News Briefs 11/06/20

Cape school board meets Nov. 12

The Cape Henlopen school board will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12, at Rehoboth Elementary School. Presentations will be made on elementary school enrollment areas, architecture engineering pathway and the unit count update. Possible action will be taken on the class size waiver and educational specifications for the new middle school in Lewes.

Lewes downtown parking group to meet

The Lewes Business District Parking Committee will meet virtually at 8:30 a.m., Friday, Nov. 6. The group will continue discussion regarding the public use of M&T Bank’s parking lot, delineation of parking spaces adjacent to the business district, and utilization of parking lots on Schley Avenue, at the Little League park and at Beebe Healthcare during peak parking demands. A link to the meeting can be found at lewes.civicweb.net. 

Lewes Mayor and City Council meets Nov. 9

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold its monthly meeting virtually at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9. The group will consider action on a wayfinding program with MERJE, and continue discussing wireless facilities and 5G, and restructuring the police department staff. Council will also discuss a franchise agreement with Chesapeake Utilities, the sale of city-owned lots on Tennessee Avenue, and a minor subdivision to separate Children’s Beach House from Lewes Beach. Council will set a public hearing for the possible action to revert the property at 203 Savannah Road from R-3 back to general commercial. No development has occurred on the parcel since rezoning was approved in August 2018, and by code, the property should revert back to previous zoning if no development occurs within one year. A link to the meeting can be found at lewes.civicweb.net. 

Lewes floodplain fill public hearing set

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold a virtual public hearing at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, to gather comments on a proposed ordinance regarding fill in the floodplain. Additional information and a link to the meeting can be found at lewes.civicweb.net. 

Rehoboth special meeting set Nov. 9

Rehoboth Beach commissioners have scheduled a virtual special meeting and workshop starting at 9 a.m., Monday, Nov. 9. The special meeting agenda calls for establishing a new date and time for the Clear Space Theatre Company appeal hearing, which began Oct. 29, but was postponed midway through for a medical emergency. The agenda for the workshop, scheduled to begin right after the special meeting, calls for continued discussion on a gross floor area ordinance and wireless communication facilities, and a continued review of committees and task forces. Members of the public wishing to speak must preregister with City Secretary Ann Womack at least two days prior to the meeting by emailing awomack@cityofrehoboth.com. Meeting materials are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. For more information, call 302-227-6181.

Special Rehoboth meeting set Nov. 10

Rehoboth Beach commissioners have scheduled an online special meeting for 3 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10. The agenda calls for a discussion on strategies and the path forward in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the public wishing to speak must preregister with City Secretary Ann Womack at least two days prior to the meeting by emailing awomack@cityofrehoboth.com. Meeting materials are accessible at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net. For more information, call 302-227-6181.

Rehoboth City Hall closed Veterans Day

In observance of Veterans Day, the offices of Rehoboth Beach City Hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave., will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11. Residential trash pickup will not be affected. For more information, contact the Communications Department at 302-227-6181, Ext. 522 or communications@cityofrehoboth.com.

Acres Town Hall closed Veterans Day

In observance of Veterans Day, Henlopen Acres Town Hall, 104 Tidewaters, will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11. For more information, call town hall at 302-227-6411.

Hearings set on Sussex cluster ordinance

Two public hearings have been scheduled for input on a proposed amendment to Sussex County’s subdivision cluster ordinance. Under the current ordinance, subdivisions in AR-1, agricultural-residential, zoning districts and those in the coastal area zone do not have to meet the same standards. Projects in AR-1 districts must comply with several regulations pertaining to superior design which are not required in the coastal area. Under the proposed amendment, the same standards for superior design would apply to all major subdivisions in both districts. A hearing will take place at 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12, before Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission, and Sussex County Council will have a hearing at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1. For more information, go to www.sussexcountyde.gov/ordinances.

