News Briefs 10/21/22
Cape school board meets Oct. 27
The Cape Henlopen school board will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, at H.O. Brittingham Elementary School. Delaware Department of Education Secretary Mark Holodick will present on Frederick D. Thomas Middle School and DOE priorities, and a presentation on vocational opportunities for Cape High students will be heard. Members may vote on several board policies, and discussions on the unit count and class size waiver are scheduled. For the full agenda and meeting link, go to capehenlopenschools.com.
Rehoboth Boardwalk committee to meet
The Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk and Beach Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for an end-of-summer update from Interim City Manager Evan Miller and a discussion on offshore wind power proposals.
A full agenda, meeting materials and a livestream are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. Only in-person attendees may make comments. For more information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com.
Rehoboth BoA meeting set Oct. 24
The Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment will meet at 2:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24, in the commissioners room of city hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for the appointment of officers and a possible vote on amendments to rules of procedure.
A full agenda, meeting materials and a livestream are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.
Only in-person attendees may make comments.
For more information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com.
Rehoboth tree group meeting canceled
A Rehoboth Beach Parks & Shade Tree Commission meeting scheduled for Monday, Oct. 24, has been canceled. For more information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com.
Time for Rehoboth recycling, trash shift
Recycling collection in Rehoboth Beach switched to every other week at the beginning of October. The next recycling pickup is scheduled this Friday, Oct. 21. Every-other-week service will continue through April.
Weekly recycling pickup is provided May through September.
Also, once-a-week trash collection will begin in November.
Twice-weekly pickup will resume Monday, April 17.
Sussex council meeting Oct. 25
Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown.
Included on the agenda are a presentation from Mark Isaacs, Carvel Research and Education Center director, and a discussion on the issuance of $23.5 million in general obligation bonds for projects to eliminate on-site septic systems for the Town of Slaughter Beach and Countryside Hamlet MHC.
A full agenda and meeting materials are available at sussexcountyde.gov/agendas-minutes/county-council. Meetings are held in person, livestreamed at sussexcountyde.gov/council-chamber-broadcast, and available by phone at 302-394-5036 using code 570176.
Route 24-Mount Joy intersection to close
The westbound right-turn lane from Route 24 onto Mount Joy Road will be closed starting at 8 a.m., Monday, Oct. 24, through 6 a.m., Monday, Oct. 31, for intersection and turn-lane improvements.
Detour route: Route 24 traffic will continue straight past Mount Joy Road and turn right onto Streets Road, then right onto Cordey Road and back to Mount Joy Road. Emergency vehicles will have access to make a right turn at the intersection during construction.
Recommendation delayed on rezoning
The Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission delayed a recommendation on the rezoning request of 20663 Coastal Highway after the applicants failed to show for a public hearing Oct. 14. The applicants have requested to rezone the parcel from C3 commercial to C1 commercial.
The expectation is the discussion and hearing will resume with the commission’s November meeting.
The commissioners did conduct a preliminary review of an application to partition the lots at 7, 9 and 11 Cookman St. into two lots. As proposed, the partition would include lot 7 and the easterly portion of lot 9 to become one lot of 6,285 square feet, and the westerly portion of lot 9 and lot 11 to become one lot of 6,277 square feet.
The application was deemed complete and is also expected to be on the November agenda for a public hearing.
Greater Lewes election forum set
The Greater Lewes Civic Coalition will host an election forum at 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28, at Lewes Public Library.
Participants will be candidates for Delaware Senate, Russ Huxtable and Steve Smyk; and candidates for the Delaware House of Representatives, Stell Parker Selby and Dallas Wingate.
The event will be held in person, with no online version.
The purpose of the coalition is to promote good government in Greater Lewes and knowledge of how it works, and to provide forums for citizens to discuss issues of importance among themselves and with their elected officials.
For more, email greaterlewes@gmail.com or find Greater Lewes Civic Coalition on Facebook.
Dewey homeowner denied request
The Dewey Beach Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Oct. 11 to deny a special-exception request by Dana Tilley, property owner of 115 Bellevue St., who had requested to move the edge of a proposed pool 2 feet into the 8-foot setback.
The board determined the request did not meet the standards required to present an exceptional practical difficulty to the homeowner and that having a smaller pool that fits within the setback does not constitute a hardship.
Lewes approves Bay Avenue amendment
Lewes Mayor and City Council approved an amendment to city code Oct. 10 allowing Bay Avenue homeowners to consider the front of their house as the side facing the Delaware Bay.
Residents say that has been the long-standing practice, but codification was needed after the city began enforcing front-yard setbacks in relation to the street.
Lewes FD going the extra mile in 2022
Lewes Fire Department Chief Gordon Davis informed mayor and city council that the department has seen an increase of 500 emergencies since last year.
September saw Lewes FD respond to 657 emergencies – 96 for fire and 561 for EMS – which is up from the 542 in September 2021. So far in 2022, there have been 5,133 emergencies – 678 for fire and 4,455 for EMS.
October is Fire Prevention Month, with Fire Prevention Week running Oct. 9-15.
Mayor Andrew Williams honored the Lewes Fire Department Oct. 10, declaring Nov. 1 Extra Mile Day, a day to appreciate those who go the extra mile while taking time to do the same.
