Sussex County Council and staff members dig into recommendations from the county’s Land Use Reform Working Group.
The County commissioned working group recently finalized a collection of recommendations to shape future land use in Sussex County.
Now, Sussex County Council and staff are deliberating which recommendations to implement through ordinances and future strategic plans. Working group members have urged the council to adopt the complete set of recommendations.
Jill Hicks is president of the Sussex Conservation Coalition and member of the working group.
“I think it was a good start, I was really happy to hear some of the tough questions that the council members were asking, and I’m also happy to hear that there’s a possibility they might move the comprehensive planning process forward." she told DPM.
County officials rank some as easier to implement namely amendments to the Sussex County Rental Program and improving the clarity of subdivision codes, among others. But those involving changes to the County’s comprehensive plan will take more work and time.
Sussex County Councilman Matt Lloyd gave his first impressions.
“Certainly, some of them are more lifts than others. Some are low hanging fruit. Some will move the needle faster than others will. We looked at a matrix today recognizing how heavy of a lift it would be but also how tangible it is.” he said.
Sussex officials also raised concerns over infrastructure and roads being unable to accommodate the increase of traffic and density of population in the region.
But the working group did include seeking DelDOT cooperation as part of its recommendations, and Lloyd says that not all with DelDOT is "doom and gloom",
"Basic questions like: 'why aren't their shoulders on these roads?' or things like 'boy, it'd be nice if there were more sidewalks' [are asked], however, every time I've been briefed by DelDOT... we ask these pointed questions and their answers are always rooted in statistics and facts, and a basis and rationale for why they do what they do." he said.
The working group recommendations also include the alignment of Sussex County’s future land use with the State Strategies investment map; working group members argue development should happen in areas the state plans to invest in.
Opponents argue that the state map isn’t future focused and aren’t convinced following that map will work in the long term.
County officials expect to hold more conversations on the working group recommendations in the near future, but no dates have been set.
