News Briefs 1/07/22

January 7, 2022

Dewey marketing to meet Jan. 13

The Dewey Beach Marketing Committee will meet via zoom at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 13. Members will possibly vote to approve ideas on beach information signs located at beach entrances and around town and on a Dewey Beach newsletter. A link to the meeting is available at www.townofdeweybeach.com.

Dewey BOA to meet Jan. 11

The Dewey Beach Board of Adjustment will hold a public hearing and meeting on two residential requests at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. One public hearing will be held on a variance request by Marie and Wayne Moses to exceed the maximum building height of 32 feet for the installation of an elevator enclosure on a property at 4 Chicago St. to allow the elevator to go to the rooftop deck due to a family member who uses a wheelchair. The second hearing is on an application by William Drupieski requesting a special exception to town code to construct a roofed front entrance within the current front-yard setback on a property at 111 Saulsbury St. The roof would cover an existing stoop and steps. A link to the meeting and documents is available at www.townofdeweybeach.com.

Lewes annexation group meets Jan. 10

The Annexation Subcommittee of the Lewes Planning Commission will meet virtually at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 10. The group will continue to discuss and review the city’s annexation zones. A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.

Lewes meetings go virtual for January

Due to the spike in COVID-19 cases, all Lewes municipal meetings will be held virtually for the month of January. Links to each meeting can be found at the bottom of each agenda at lewes.civicweb.net, and all meetings are posted on the city’s YouTube channel.

Lewes Christmas tree pickup Jan. 12

The City of Lewes will pick up Christmas trees with regular yard waste Wednesday, Jan. 12. The city asks that all lights, ornaments and other decorations be removed. Trees containing any of those items will not be picked up.

Rehoboth applies to do dune work

Rehoboth Beach has submitted an application to Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to inspect its stormwater system near the Boardwalk ends of Virginia, Maryland and Baltimore avenues.

DNREC issued a notice Dec. 26 for the application, which says the city is looking to excavate the dune next to the Boardwalk to expose existing manholes. City Public Works Director Kevin Williams said the work is part of the city’s annual cleaning and inspection program. He said part of the stormwater system runs under the east side of the Boardwalk.

The application may be inspected at the offices of the Division of Watershed Stewardship, 285 Beiser Blvd., Suite 102, Dover. Comments about this application should be made in writing to the division by Jan. 10. For more information, call 302-739-9921 or email DNREC’s Jennifer Luoma Pongratz at Jennifer.Pongratz@delaware.gov.

Rehoboth workshop slated for Jan. 10

Rehoboth Beach commissioners have scheduled a workshop for 9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 10. The agenda includes continued discussion on changes to the city’s wireless ordinance, a discussion on the planning commission’s recommendation for the rezoning of 330 Rehoboth Ave. and a discussion on potential changes to parking.

The meeting will be conducted virtually. People wishing to speak must preregister by emailing City Secretary Ann Womack, awomack@cityofrehoboth.com, at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. A full agenda and meeting materials are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. For more information, call 302-227-6181.

Special Rehoboth workshop Jan. 10

Rehoboth Beach commissioners will hold a special workshop at noon, Monday, Jan. 10. The only agenda topic is continued discussion of the county’s proposal to purchase a portion of the daily allowable use of the city’s ocean outfall.

Rehoboth set to begin budget talks Jan. 10

Rehoboth Beach commissioners will begin discussing the Fiscal Year 2023 budget during a meeting at 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10. The city’s budget cycle runs April 1 to March 31. The agenda calls for an introduction by City Manager Sharon Lynn of the proposed budget and the city’s five-year capital improvement plan. The meeting will be conducted virtually. People wishing to speak must preregister by emailing City Secretary Ann Womack, awomack@cityofrehoboth.com, at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. A full agenda and meeting materials are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. For more information, call 302-227-6181.

