Plan must include open space discussion

By state law, Sussex County Council has to pass and have approved an updated comprehensive land use plan in 2018.

That means most of the discussion, hearings and drafting have to be completed in 2017. Time flies, especially in the face of big projects. We’re already into March 2017. Much work remains to be done.

Many areas deserve focus in the updated plan. Transportation issues come quickly to the fore, as do matters of public safety, affordable housing and water quality. Another issue that needs to stay in the forefront of the comprehensive land use plan discussion is preservation of open space. How that can be accomplished in a county zoned more accommodatingly for development than any other county in this mid-Atlantic coastal region presents a serious challenge.

But the strong economic conditions provided by a favorable development climate also offer opportunities for open space preservation.

Because builders and developers want to work in Sussex County, gaining their cooperation in helping to fund outright purchases and conservation easements makes sense and is viable. As many avenues as possible must be explored to recognize open space as an important part of the infrastructure of Sussex County, and further, to identify ultimate open space goals and means for achieving those goals.

There may be opportunities, for example, to swap density considerations on properties in exchange for additional planned open space. A comprehensive open space plan must also require coordination among agencies, so when development applications are filed, consideration is given to linking open space areas on adjacent properties. Such linking can expand wildlife corridors and help ensure that the diversity we appreciate and enjoy in Sussex County’s wildlife, and forest, meadow, marsh and swamp ecosystems isn’t lost to future generations.

A comprehensive plan that includes balanced juxtaposition of open space areas, including our critical agricultural industry, to developed areas can benefit our quality of life and our wildlife, and help clean our waters and protect our property values long into the future.