household items and other goods. It also increases the allowable gross floor area for such stores, tying it to 10% of the lot size (e.g., up to 4,356 square feet on a one-acre lot). Products like gasoline, diesel, and electric car charging would be explicitly permitted, and the area used for selling these products, whether covered or uncovered, would not count toward the store’s gross floor area. Additionally, drive-through service counters would be allowed, provided traffic flow and parking requirements are met. Transient overnight parking of vehicles would be prohibited.

Currently, Smithsburg restricts convenience stores to a maximum of 5,000 sqft, and Washington County limits convenience stores to 7,000 soft. The proposed ordinance in its current form would remove the maximum size restriction and directly link the size restrictions to lot size without maximum cap.

These changes could have significant implications for development in Smithsburg. According to town councilmember Dave Dan, under the new parameters, a large-scale establishment such as a 82,000-square-foot Buc-ee’s could potentially be built on a 19-acre commercial lot without requiring a special exception, a scenario not possible under the current ordinance.

“What’s next for Smithsburg, an Amazon warehouse,” remarked Dan on a social media post.

A public hearing was held in Town Hall on Tuesday, January 7 at 7:00 p.m., where residents and stakeholders provided input. The council is expected to deliberate and announce its decision during the meeting or at a later date.

The proposed ordinance was drafted by the Smithsburg Planning Commission. Jim Fritsch, who is the council liaison to the Planning Commission, is also a realtor with Mackintosh Realtors, acting as a buyer’s or seller’s real estate agent for residential and commercial properties. He is not currently listed as the seller’s agent for any commercial property in Smithsburg.

As of January 8, 2020, based upon public input, the Smithsburg Planning Commission is now revising the proposed ordinance.

Copies of the proposed text will be available at the Town Manager’s office for review once revisions are completed.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors.

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