News Briefs 5/14/24

May 14, 2024

Georgetown mayor wins re-election

The Town of Georgetown announced the results of its May 11 election that evening, and Mayor William E. West was the winner by a 34-vote margin. The total number of votes cast was 724.

West garnered 379 votes (52%), compared to 345 (48%) for his challenger, Town Councilwoman Angela Townsend.

Lewes planners to meet May 15

The Lewes Planning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 15, at the Rollins Center.

The agenda includes discussion and possible recommendations to mayor and council regarding accessory dwelling units.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net.

Lewes panels to meet May 16

The Lewes Johnnie Walker Beach Subcommittee will meet at 5 p.m., Thursday, May 16, at city hall.

The agenda includes a report, discussion and possible action on the city’s application to DNREC regarding placement of a pavilion on Johnnie Walker Beach.

The Lewes African American Heritage Commission will meet at 6 p.m., also at city hall.

See full agendas and links for both meetings at lewes.civicweb.net.

Rehoboth paid parking season takes effect May 15

Rehoboth Beach’s annual parking meter and parking pass season begins Wednesday, May 15. Parking permits are enforced from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while metered spaces require payment from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Head-in parking is required. The parking season lasts until Sunday, Sept. 15.

All meters have a 12-hour maximum limit, except where designated 30 minutes. All meters are $4 an hour. Parking permits are $325 for a transferable seasonal, $295 for a nontransferable seasonal, $120 for weekly, $60 for three-day weekend and $25 daily. Beginning Aug. 1, seasonal transferable passes are $165, while seasonal nontransferable are $150.

The city’s parking department is located at 1 City Hall Drive, behind 30 Lake Ave. Parking permits also may be purchased from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily during the summer season at kiosks in the 700 block of Bayard Avenue between Stockley and Norfolk streets, and at 408 Rehoboth Ave., just east of the drawbridge and traffic circle. The parking department is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily, May 15 through Sept. 15; the lobby closes at 6 p.m.

Don’t forget – Deauville Beach is no longer under city control. It is now controlled by Delaware State Parks, which has its own fee schedule, and city parking passes will not work.

For more information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com.

Rehoboth commissioner meeting May 17

Rehoboth Beach will hold a commissioner meeting at 2 p.m., Friday, May 17, in the city hall commissioners room, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The meeting calls for continued discussion on changing the definition of “substantially modify” in city code and discussion on establishing a process for requests to change zoning designations.

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 Boardwalk committee meeting May 17

The Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk and Beach Committee will meet at 9 a.m., Friday, May 17, in the city hall commissioners room, 229 Rehoboth Ave. The agenda calls for discussions on beach and Boardwalk readiness for the 2024 season, a status update on the beach patrol project, a review of offshore wind projects and continued discussion on getting the Boardwalk a historical designation.

Milton council approves Granary special district

Milton Town Council unanimously approved the final piece of the puzzle for creating a special development district for the Granary at Draper Farm development with the approval of an executive order laying out the terms and conditions of the district in writing.

With the approval of the order at council’s May 6 meeting, the town can begin the process of issuing special obligation bonds, which developer Convergence Communities says are backed by Granary residents, not the town, up to $42 million. The proceeds from that tax will be put into a special fund to be used for public infrastructure improvements within and potentially outside the Granary. The special tax does not preclude developer Convergence Communities from paying town-required performance bonds, which set aside money to ensure roads and other infrastructure are completed.

Convergence would use the money from the bonds to pay for infrastructure projects benefiting the public, which could include streets, sidewalks, and parks and recreation facilities. Convergence has pledged to designate up to 55 acres of the parcel as public open space, create a biking and walking trail connecting to the town’s Rails to Trails, and install an amphitheater for public use within the development. In addition, Convergence has agreed to give the town up to $5 million from proceeds raised by the special development district to use on other infrastructure projects in three tranches, the first in 2024, another in 2030 and the last in 2035.

The town has three years to spend the money or it reverts to Convergence. Council has narrowed its list of potential projects to use the money to replace radio read-style water meters throughout town, research land acquisition, and install a shared-use path between Cannery Village and Heritage Creek, and a basketball court.

The town will have about $1.5 million to spend on projects using the first tranche of money from the Granary project.

Lewes drawbridge work set May 14

Routine maintenance is scheduled for the Savannah Road drawbridge Tuesday, May 14, according to the City of Lewes. Openings will occur beginning at 10 a.m., as needed.

Home fire sprinkler demo event May 14

The National Fire Protection Association and the Home Fire Sprinkler Association will present a livestreamed home fire sprinkler demonstration along with details on the importance of home fire sprinkler installations at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 14.

A home fire can become deadly in two minutes or less. Home fire sprinklers help protect both home residents and firefighters.

For more information and a link to the presentation, go to homefiresprinkler.org/home-fire-sprinkler-week-2024.

MERR: Cause of whale death weeks away

The Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute says results of a necropsy on the fin whale that washed ashore May 5 are still several weeks away.

The 50-foot-long whale was found just north of the Indian River Inlet. It could not be saved.

Suzanne Thurman, MERR founder and executive director, said the whale was extremely emaciated.

The necropsy was performed the next day, then the animal was buried on the beach.

Milton council OKs conditional use

Milton Town Council unanimously approved a conditional-use permit May 6 to allow Milton Attainable Housing LLC to increase the number of units in one of its buildings from 24 to 30 at its Cypress Grove development on Route 16, with those units being designated as affordable housing.

Project developer Preston Schell said the plan is to take one of the 24-unit buildings and convert six three-bedroom units, one on each floor, into 12 one-bedroom units, giving the building 30 units. The change would increase Cypress Grove’s total number of units from 240 to 246, with a total of 36 units designated as workforce housing.

The development of affordable/workforce units allows Cypress Grove to be eligible for state funding through the Delaware State Housing Authority’s Mixed Income Market Fund, which the state established using $7 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The fund is intended to encourage developers to build affordable housing units by providing financing for the development of those units. For state funding, affordable/workforce housing is defined as a unit priced at 65% of area median income. A developer must commit to having at least five affordable units with a maximum of 15% of the units being affordable. For doing so, developers would be able to receive financing of up to $125,000 per one-bedroom unit, $135,000 per two-bedroom unit and $150,000 per three-bedroom unit.

Sussex council awards nonprofit grants

Sussex County Council awarded the following councilmanic grants at its May 7 meeting: $1,000 to Lord Baltimore Elementary School in Ocean View for a Blue Ribbon Award sign and T-shirts; $1,000 to Delaware Community Foundation to support the Georgetown-Millsboro Rotary Club Flags for Heroes; and $2,000 to History Book Festival Educational Outreach in Lewes.

Lewes BOA grants variances

The Lewes Board of Adjustment granted two variances May 7. The board approved a request by owners Jim and Jana Owen to place a 26-by-96-inch sign on the front of the Savannah Boutique BNB and Spa at 330 Savannah Road.

The Owens said the larger sign will help draw more attention to their business.

The board also approved a request by Devon and Rebecca Snyder for an addition to an existing structure and to extend the front porch at 327 Market St.