The Maryland Department of Commerce has approved a new Enterprise Zone for Pocomoke City in Worcester County, and approved expansions and redesignations in the cities of Hagerstown and Salisbury.

While Pocomoke City had an existing Enterprise Zone concentrated around industrial areas, as well as several business and retail districts, the Zone recently expired and an application was made to reinstate the Zone, but also add nine commercial properties along Route 13 for a total of 1,041 acres. With these new areas included, Pocomoke City hopes to continue to provide incentives to existing business owners, but also attract new light manufacturing, warehousing, and research and development companies to create higher paying, permanent job opportunities.

Maryland Commerce also approved a redesignated and expanded Zone for the City of Hagerstown and Washington County, which added parcels along South Potomac Street and First Street, Kuhn Avenue, Frederick Street and Edgewood Drive, and South Burhans Boulevard and West Antietam Street. This new approval adds about 536 acres to the economic development zone, and will allow the City of Hagerstown Business Development staff to better market available property.

And the Salisbury-Wicomico Enterprise Zone was also redesignated and expanded. The Zone, which currently includes Downtown Salisbury, a small retail area by Salisbury University, and both Northwood and Westwood Industrial Parks, will now include Westwood Commerce Park, the Centre of Salisbury, and South Salisbury near the University/Milford Street.

Commerce approves the state’s Enterprise Zones, while local governments are responsible for their administration. Businesses operating within an Enterprise Zone may be eligible for a tax credit towards their state income tax filings based upon the number of new jobs created, and a tax credit on their local real property taxes based upon their overall capital investment into a property. Currently, there are 34 Zones in Maryland, across 19 counties.