Sussex Council votes in favor of farming

A super majority of Sussex Council members cast a courageous and historic vote this week. George Cole, Joan Deaver, Mike Vincent and Sam Wilson voted no to the rezoning request for the proposed 850,000­-square foot Overbrook Town Center.

Those votes signaled strong support for Sussex County’s vitally important agricultural industry over unnecessary commercial sprawl. Council member Rob Arlett cast the lone vote of approval.

The applicants have a few weeks to decide whether to appeal the decision to Delaware’s Chancery Court. That means the council members’ votes could cause litigation. However, the image of Sam Wilson sitting at the council table, shuffling through pages of his hand­written notes enumerating reasons for and against the rezoning, before stating his vote for denial, typified the care taken by all council members before they made their decisions.

Clearly, they looked at both sides of the complex issue, listened to the statements and information provided through public comment, and took their responsibility seriously and impartially. And, after deliberating for months, and waiting for Wilson to recover his health following a serious stroke, no one will be able to say council members rushed to judgement.

Finally, while the county’s comprehensive plan says that the area proposed for the commercial complex -­ in what is designated as an environmentally sensitive developing area ­- could be considered for that use, nothing in the plan says the county must rezone land in that area.

By virtue of its preponderance of agricultural/residential zoning allowing two units of residential development per acre without rezoning, Sussex County is zoned for growth. This land­-use decision was a sensible­-growth decision, not a no-­growth decision.

Cole and Deaver said they didn’t feel it was appropriate to put one of the most intensive land uses permitted ­- commercial ­- next to the county’s least intensive land use: permanently protected agricultural land.

Right on.

Vincent and Wilson, both strong property rights proponents, came down on the side of the property rights of nearby farmers who don’t deserve to have their rights to farm productively diminished by the rezoning of adjacent land.

That too is right on. Good for Sussex County.