Millsboro Town Council votes against a pause on new housing development applications.
Millsboro Town Council held a hearing Monday on a proposed 6-month moratorium on new residential development applications to consider the potential impact of new state regulations addressing affordable housing.
Home Builders Association of Delaware president Jon Horner argues the moratorium would exacerbate housing issues in the area and may be illegal.
“For a moratorium to be legal it must be for a legitimate public purpose. The stated reasoning here is vague concerns regarding affordable housing regulations that don’t even exist. There is the potential vague threat that exists at any given time for regulation to occur. That has existed forever, and yet that is being proffered as the basis for this.” he said.
Horner said that the Association would bring legal action against the town if the moratorium went through.
Gov. Meyer signed a series of bills into law last September that sought to strengthen affordable housing efforts and strengthen tenant protections.
Councilman Marty Presley says recommendations from Gov. Meyer’s affordable housing task force consistently become law, and the pause is meant to help the town prepare.
“If this comes down in its totality, I guarantee you one thing: We won’t be buying 11 vehicles this year in the budget. We won’t be increasing pay tremendously, and we might have to look at laying some people off. This isn’t about affordable housing. This is about a policy coming from Dover, stuffed down our throats, and act like its coming- whether it's coming or not." he said.
Presley expressed concern over things like transfer tax and impact fees, noting if those are changed or done away with, it will significantly affect the projected budget for the town moving forward.
He also added that the felt that the vast majority of the public would be in support of the 6-month moratorium.
Most public commenters were against the moratorium, but some spoke in support, echoing Presley's opinion that a 6-month period would be minimally disruptive to the town's operations.
Council members against the pause argued that the town making a moratorium wouldn't address the issue, "kicking the can down the road"- instead believing that the town should get to work on preparing for potential regulations immediately.
The town decided to not pursue a moratorium in a 4-2 vote.