Sussex council meeting Nov. 10

Sussex County Council will meet at 10 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. See an agenda and meeting materials at www.sussexcountyde.gov/agendas-minutes/county-council. Meetings are streamed live at sussexcounty.de.gov/council-chamber-broadcast and available via teleconference at 302-394-5036 using code 570176. Electronic comments can be submitted to rgriffith@sussexcounty.de.gov by 4:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9. Because of the upcoming holidays, county council has five scheduled meetings remaining this year: Nov. 10 and 17, and Dec. 1, 8 and 15.

Rehoboth collects 142 pounds of prescription drugs

As part of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, the Rehoboth Beach Police Department collected 142 pounds of unused, expired and unwanted prescription drugs. “The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses a critical public safety and public health issue,” said Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks. Take-back programs are the safest method for disposing of prescription drugs because they are organized and closely monitored by local, state, and federal government agencies. These agencies ensure the proper disposal of the drugs in accordance with federal law.

Traffic signal planned at Clay Road intersection

The Kings Highway and Clay Road intersection is set for some traffic relief. The Delaware Department of Transportation will be installing a new traffic signal at the intersection. Nighttime intermittent lane closures will occur at the intersection from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. starting Thursday, Nov. 12, with a rain date of Monday, Nov. 16, for the installation of a mast arm, poles and signals. After a 72-hour flash operation period, the signal will be converted to a full stop-and-go signal Monday, Nov. 16. Variable message boards will be in place to advise motorists in advance of the new traffic pattern.

Sussex council awards nonprofit grants

Sussex County Council awarded the following councilmanic grants during its Oct. 27 meeting: $500 to Town of Delmar for its tree-lighting ceremony; $1,000 to Delaware Center for the Inland Bays for a project at the James Farm; and a $5,000 county-wide youth grant to Delaware Community Foundation for Sussex County Health Coalition’s Delaware Goes Purple substance-abuse prevention project.

SDARJ to hold Housing and Racism webinar

The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice will hold a virtual town hall meeting focusing on housing and racism at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10. Panelists Dominique Scott, Pathways to Success Housing Program director, and Natalie Fountain, from the Delaware Human Relations Commission, will share their perspectives on the causes and consequences of discrimination and segregation in housing with a special focus on Delaware’s history. To register for the webinar, go to housing.eventbrite.com or go to www.sdarj.org for more information.

Local work group meeting to be held Nov. 12

The Sussex Conservation District will hold a virtual local work group meeting at 9 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 12. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. The meeting allows stakeholders an opportunity to discuss current USDA Farm Bill programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, along with conservation needs and resource concerns in Sussex County. The outcomes of the LWG meeting will be included in the State Technical Committee meeting this winter. SCD Coordinator David Baird said the LWGs should be diverse and focused on agricultural interests and natural resource issues in the community. People with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate should contact SCD one week prior to the event date. For more information or to register, contact Bobbi Heck, 302-856-3990, Ext. 3, bobbi.heck@de.nacdnet.net, or visit www.sussexconservation.org/events.

DMHOA to hold monthly meeting Nov. 16

The Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association will hold its monthly meeting via conference call at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Nov. 16, using dial-in number 978-990-5000, and access code 907460#. For best reception use a land line. The meeting is open to anyone living in manufactured housing on leased land. For more information visit: www.dmhoa.org, find Facebook page: dmhoahu, or call 302-945-2122. DMHOA is a nonprofit organization representing the interests of approx. 50,000 home owners living in manufactured housing on leased land throughout the entire state of Delaware. December 14th DMHOA Conference Call Monthly General Membership Meeting. The Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association (DMHOA) is a nonprofit organization and the only legislative advocate representing the interests of manufactured housing homeowners living on leased land in Delaware. Our December 14th General Membership meeting will be conducted as conference call. Dial in number: 978-990-5000  Access Code: 907460#. For best reception use a land line. Meeting call starts promptly at 6:30 pm and open to anyone living in manufactured housing on leased land.  For more information visit: dmhoa.org or check out our Facebook page: dmhoahu or call 302-945-2122.