News Briefs 3/23/21
Rehoboth’s 84 Kent St. to be auctioned off
Rehoboth Beach announced March 18 that it will auction off the city-owned property at 84 Kent St. at 1 p.m., Saturday, April 10.
According to a press release on the city’s website, Emmert Auction Associates will conduct the auction.
There are two open-house dates scheduled, from 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 31, and 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 3.
The city passed its budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1 during a March 19 meeting. Within that budget, the sale of city property has an expected revenue of a little more than $1 million.
Almost all of that amount is expected to come from the sale of this property.
Rehoboth OKs Oyster House Village hookup
During a commissioner meeting March 19, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted unanimously 7-0 to allow Oyster House Village, a new housing development on the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, to hook into the city’s water system.
Oyster House Village is a residential community of 30 single-family houses that will be located off Oyster House Road. The state approved a 20-boat marina for the yet-to-be-developed site in 2019.
Rehoboth approves Ellison for planners
During a commissioners meeting March 19, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted unanimously 7-0 to appoint Jim Ellison to the planning commission.
Ellison is replacing Joyce Lussier, who stepped down at the end of February. In an email March 2, Lussier said her term was up last fall and she decided that, for continuity, she would see Clear Space hearings through to the end.
Ellison is an architect who has previously served on the streets and transportation committee, the architectural review board task force, and the task force for city hall.
Rehoboth sets hearing for requiring digital application submissions
During a commissioner meeting March 19, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted unanimously 7-0 to set a public hearing on a change in city code that would require all applications submitted to the city to be done electronically.
There are numerous applications this would affect, but the changes to planning applications triggered the public hearing. The city already requires digital submissions for permit-of-compliance applications. The public hearing was set for the commissioner meeting Friday, April 16. A draft version of the ordinance can be found on the city’s legislative portal at cityofrehoboth.civicweb.net.
Parking metered at Rehoboth’s Grove Park
During a commissioner meeting March 19, Rehoboth Beach commissioners voted unanimously 7-0 to change the parking lot at Grove Park from free to metered. There are 36 parking spots in the lot, including three handicapped.
As approved, the meters will be a three-hour maximum at $2 an hour. There will be free designated parking for Rehoboth Beach Museum, the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, Rehoboth Beach Main Street and the Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market when open. This parking lot is now the only area of the city where people cannot park for 12 hours at a metered spot. The change was made, in part, to prevent people from leaving their vehicles in the parking lot all day while they’re using the city’s newly installed canal dock.
Lewes Public Art Committee to meet
The Lewes Public Art Committee will meet virtually at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 24. The group will begin to plan for this summer’s temporary public art project by Rachel Mica Weiss in Canalfront Park, including installation and timing, publicity and other logistics.
The committee will also discuss finances and an art ambassador program, and recognize local artist Mark Harris for his recent effort to honor 500,000 lives lost to COVID. A link can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.
Lewes police committee meets March 25
The Lewes Police Ad Hoc Committee will meet virtually at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, March 25. The group will discuss ways to educate/assist Lewes citizens on avoiding cybercrime.
They will also discuss police oversight, including disciplinary actions. A link to the meeting can be found on the agenda at lewes.civicweb.net.
Cape school board meets March 25
The Cape Henlopen school board will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 25, at H.O. Brittingham Elementary.
Members will take possible action on tank removal and asbestos abatement bid results for HOB, the 2021-22 district calendar, and several board policies. A full agenda is available at capehenlopenschools.com.
Leisure Point expansion approved
At its March 16 meeting, Sussex County Council approved a plan to add more RV camping spaces at Leisure Point manufactured home park and campground off Long Neck Road.
Sun Leisure Point Resort LLC filed a conditional-use application for 58 additional RV sites on an 8-acre parcel near the entrance to the park, which has been in operation since the 1960s.
The park was owned and operated by the Harrison family until it was sold to Sun Leisure Point in 2019. Leisure Point has 211 permanent manufactured home sites, 317 seasonal RV sites and 305 boat slips at its marina on Guinea Creek.
There would be no limitations on when camping would be allowed at the site. Other conditions of approval include a 50-foot landscaped buffer around the perimeter of the site, access at the existing gated entranceway, connection to central water and sewer, quiet hours from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., no entertainment on the site, and 2,000-square-foot minimum camping sites that are at least 40 feet wide.
In addition, no camping sites can be located within 400 feet of existing residences except for an area with an approved variance from the Sussex County Board of Adjustment.
Warrington Road to close for a month
Warrington Road between Route 24 and Old Landing Road, near Rehoboth Beach, will be closed for construction of a roundabout at the entrance to the Beebe Healthcare Rehoboth Campus from 6 a.m., Monday, March 29, until 6 p.m., Friday, April 30, pending weather conditions.
Detour route: Route 24/John J. Williams Highway onto Route 1/Coastal Highway to Old Landing Road and return to Warrington Road. Detour signage will be posted for motorists. At all times, residents and businesses will have access but motorists may need to take the posted detour route.
Sussex council awards nonprofit grants
During its March 9 meeting, Sussex County Council awarded the following councilmanic grants: $4,500 to West Rehoboth Community Land Trust for low-income housing support; $1,000 to Greater Lewes Foundation for construction of a picnic grove for the Lewes Community Garden; $1,500 to American Cancer Society for Relay for Life of Sussex County; and $500 to Kim and Evans Family Foundation to support a golf tournament fundraiser for food and supplies for disadvantaged residents.
