Sussex to explore working group on development
Sussex County Council has established a process for drafting amendments to local laws and guidelines that govern development in the fastest-growing county in the state.
At its Feb. 11 meeting, council reviewed a proposal drafted by County Administrator Todd Lawson for a working group to consider changes to county code and the county’s comprehensive land-use plan. The work is an outgrowth of pressure to limit development that many blame for burdening roads, the healthcare system, emergency services and schools.
The timeline for the group’s work stretches over a year, but some council members said they want to move more quickly to address some specific issues.
The first quarter will focus on establishing the working group, retaining consultants and a facilitator, and developing a timeline and achievable goals. The second will include group meetings that will develop a list of recommendations to be presented to council. The third will finalize recommendations. Lastly, council will prioritize its list of recommendations and begin public hearings to work toward amendments to ordinances and the comprehensive plan.
The goals of the working group are:
- Implement smarter and more sustainable development practices
- Promote growth supported by infrastructure
- Create an inventory for affordable and workforce housing
- Preserve farmland and critical natural resources
- Prevent low-density development in unincorporated areas.
Council wants the group to present recommendations to create incentives for projects in more densely developed areas, where infrastructure to support them already exists, while avoiding agricultural and rural land.
Transportation improvements would be phased in as development occurs, and the cumulative effect of development on roads would be considered. Incentives would be developed for affordable and workforce housing for rental and ownership, and zoning rules to encourage such housing would be drafted. Funding systems to support roads, schools and public safety services will also be considered.
Recommended for inclusion in the working group were: Sussex Preservation Coalition; Homebuilders Association of Delaware; American Council of Engineering Companies; an environmental group; a residential developer operating primarily in the county; an affordable housing developer operating primarily in the county or state; an affordable housing organization; Sussex County Farm Bureau; Delaware Department of Transportation; and the Office of State Planning Coordination.
Some council members suggested others could be added to the list. More people could participate in ways other than being members of the group, Lawson said. He said he would return at the Tuesday, Feb. 25 meeting with a list of the proposed membership of the group.
Kevin Conlon came to the Cape Gazette with nearly 40 years of newspaper experience since graduating from St. Bonaventure University in New York with a bachelor's degree in mass communication. He reports on Sussex County government and other assignments as needed.
His career spans working as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers in upstate New York, including The Daily Gazette in Schenectady. He comes to the Cape Gazette from the Cortland Standard, where he was an editor for more than 25 years, and in recent years also contributed as a columnist and opinion page writer. He and his staff won regional and state writing awards.
Conlon was relocating to Lewes when he came across an advertisement for a reporter job at the Cape Gazette, and the decision to pursue it paid off. His new position gives him an opportunity to stay in a career that he loves, covering local news for an independently owned newspaper.
Conlon is the father of seven children and grandfather to two young boys. In his spare time, he trains for and competes in triathlons and other races. Now settling into the Cape Region, he is searching out hilly trails and roads with wide shoulders. He is a fan of St. Bonaventure sports, especially rugby and basketball, as well as following the Mets, Steelers and Celtics.