Rehoboth extends deadline to serve on stormwater utility task force

Rehoboth has extended the deadline for applications to serve on its stormwater utility task force to Thursday, Jan. 13.

The task force is being formed to make recommendations to commissioners on establishment of and a fee assessment structure for a comprehensive stormwater management program. The city may consider establishment of a stormwater utility to provide dedicated funding for stormwater-related programs and projects. The task force will be composed of five to seven stakeholders, including commercial and residential property owners, small business owners, and representatives of nonprofit organizations. Members will be appointed by the mayor with confirmation by commissioners.

Lewes Mayor and City Council meet Jan. 10

Lewes Mayor and City Council will meet virtually at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10. Council will consider action on a proposed source water protection overlay ordinance that has been heavily discussed over the last year. They will also consider amendments to the Rollins Center meeting room policy; receive an end-of-season report from Quest Adventures, which operates a beach shack on the beach at Roosevelt Inlet; consider a request for a time extension for the final plan for Olde Town at Whites Pond; and discuss allowing restaurants to have dining above street level in the general commercial, town center and town center historic zones. Other topics include a discussion on identifying land and real estate purchasing options for municipal expansion/improvement, utilities, transportation and open space; discussion on creating seasonal storage/rental options for kayaks/paddleboards in areas such as Canalfront Park marina, Savannah Beach (Beach 1) and Johnnie Walker Beach (Beach 2); and a request to change maximum fence height in front yards from 4 feet to 7.5 feet. A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.

14th RD Del Dems to meet Jan. 12

The 14th Representative District Delaware Democratic Party Committee will hold its first meeting of 2022 at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 12, via Zoom. Speaker of the House Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, will share insights into anticipated legislative activity in the Delaware House of Representatives during the winter/spring session. The meeting is open to any registered Democrats. The committee meets on the second Wednesday of every month; find complete details at 14thRDDelDems.com. The committee represents Democrats who live in the communities surrounding Lewes, and down to the southern border of Dewey and west to Angola. For information about Zoom meeting attendance, email c.fruchtman@comcast.net.

DNREC to close, reduce January hours

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will close or reduce hours for several public activities and facilities following the surge in coronavirus cases driven by the Omicron variant.

State parks, nature and wildlife areas continue to be open. Public restroom facilities in state parks and reserves will close. Portable toilets will be available for visitors in place of public restrooms. Campground facilities will remain open. State park offices will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nature centers, interpretive centers and museums, and the St. Jones Reserve visitor center will closed. The Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center will operate with reduced days and hours by appointment only. Indoor programs will either be held virtually or canceled. Outdoor programming and volunteering will continue. Restrictions may apply to outdoor programs. Mandatory in-person hunter education field days in January will continue, but with fewer students in smaller groups.

DNREC encourages the public to take advantage of online resources, including applications for permits and licenses, and virtual educational content. Public hearings and meetings are also virtual, with updated information available on the DNREC online calendar, www.de.gov/dnrecmeetings.

Manufactured home owners to meet

Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association will hold a general membership meeting on Zoom and in person at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 24, at Angola Beach & Estates Clubhouse, 22971 Suburban Blvd., Lewes. The nonprofit entity represents the interests of approximately 50,000 homeowners living in manufactured housing on leased land all over Delaware. Zoom call information is available on the DMHOA website, www.dmhoa.org and Facebook page, dmhoahu.

Full agenda for Sussex Council on Jan. 11

Sussex County Council will meet at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 11, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. At the reorganization meeting, council will elect officers, make appointments, appoint legal counsel and adopt rules of procedure.

Included on the agenda is a 10:30 a.m. public hearing on an amended wetlands buffer ordinance. Council is expected to take action on an appeal by the developer on Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission's denial of the Lockhaven subdivision along Round Pole Bridge Road near Milton.

In addition, council is expected to vote on a proposed comprehensive plan land-use map amendment to change a 247-acre parcel east of Route 1 at the Cave Neck Road intersection from low-density area to coastal area.