Henlopen Acres commissioners conducted their first meeting of 2021 recently and spent the time primarily updating code related to fines and enforcement.

The first change was related to civil offenses. It increased the general civil assessment fee from $25 to $50.

The second change was related to disorderly conduct. Among the changes is doubling the fine for violating the code to not less than $100 and not more than $300 for the first offense, and not less than $200 and not more than $500 for each subsequent offense.

This change also defines disorderly house as a house or structure or premises wherein the occupants engage in or cause any of the acts described in another section of code.

The third change was related to violations of rental property code. Changes include the definition of group rentals, which are prohibited, and the local authorized agent. This change also modifies the fines for violating this section of code.

There was also a discussion on how to regulate fireworks within the community. Commissioners talked about specifically banning fireworks all the time, which is stricter than state law, or following state law, which allows ground fireworks to be sold the in month before July 4 and New Year’s Eve, and then discharged on July 4 and New Year’s Eve. No decision was made.

A full list of code changes is available at Henlopen Acres Town Hall, 104 Tidewaters. For more information, call 302-227-6411 or go to henlopenacres.delaware.gov.