Sussex County Council Approves BOA & P&Z Appointments & Remembers Paramedic Callaway
Image courtesy WGMD/Walt Palmer
While the FY 2020 budget was the primary piece of business before the Sussex County Council this week, there was other business that needed attention as well. The council heard from the Director of Development for the Sussex Academy Foundation, Gina Derrickson, about a Hot Air Balloon Festival that they’re bringing to the county airport in September. She told the council that she wasn’t asking for any money – just to tell them about the upcoming festival on September 14 and 15. County Administrator Todd Lawson added that she’s been working closely with Airport Manager, Jim Hickin to make this a reality.
A public interview was held for two nominees to the Board of Adjustment. County Administrator Todd Lawson asked a series of questions to Dr. Kevin Carson and Jeff Chorman – followed by a few questions from the Council members. Both men were unanimously approved for the two vacant seats on the BOA. John Mills from District 1 and Dale Callaway from District 3 were present for their final BOA meeting Monday night. Also Ellen Magee from District 5 was unanimously reappointed to the BOA. All are for three year terms that end in June of 2022.
The council also made an appointment to the Planning and Zoning Commission – reappointing Bob Wheatley to a term that will end in June of 2022.
In his Administrator’s Report, Todd Lawson remembered Paramedic Stephanie Callaway who died 11 years ago when the ambulance she was caring for a patient in swerved for a deer on Route 24 (near the current location of Rehoboth/Lewes Station 3) and hit a tree – killing both Callaway and her patient.
The County Council had three public hearings during the afternoon session. Conditional Use No 2156 was for an existing business but not operating under the use that it was last designated for. The Council unanimously approved the application for wellness classes, including yoga and other things at a parcel of land on Coastal Highway just south of Hudson Road near Milton.
The final two public hearings were heard together – a Change of Zone No 1876 and Conditional Use No 2169. The change of zone application would change a 6.1 acre parcel from AR-1 to MR Medium-Density Residential for 24 single family detached condominium housing units off Savannah Road near Parker Run in Lewes. The conditional use application was amended after the planning and zoning meeting to accommodate concerns of neighbors regarding the rear setback line. After the council approved the change of zone application, they approved the amendment to the conditional use and unanimously approved the conditional use application.
