2017 Wicomico County Comprehensive Plan Update

The intent of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to obtain professional consultant services, as described in the Scope of Services below, to update the 2017 Comprehensive Plan for Wicomico County, Maryland (Plan).

Wicomico County is located in the southeastern part of the State of Maryland, near the center of the Delmarva Peninsula. It is situated between: the Nanticoke River, which runs along the western border of the County; the Wicomico River and Wicomico Creek, which portions of these waterbodies run along the southern border of the County; and, the Pocomoke River that forms the eastern boundary of the County. The County is named after the Wicomico River and the Native American words “wicko mekee”, meaning “a place where houses are built,” referring to a small Native American town on the banks of the river.

Founded in 1867, with land from portions of Somerset and Worcester Counties, Wicomico County encompasses approximately 400 square miles, of which approximately 23 square miles is water. The County contains two incorporated cities: Salisbury and Fruitland, and six incorporated towns; Delmar, Hebron, Mardela Springs, Pittsville, Sharptown, and Willards. The City of Salisbury serves as the county seat of Wicomico County. The counties adjacent to Wicomico County are Dorchester, Somerset, and Worcester Counties in the State of Maryland, and Sussex County in the State of Delaware.

Due in large part to its ideal centralized location on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and at the intersection of two major highways (U.S. Routes 13 & 50), Wicomico County will retain its status as a regional center of economic activity. In a continued effort to capitalize on the County’s location, employment opportunities and regional transportation network, future growth and economic expansion will change the complexion of the County and its cities and towns. If improperly managed, the benefits of future growth and development could possibly lead to the loss of those essential characteristics that make Wicomico County a great place to live, work, and play.

The County’s unique blend of urban and rural environments differentiates it from the other counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Wicomico County and the eight municipalities offer a variety of quality urban and rural residential environments consisting of well-established neighborhoods in close proximity to shopping, parks and recreational opportunities, and schools. The movement of goods, services, and people is made easier because of the exceptional highway network, a regional airport, existing rail lines, and the navigable Wicomico and Nanticoke Rivers.

Beyond the more densely populated areas, the County landscape is dominated by farm fields, forests, wetlands, rivers, and streams that create the rural heritage and promote a quality of life desired by the residents of Wicomico County. In addition to the bountiful natural resources, the County’s rural heritage includes quaint small towns, the historic villages of Whitehaven and Quantico, and small crossroads settlements containing the preserved historic and cultural resources that play an important part of the County’s identity. Places are connected by highways and scenic rural roads, farm lanes, stream and river channels, and greenways that provide for the movement of vehicles, people, and wildlife throughout the rural areas. Collectively, these features define the rural character that is uniquely Wicomico County.