Lighthouse seeks bay beach dining March 20
Dewey Beach Town Council will consider allowing the Lighthouse Restaurant to add dining tables on the bay beach at its meeting set for 3 p.m., Friday, March 20, at the town lifesaving station.
Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the topic then consider a draft resolution. The proposal calls for 10 tables for 44 people on the beach immediately south of the restaurant’s deck. It is pursuant to the subaqueous lands lease between Dewey Beach Enterprises and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
Prior to that public hearing, commissioners will open the floor for comments on a draft ordinance relating to the establishment of a minimum number of trees required for new construction or redevelopment projects.
The ordinance, which the planning & zoning commission recommended in December 2025, aims to preserve and enhance the town’s tree canopy and overall green space. It suggests establishing a required minimum number of trees, based on square footage, for three zoning districts.
The districts, along with their proposed minimum requirements, are as follows: Neighborhood Residential – one tree per 1,666 square feet; Resort Residential – one tree per 2,000 square feet; and Resort Business – one tree per 2,500 square feet.
Read more about the proposed ordinance here: tinyurl.com/yuu9rmmk.
The body will also discuss and possibly take action on the following items: a draft resolution to approve the capital expenditures budget for Fiscal Year 2027; a draft ordinance to amend the town code to specify conditions for which building permits and fees are not required for maintenance activities on commercial properties; draft amendments to the code to prohibit accessory structures, including swimming pools, anywhere in front of primary structures, as referred by the planning & zoning commission; the development of a town resilience plan relating to climate change and sea-level rise; a draft resolution to enter an independent contractor agreement with Dave Naples of Code Solutions; a draft ordinance to change the effective date of the amendments to the town code relating to inspections; a resolution to reappoint Ronda McIntyre as alderman of Court 36; and selection of the 2026 Dewey Beach Volunteer of the Year.
The Dewey Beach Resiliency and Sustainability Committee referred a final draft of a climate change resilience plan and study to council earlier this month. It has an estimated $75,000 price tag and 10-month timeline. Read more here: tinyurl.com/3ctakv5z.
Also scheduled are discussions on the town’s February financials and a draft ordinance to amend the code relating to the location of accessory swimming pools and fences, as well as the height of pool fences, as referred by planning & zoning earlier this month.
For more information about the draft amendments relating to swimming pools, fences and accessory structures, go to tinyurl.com/3zvejkhh.
The agenda and virtual meeting link are available at townofdeweybeach.gov/events/42903/.
Ellen McIntyre is a reporter covering education and all things Dewey Beach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State - Schreyer Honors College in May 2024, then completed an internship writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2023, she covered the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand as a freelancer for the Associated Press and saw her work published by outlets including The Washington Post and Fox Sports. Her variety of reporting experience covers crime and courts, investigations, politics and the arts. As a Hockessin, Delaware native, Ellen is happy to be back in her home state, though she enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. She also loves live music, reading, hiking and spending time in nature.
