ORDINANCE NO. 2026-O-3   AN ORDINANCE OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF POCOMOKE CITY, MARYLAND TO AMEND THE CITY’S ZONING CODE TO ELIMINATE THE KEEPING OF LODGERS, ROOMERS OR BOARDERS BY A RESIDENT FAMILY IN RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS BY AMENDING CHAPTER 230, ARTICLE II, TERMINOLOGY, § 230-5 DEFINITIONS AND WORD USAGE; ARTICLE V, R-1 RESIDENCE DISTRICT, § 230-35 ACCESSORY USES; ARTICLE VI, R-2 RESIDENCE DISTRICT, § 230-42 ACCESSORY USES; ARTICLE VII, R-3 MULTI¬FAMILY DISTRICT, § 230-49 ACCESSORY USES.   WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council have received complaints regarding property owners who rent rooms out to individuals for profit thereby disturbing the tranquility and peace of residential neighborhoods;   WHEREAS, the City’s Zoning Code identifies three residential zoning districts where the keeping or roomers or boarders is authorized as an accessory use;   WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council have deferred this issue to the Planning and Zoning Department for review and staff has prepared draft language that eliminates the keeping of roomers or boarders in the R-1, R-2, and R-3 Residential districts;   WHEREAS, the Planning Commission at their meeting on June 26, 2025 moved to initiate the zoning text change and to conduct a further public hearing on the matter;   AND WHEREAS, the Planning Commission conducted a public hearing on July 17, 2025 regarding this issue and recommended approving this zoning text change with the following amendments;   § 230-5 add definitions for family or housekeeping unit, lodger and roomer or boarder    § 230-35 amend subsection (E) by deleting the current language and replacing with: THE KEEPING OF LODGERS, ROOMERS, OR BOARDERS IN THE R-1 DISTRICT IS PROHIBITED.   § 230-42 amend subsection (E) by deleting the current language and replacing with: THE KEEPING OF LODGERS, ROOMERS, OR BOARDERS IN THE R-1 DISTRICT IS PROHIBITED.   § 230-49 amend subsection (E) by deleting the current language and replacing with: THE KEEPING OF LODGERS, ROOMERS, OR BOARDERS IN THE R-1 DISTRICT IS PROHIBITED. 1/4/2026, 1/5/2026, 1/6/2026, 1/7/2026, 1/8/2026, 1/9/2026, 1/11/2026, 1/12/2026, 1/13/2026, 1/14/2026, 1/15/2026, 1/16/2026, 1/18/2026, 1/19/2026