UPDATED: Sussex County Council Defers on Laurel-area Borrow Pit

UPDATED –  11-19-24 – The Sussex County Council had a short agenda, as well as three land use public hearings this week. During the meeting, the Council approved the 2025 Council Meeting Schedule and Holiday Schedule. Human Resources Director Karen Brewington announced the Fourth Quarter Employee Recognition Awards. Brewington told the Council there were 43 submissions for the Fourth Quarter and the awardees are Danielle Lones and Alberta Johnston from the Planning & Zoning Assessment Office and Oana Sofronie from GIS (Geographic Information Department). They, along with the employees from each quarter throughout the year, are eligible for the Employee of the Year award, which will be announced during the County’s Holiday Employee Appreciation Luncheon on Friday, December 6th.

There were three public hearings after the break. The Council heard a Change of Zone No. 2022 and Conditional Use No. 2528 – both filed on behalf of Holdren, LLC to rezone 2.26 acres off Conleys Chapel Road near Lewes from an MR Medium-Density Residential District to AR-1 for indoor storage of watercraft. The Council approved both applications with a unanimous vote. The third public hearing was Conditional Use No. 2454 on behalf of H&K Group, LLC – for a proposed borrow pit on over 300 acres off Shiloh Church Road east of Laurel. A half dozen residents spoke in opposition during the meeting citing the damage to the local roads, the wooded areas, wildlife and ground water. The Council deferred a vote on this conditional use application until a future meeting.

The Sussex County Council will not meet next week, November 26th or the following week, December 3rd. The last meetings of the year will be on Tuesday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 17th.

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ORIGINAL STORY – 11-18-24 – The Sussex County Council meets Tuesday afternoon beginning at 12:30. County Administrator Todd Lawson will present the 2025 Council meeting and holiday schedules and Human Resources Director Karen Brewington will announce the Fourth Quarter Employee Recognition Awards.

There are three land use public hearings beginning at 1:30 – a Change of Zone No. 2022 from medium-density residential to AR-1 for about 2.2 acres for indoor storage of watercraft off Conleys Chapel Road near Angola. There is a Conditional Use No 2528 application that goes with the Change of Zone No. 2022.

The third public hearing is a Conditional Use No 2454 for a borrow pit on over 309 acres of land on Shiloh Church Road east of Laurel.

The Council meets Tuesday at 12:30pm in the County Administration Building on The Circle in Georgetown.