Candidates set for Henlopen Acres’ 2025 election
The filing deadline for the 2025 election in Henlopen Acres was July 11, and three people have filed to run for two commissioner seats. The election will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Aug. 30, at town hall, 104 Tidewaters.
The three candidates are resident and incumbent Commissioner Jeffrey Jacobs, resident and planning commission Chair Lee Raesly, and nonresident Alex Jacobs, who also ran last year and is still being sued by the town over the installation of a pickleball court at his house that the town says is illegal. The two Jacobses are not related.
Jeffrey Jacobs has been a commissioner since he was appointed in 2020. Raesly is running for the first time.
Sitting Commissioner Richard Thompson is not running for re-election. He has been a commissioner since 2018, when he was appointed to fill the seat of former Mayor David Lyons.
Property owners interested in registering to vote must do so by 4:30 p.m., Thursday, July 31. The successful candidates will be sworn in at the town’s organizational meeting at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 12.
For more information about the election, contact town hall at 302-227-6411.
Moratorium on tree removal
During a meeting July 11, commissioners continued to discuss possible changes to town code related to the removal of canopy trees on private property. No decisions were made, but a moratorium on severely cutting back, topping, damaging or removing canopy trees in the setback areas of residential lots was extended through the end of January 2026. It was the second extension on the moratorium.
Commissioners have been discussing the issue of canopy tree removal and what to do about it since early May. There continues to be a split among commissioners on how to best approach a change in town code – strict restrictions for all property owners versus some restrictions for current owners, but strict restrictions for new construction. The goal is to conduct special meetings over the course of the coming months for commissioners to continue discussing possible changes.
Quiet title action on parcel
Also at the July 11 meeting, commissioners reviewed the possibility pursuing a quiet title action for a 1.23-acre parcel of uplands along Sandy Bottoms lagoon. The land extends approximately 70 feet behind the first six residential lots on the northern side of Tidewaters and extends from the end of the widest part of Sandy Bottoms behind 11 Tidewaters to the oceanfront road at Duneway behind 1 Tidewaters.
Mayor Joni Reich said this area is critical for the town’s stormwater management.
Town Solicitor Glenn Mandalas said the town has always maintained the parcel, but it appears it was never officially deeded to the town after Henlopen Acres was established by Col. Wilbur S. Corkran.
Ultimately, commissioners agreed to send a notice to residents along Tidewaters that the town is going to be taking this action. Then, once the action has been filed with the court, the town will send a second letter, this one to all town residents.
Mandalas said the process allows 60 days for someone to challenge the action, but they have to be able prove their case.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
