Farmer, business owner named to fill county planning & zoning seat
John Passwaters of Bridgeville was appointed Aug. 19 as the District 2 representative to the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission. He replaces Brian Butler, who resigned recently after two years on the panel.
Passwaters was nominated by Steve McCarron, who represents the district on Sussex County Council, and unanimously appointed to a term running from Sept. 1 to June 2026.
Passwaters declined to comment after his appointment to the panel that reviews and gives consideration to subdivision applications and other land-use requests.
McCarron said after the meeting that Passwaters, 38, is a young farmer and business owner who will bring his perspectives to the commission. He owns Passwaters Landscaping in Bridgeville.
“He’s excited to do it,” McCarron said of Passwaters and his new role.
“I spent my career deeply rooted in Sussex County, working to balance growth, community needs and preservation of our unique character,” Passwaters said in response to questions from County Administrator Todd Lawson before the council vote.
“My background in the landscape industry while working with developers and land development and community planning has given me the firsthand knowledge of how planning decisions impact residents, businesses, infrastructure and the environment,” he said.
Passwater emphasized the importance of agriculture in Sussex County.
“As a third-generation farmer, I have deep personal connections to agriculture, both as a vital way of life and as a backbone of Sussex County’s economy,” he said. “Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Delaware and Sussex County, providing essential jobs, supporting local businesses and contributing significantly to the overall economic health of the region.”
McCarron also thanked Butler for his service on the commission over the past two years. Butler said at the P&Z meeting Aug. 6 that he was leaving because he is retiring from his job and wants to spend more time with his family.
As a P&Z member, Passwaters will be involved in helping to shape any new rules that spring from recommendations expected to be made soon by the county’s Land Use Reform Working Group, McCarron said.
The commission will also be involved in drafting the county’s next comprehensive land-use plan, set to be approved by the end of 2028.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
