News Briefs 08/04/20

Timberlake Trail closed starting Aug. 3

Timberlake Trail between Route 1 and Oyster House Road, Rehoboth Beach, will be closed for sewer pipe replacement until 6 p.m., Friday, Aug. 7. Residents and businesses will have access but may need to use the posted detour.

Hebron Road closed for most of August

Hebron Road between Route 1A and Burton Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, will be closed until 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28, for sewer repair work. At all times, residents and businesses will have access, but may have to use the posted detour route. Detour signs are in place.

Cape school board meets Aug. 6

The Cape Henlopen school board will host a special meeting at 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6, to discuss and possibly vote on the school reopening plan. A link to the virtual meeting will be available at www.capehenlopenschools.com.

Rehoboth approves removal of three trees

During a meeting July 27, the Rehoboth Beach Parks and Shade Tree Commission approved the removal of three trees.

For the property at 107 Henlopen Ave., the commission approved the removal of a red oak tree located in the city right of way. The property owner argued the power company had left the tree in poor shape after pruning for power lines. The commission agreed.

For the property at 306 Stockley St., the commission approved the removal of two pear trees, which were also in the city right of way. As part of the approval, the property owners are required to plant one tree in their yard.

BoA upholds building inspector’s decision

During a meeting July 27, the Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment voted unanimously in favor of upholding the building inspector’s decision that the river birch trees in the backyard of 101 Lake Drive do not constitute a fence or screen.

Bruce Hiler, whose backyard at 100 St. Lawrence St. abuts the Lake Drive property, initiated the appeal of the decision. He was requesting his neighbors trim their trees, arguing that city code says a fence or screen can’t be taller than six feet. Among the reasons given were loss of view and concern that the trees would grow to be too big.

In addition to agreeing with the building inspector that the birch trees don’t constitute a fence or screen, board of adjustment members said reversing the building inspector’s decision would be against everything the city’s tree ordinance was about.

In another hearing, the board of adjustment allowed an area variance for a new fire escape to be built onto the rear of the house at 16 Hickman St. The new fire escape is replacing an old one, but is slightly wider to accommodate new building standards from when the stairs were first built nearly three decades ago.