City of Salisbury Takes Legal Action Over Municipal Parking Dispute
Salisbury, MD - The City of Salisbury has filed legal action in Wicomico County Circuit Court against Mentis Lot 10, LLC over control of a downtown parking facility. The dispute centers on Lot 10, located at 101-111 Poplar Hill Avenue in Salisbury, Maryland.
The City sold Lot 10 to Mentis Lot 10, LLC in February 2023. Under the contract terms, the property was designated for development into multifamily housing, office space, hotels, restaurants, retail, or other approved uses.
The sale agreement included specific provisions for parking operations. The City retained the right to operate Lot 10 as a municipal parking facility until the developer provided notice of intent to begin demolition or excavation. All parking fees collected during this period would remain with the City.
The conflict arose when Mentis Lot 10, LLC, managed by Nick Simpson, announced plans to terminate the City's parking operations. The company intended to convert the public lot to private use despite not obtaining the necessary demolition and redevelopment permits.
The City responded by filing a Verified Complaint seeking multiple court orders. These include a Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary and Permanent Injunctions, and Declaratory Judgment against the developer.
The City's legal filing asks the court to prevent Mentis Lot 10, LLC from taking several actions. These include closing or obstructing public parking access, collecting parking fees that belong to the City, and terminating the parking agreement before securing proper development permits.
Lot 10 provides 267 parking spaces that serve multiple public functions. The facility accommodates Wicomico County jurors, State's Attorney staff, and residents visiting downtown Salisbury on a daily basis.
Mayor Randolph J. Taylor addressed the significance of maintaining public access to the parking facility.
"The City entered into this agreement in good faith, ensuring that Lot 10 would remain available for public parking until redevelopment was ready to begin," said Mayor Taylor. "The City has been and is willing to work with the Developer to make the project successful and an asset for Downtown."
The City's complaint alleges that Mentis Lot 10, LLC has breached both the Contract of Sale and the Parking Agreement. The developer attempted to privatize the lot without securing required demolition and excavation permits, according to the filing.
The requested court order aims to preserve public parking access and revenue collection until legitimate redevelopment activities commence.
The case remains pending before the Circuit Court for Wicomico County.
