Sussex County Council Approves Development of Freeman Property on Route 54 West of Fenwick
The Sussex County Council met Tuesday afternoon with a light agenda. The Council recognized County retiree Susan Wise with a tribute. Wise was a Clerk 4 at the Airport Industrial Park and worked for Sussex County for over 30 years. She was presented with a plaque from the Council for her years of dedication and service.
County Finance Director, Gina Jennings, brought the Council a new version of the County Year End Finance Report – one that is a summary and more user-friendly. The Popular Annual Financial Report is just 18 pages – as opposed to the full report at 140. However it still contains much of the pertinent information as to where the County’s money comes from, where it goes and how things have changed through the years.
A proposed sewer annexation in the Millville area that has been on indefinite hold since 2011 has seen renewed interest. Director of Utility Planning & Design Review, John Ashman told the Council that the first attempt at annexation met with a lack of response from property owners. A re-evaluation in 2015 was halted when it was found that DelDOT had paved Beaver Dam Road and there was a 5-year moratorium on any project impacting the roadway. There has been renewed interest in central sewer for the Beaver Dam Road area and a recent polling of 23 properties responded with 11 in favor and 3 opposed to the annexation. The Council has granted approval to post notice for a future public hearing.
Two pieces of Old Business were revisited by the Council. This was a Change of Zone and a Conditional Use application from the Carl M. Freeman Companies for a property off Route 54 and Bennett Road just west of the bridge between Fenwick Island and Mallard Lakes. The Council approved a zoning change from AR-1 to a medium density residential district and the construction of 23 multi-family dwellings on just over 9 acres.
The afternoon session involved four conditional use applications for solar arrays on behalf of Elk Development, LLC. Two of the arrays are in the Dagsboro area off Thorogoods Road and two are in the Seaford area. The Council deferred a vote on each of the applications.
County Administrator Todd Lawson reminds residents that the County offices will be closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday, but the offices will reopen on Tuesday, January 16th. However the County Council will not meet on the 16th – the next County Council meeting is scheduled for January 23.
