Sussex County Council Approves Applications for the Community Development Block Grant Program
The Sussex County Council met Tuesday morning in Georgetown. The meeting began with two County residents who spoke to the Council about re-evaluating the Cluster Subdivision Code. This comes after the Coral Lakes subdivision appeal with the Council affirmed the Planning & Zoning Commission’s approval. They cited that perimeter buffers, open space and density were not being adhered to. Jeff Seemans of Milton told the council to “rip up” the current ordinance and start over.
The Sussex County Council has reappointed Julie Rigby to the County Board of Assessment Review for another 5 years. The board hears appeals for property tax assessments and sewer and water assessments.
Director of Utility Planning, John Ashman requested permission to prepare and post notice for public hearing for the Newdale Acres Expansion into the Sussex County Unified Sanitary Sewer District – Ellendale area. The parcel is along Route 113 adjacent to Newdale Acres.
Director of Community Development & Housing, Brandy Nauman spoke to the Council about the Community Development Block Grant Program and what has been done to help County residents to rehab their homes – as well as what funding for the next fiscal year would bring. A public hearing was held – with no comment made from the public and the Council approved two resolutions – one to affirmatively further fair housing and the other to authorize submitting the applications for FY-23 CDBG Grants. The total program costs are $2,397,000.
Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse and P&Z attorney Vince Robertson discussed two proposed ordinances with the Council. One would replace article17 – Vacation Retirement – Residential Park – which is a closed District and no land within Sussex County has been zoned with this classification – with the Master Plan Zone. The Master Plan Community Zone is appropriate in the Growth Areas designated as Coastal Area, Developing Area, Town Center Area and Commercial Area of the Future Land Use Map of the 2019 Comprehensive Plan – where adequate infrastructure is available.
The County has seen an increase in applications for Solar Farms and Solar Arrays that have been approved as conditional uses. Robertson says this proposed ordinance would codify standards towards Solar Farm conditional uses that the P&Z has already been imposing. This would create uniform conditions in addition to others that might be necessary depending on the circumstances of an application.
Both proposed ordinances were introduced by the Council – public hearings will be scheduled for future meetings.
During the Council Comment portion of the meeting Councilwoman Cindy Green publicly explained her reasons for not signing the form which relates to ethical conduct for public officials. She didn’t like that the form came from the HR Department – and should have come from the County Council. She also told the Council that she has no conflicts of interest and will answer to the constituents of her district. Council President Mike Vincent explained that the form does come from the Council – which requested HR and County Administration to develop the form, which the rest of the Council members have signed.
There were three applications to consider during the afternoon session. One was an ordinance amendment to the future land use map of the Comprehensive Plan in relation to a 9.72 acre parcel north east of the Route 9 and Gravel Hill Road intersection east of Georgetown. The other two applications – Change of Zone No. 1959 and Conditional Use No. 2320 refer to the same property, but would change the zone from AR-1 to a medium residential district and the conditional use for 42 multi-family dwellings. During the public hearing held on the applications two residents spoke in opposition. The Council has deferred action on all three items.
Sussex County Council does not meet next week. Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 21.
