DNREC Begins Providing Air Quality Impacts of Development to Land Developers & Local Governments

See http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/news/newsStory.asp?offset=925&PRID=1362

 

Here's the Best Thing You Can Do RIGHT NOW to HELP SUSSEX COUNTY

Get  involved in the 2008 SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION --

no matter where you live in Sussex .

THREE of FIVE seats (a controlling number) are open for election in 2008. They are districts ONE, TWO and THREE:

1. •           1st DISTRICT: includes Seaford, Blades, Bethel Laurel, outskirts of Georgetown .  --   

Current councilman is DALE DUKES.

 

2. •           2nd DISTRICT: includes Southwest side of Milford , west side of Ellendale, Greenwood , Bridgeville and Georgetown .  --   

Current Councilman is FINLEY JONES.

 

3.  •           3rd DISTRICT: includes southeast side of Milford, Slaughter Beach, east side of Ellendale, northeast part of Georgetown, Broadkill, Lewes, south along west side of Rt. 24 toward Millsboro.  --   

Current Councilman is LYNN ROGERS.

 

ACTION! Talk to your friends, clubs, civic organizations, church, etc about finding candidates to run for these seats.

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As of December 2007 the county is mostly zoned "AR-1" meaning that there will be over two million people living on 950 square miles as opposed to neighboring counties that typically have 150,000 people living on 11,050 square miles of land.

LAND USE TROUBLE AHEAD:The CAPE GAZETTE Editorial

7/21/06

Sussex gets a dose of reality

Sussex County Council members found out this week that even if they want to slow development – particularly that of a size and nature as the controversial Isaac’s Glen – they can’t ignore their land use plan and zoning. Land-use planning and zoning, after all, are designed to offer benefits not only to the public at large, but also to property owners.

As a result of Tuesday’s reversal of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s denial of the Isaac’s Glen proposal, county council is now staring down both barrels of the AR1 zoning – Agricultural Residential – that defines land use for the greatest portion of Sussex County and as such defines the county’s future.

At last analysis, there were more than 300,000 acres of undeveloped – but developable – land remaining in the county. That doesn’t count wetlands, marshes, bays, farmland in preservation programs or lands already preserved through public and private initiatives.

This week’s decision means that Sussex County Planning and Zoning needs to redouble the thoroughness of its review of proposed projects with a continued emphasis on trees, open space and installation of adequate infrastructure. The decision also injects greater urgency into efforts to have development leverage the acquisition and preservation of open space.

Legislation passed earlier this year which allows a density premium in development districts in return for hefty per-lot fees which will in turn buy open space and development rights is a good beginning.

Now those efforts should be expanded so those open-space protecting fees will be applied to all requests for conditional uses or changes of zoning which take densities above the two lots per acre currently permitted in AR-1 districts where wastewater treatment is available.

Sussex should also be looking into how continued development can be harnessed for the benefit of our highway infrastructure. Given DelDOT’s shortage of funds, maybe the county can team with developers to come up with matching funds to be used by DelDOT to begin some of the many important projects that have been put on hold.

The program works well with state police – why not roads?

Cape Gazette editorials are considered and written by members of the Cape Gazette editorial board which includes: Dennis Forney, publisher; Trish Vernon, editor; Kerry Kester, associate editor; Dave Frederick, sports editor; Laura Ritter, news editor; and Jen Ellingsworth, arts and entertainment editor.