News Briefs 03/16/18

Rehoboth streets committee to meet
The Rehoboth Beach Streets and Transportation Committee will meet at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 21, in the city commissioners' room to discuss signs and the city's bicycle plan. The discussion on signs will include issues such as crosswalks, trail connecting signs, visitor wayfinding signs and sharrows - arrow markings on the street indicating that bicycles and cars share the road.

The committee will discuss recommendations made by Delaware Greenways in the city's pedestrian and bicycle plan of 2012, as well as snow removal for sidewalks and crosswalks.

Cape referendum to be held March 20
The Cape Henlopen School District will hold a referendum Tuesday, March 20, in order to build a new middle school and additions on the high school. District residents 18 and older can vote from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Cape Henlopen High School, Mariner Middle School or Rehoboth Elementary School.

The district is asking residents to keep the debt service tax the same so that about $21 million can be used to build the new school and additions. The state has agreed to pay $34 million of the $55.5 million building total. Voters are also asked for a current operating expense increase in order to fund staff and maintenance for a new middle school. The increase would be about $50 a year for the average homeowner.

Sussex council awards nonprofit grants
Sussex County Council approved the following councilmanic grants at its March 13 meeting: $750 to Trinity Foundation for its Heart and Sole 5K fundraiser; $1,000 to Laurel Chamber of Commerce for its Bike and Brew fundraiser; and $1,500 to American Cancer Society to support the Sussex County Relay for Life.

Introduced ordinances involve local parcels
Sussex County Council introduced two land-use ordinances involving parcels in the Cape Region at its March 13 meeting. The Evergreen Companies LLC will file for a zoning change from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to MR, medium-density residential, and a conditional use for multifamily housing on a 7-acre parcel along Gills Neck Road in Lewes just west of the entrance to the Wolfe Runne community.

Canal Corkran LLC will apply for MR-RPC, residential-planned community, zoning for a 64-acre parcel on the northeast side of Canal Crossing Road between Hebron Road and Church Street in Rehoboth Beach. The applications will be placed on future planning and zoning and county council agendas.

Code amendments on Sussex agenda March 20
Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 20, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown.
Included on the agenda are nine public hearings on proposed code amendments. See a complete agenda at www.sussexcountyde.gov.

Lewes council to vote on budget March 19
Lewes Mayor and City Council is in the fine-tuning stage of the budget process as it prepares to vote on the financial plan after hearing from the public at its Monday, March 19 meeting. The workshop is set for 6 p.m. at city hall, and officials are expected to vote on the budget before the 7 p.m. regular meeting. In addition to a request for an additional police vehicle, officials are also considering major capital projects.

Those include the repaving of Beebe and Dewey avenues for about $161,000, the repaving of the main beach parking lot for $255,000, crack sealing of Fourth Street from Park Avenue to New Road for $52,000, paving of Tennessee Avenue for about $60,000, repaving of Burton Avenue for $149,000, upgrades to the secondary beach bathrooms for $122,000, upgrades to city hall for $50,000 and improvements to the Streets Department break room for $50,000.

Council is expecting to receive about $70,000 in municipal street aid from Rep. Steve Smyk for the beach parking lot project and the entire $52,000 for the Fourth Street project.

Lewes city council meets March 19
Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet at 7 p.m, Monday, March 19, at city hall. Prior to the regular meeting, at 6 p.m., council will hold a budget workshop, allowing the public to comment on the proposed plan for fiscal year 2019, beginning April 1.

The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m., when council will award the annual Elaine Bisbee Award to a city employee who displays dedication, dependability, reliability and excellent work habits, and who is team-oriented and committed to providing quality service.
Council will then consider and possibly vote on the rezoning request for the Lewes Ice House on New Road.

The developer is seeking to change the property's zoning from industrial to R-4, medium-density residential, with the intent to build 10 single-family homes. Officials will also discuss a draft noise ordinance, an amendment to the Lewes Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan, lawn maintenance and landscaping services and possible support of Gov. John Carney's initiative on firearms regulation. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Lewes planners to meet March 21
The Lewes Planning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 21, at city hall. The group will discuss rezoning selected properties on Lewes Beach from R-3, residential beach, to open space. They will also consider a recommendation by the annexation regulation review committee for the development of two new zoning districts for newly annexed land. For more information, call city hall at 302-645-7777.

Join Pettyjohn for coffee March 17
Sen. Brian Pettyjohn invites constituents of the 19th District to join him for coffee Saturday, March 17, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Ocean Grill, 26089 Shoppes of Long Neck, Millsboro. Pettyjohn will give brief remarks on the current legislative session, and then will open the floor to questions and concerns from members of the public.

After the meeting, Pettyjohn invites participants to join him with the Long Neck Sunrise Rotary Club in their local Adopt-A-Highway cleanup efforts along Long Neck Road. (Bringing a pair of work gloves is recommended.) For more information or to sign up to receive notifications via email of upcoming coffees and other news from Pettyjohn, contact Keri Rapa at Keri.Rapa@state.de.us or 302-744-4256.

League Day set in Dover March 21
A forum on Financing State Government: Everybody's Business - Let's Stop Kicking the Can Down the Road will be the topic Wednesday, March 21, at League Day in Dover. The League of Women Voters of Delaware will have morning speakers and luncheon at the Duncan Center, and an (optional) afternoon of meeting legislators and observing committee meetings at Legislative Hall.

Panelists include State Budget Director Mike Jackson, State Treasurer Ken Simpler and DEFAC Chair Michael Houghton. Each speaker will present their specific roles and thoughts on the process of budget creation, followed by a roundtable discussion among the three speakers.

Ed Ratledge, director, Center for Applied Demography and Survey at UD, will discuss future trends for Delaware's population growth, and changing demographics and employment relevant to the budget process. Luncheon speaker will be former state senator Karen Peterson, on the politics of the state budget process.

The forum takes place at The Outlook at the Duncan Center, 500 W. Loockerman St., Dover. Registration is at 8:30 a.m., with the program 9 to 11:30 a.m.; buffet lunch will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration is $30. Call 302-571-8948 for more information, or email to RSVP at lwvde@comcast.net. Registration form www.lwvdelaware.org go to link in the calendar.