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County officials have run out of time to approve the more than 200 pages of the updated comprehensive land-use plan.
County Administrator David Baker said officials will ask the state for a 60-day extension.
“But our goal is to wrap this up in May,” he said.
The deadline, originally Dec. 31, 2007, was moved to April 30. If approved by the state, it will be moved again – this time to June 30.
Officials were cutting it close, scheduling the final public hearing Tuesday, April 22, before members of county council. Members of planning and zoning are scheduled for a possible vote on the plan Wednesday, April 30 – the day it was supposed to be adopted.
During Tuesday night’s public hearing, council members, for a change, heard from residents on the west side of the county. Speakers from the eastern side of the county dominate most public hearings.
Dave Hillegas, a Bethel Planning Commission member, commended the council for its attention to the Inland Bays, but wondered why the same attention was not paid to the Nanticoke Watershed in western Sussex, which drains into the Chesapeake Bay.
He said there are eight waterways in the watershed with increased development encroaching on Broad Creek in the Laurel area and the Nanticoke River in the Seaford area.
He said those areas should also be given an environmentally sensitive developing district designation, as are lands around the Inland Bays.
Nearly 30 speakers took the podium to speak to the council, hitting on topics dealing with traffic, sewers, zoning, buffers, growth, open space and density – most of which are discussed in the plan.
Some called for a moratorium, while others pleaded with council to step up its efforts to keep the state out of county business and maintain its focus on protecting property rights.
Council members heard comments from both sides of most issues.
As with most public hearings, many speakers focused on property issues.
“The base density must be preserved to protect property rights,” said Mark Baker of Lewes. He said the county must remain vigilant in its efforts to keep state control out of land-use decisions.
Joan Deaver, president of Citizens for a Better Sussex, said it was essential to downzone in Level 4 areas. “Two units to one acre is not rural,” she said.
Betty Deacon, representing the No Build Coalition, said the county is experiencing a period of uncontrolled growth.
“We need a moratorium of at least a year,” she said.
Mike Tyler, president of the Citizens Coalition, said the county should consider a change in AR-1 zoning based on population and not on dwelling units.
Tyler also said the county should adopt an adequate public facilities ordinance, which would require that infrastructure be in place before development can occur.
“That puts planning back in the hands of the county – not the developer,” Tyler said.
While the public hearing before planning and zoning commissioners was dominated by comments about affordable housing, the topic was barely mentioned Tuesday night.
Teacher Teresa Lunn said it’s hard for young professionals to find a place to live. “The quality of life is going down before my very eyes,” she said. Even the overall plan had supporters and distracters.
Rich Collins, executive director of the Positive Growth Alliance, commended the council for “allowing freedom” throughout the county. “You are not following the trends of most small governments,” he said.
Dan Kramer of Greenwood didn’t have many kind words for the plan.
“It’s just a land grab,” he said. “It’s a thick book that reminds me of the Sears catalogue that I used in the back shack – and that’s about what it’s worth.”
Several representatives of the Center for the Inland Bays (CIB) spoke.
“The proposed updates in the plan ensure that future generations will enjoy the Inland Bays. We urge you to adopt, codify and enforce the ordinances in the plan,” said Rick Eakle, chairman of the CIB board.
While most talked about the importance of open space, Wayne Baker of Lewes said there was enough open space in the county.
Baker, who owns about 1,000 acres of land, said more than 20 percent of land in the county is protected from development. “How much more do you want?” he asked council members. He said the money spent on purchasing open space could be used for other needed services.
Baker, who had two sons and two grandsons in the audience, also had a warning for everyone. “Beware of government. They are not here to help you – they are here to screw you,” he said.
Jules Jackson, an indigenous rights activist, said the historic preservation element of the plan left a lot to be desired.
She said there is no one out there protecting important archeological sites. “It’s a tremendous lack of oversight on the county’s part.”
Contact Ron MacArthur at ronm@capegazette.com
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