Pole barns and barndominiums in Mardela Springs, Maryland.
Building in Mardela Springs.
In the 19th century, visitors came to Mardela Springs for its mineral springs, and the Barren Creek Springs springhouse is still the town’s landmark. The town incorporated in 1906, and its own history places it in the Barren Creek area of the Nanticoke River watershed. US 50, MD 313 (Sharptown Road) and MD 54 (Delmar Road) all serve it.
Mardela Springs had 357 residents in the 2020 Census, yet it keeps its own zoning and Critical Area rules, with setbacks that change by district. Getting those right comes first. Then the zoning application and the permit go in, and only then do our crews make the trip from Dover, about 60 miles and about 90 minutes away.
- County
- Wicomico County, Maryland
- Population
- 357 (2020 Census)
- ZIP code
- 21837
- From our office
- About 1 hr 30 min (60 miles) by car
- Permits
- Town of Mardela Springs Town Hall (Zoning Administrator / Code Enforcement Officer)
- Main roads
- US 50 (Ocean Gateway), MD 313 (Sharptown Road), MD 54 (Delmar Road)
Permits and rules in Mardela Springs.
Nothing may be built, moved, enlarged or structurally altered in Mardela Springs without a zoning authorization from the Town’s Zoning Administrator, and that authorization comes before the Town Commissioners approve a building permit (Zoning Ordinance Art. IX). Town Hall is at 201 Station St. (443-523-5795), and the town also has a Code Enforcement Officer. Which office does the building plan review and inspections today is worth confirming with Town Hall at the start.
Town zoning can be modified so that land in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area meets the Town’s separate Critical Area ordinance (Ordinance 52), and state Critical Area Commission staff review the town’s program. Mardela Springs has also adopted floodplain ordinances, and FEMA’s current flood map for the town took effect on August 17, 2015. On a lot near the water, we check both before choosing where the building goes.
Who issues the permit
Town of Mardela Springs Town Hall (Zoning Administrator / Code Enforcement Officer)
- Address
- 201 Station St., P.O. Box 81, Mardela Springs, MD 21837
- Phone
- 443-523-5795
- Website
- Permit information(opens in a new tab)
Where this comes from
- storage.googleapis.com (opens in a new tab)
- fema.gov (opens in a new tab)
- mardelasprings.org (opens in a new tab)
- dnr.maryland.gov (opens in a new tab)
Permit details checked October 2026. Rules change, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before anything is drawn.
What people build around Mardela Springs.
Garages and workshops on house lots and barns on working acreage get different treatment in the Mardela Springs zoning ordinance. In the Rural Residential district, a private garage, workshop or studio sits at least 25 feet from any adjoining lot line; in the Village Residential district, 10 feet. Farm structures are left out of the 35-foot height limit.
Mardela Springs questions.
Have a question about your property? Call 302-399-4420 and we’ll look it up.
Can I build a horse barn in Mardela Springs?
On a tract of 5 acres or more in agricultural use, farm accessory buildings are allowed in the Rural Residential district. Animal housing, feedlots and feed or grain storage must sit at least 200 feet from adjoining lot lines, so the property lines decide where the barn can go.
Does Wicomico County have a role in Mardela Springs?
For subdivisions, yes: under Ordinance 49 (2010), the Town adopted County Code Chapter 200 and authorized county staff to enforce it in town. Zoning authorization and building permit approval stay with the Town. Mardela Springs is also one of five Wicomico jurisdictions, with the county, Salisbury, Fruitland and Sharptown, whose Critical Area work state Commission staff review.
Do you build in Mardela Springs?
Yes. The mapped route from our Dover office is about 60 miles, about 90 minutes. Before you call, you can read what past customers say about us on Google and the BBB.
Let’s plan your building in Mardela Springs.
Tell us what you’d like to build and where, and we’ll come back with drawings and a free quote.
- info@pbuincde.com
- Office
- 575 N Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE 19901 (opens Google Maps in a new tab)
- Hours
- Mon to Fri, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- We build in
- Mardela Springs and all of Wicomico County