Councilwoman Jane Gruenebaum introduced the proposed pause last week to give the county time to iron out new rules pertaining to development applications on former farmland.
The county is working on changes guided by a list of 20 recommendations submitted by its land use reform working group last year. Five ordinances based on those recommendations were introduced last week, including one seeking to prioritize development only in already dense areas rather than farmland.
Councilman Steve McCarron explains why he opposes the cluster subdivision moratorium.
“I fear the ordinance proposed today will disrupt the good work we have moving forward and serve as a disrupter in a very positive and necessary process.” he said.
Gruenebaum says she is willing to drop her proposal, but…
“I think that the moratorium as expressed has been misrepresented, and that’s unfortunate, because that does affect the whole spirit of moving forward.”
After some discussion, Gruenebaum says revisiting her ordinance later would allow council to focus on the remaining five proposals.
“As not to divert attention from those ordinances and the work of the task force, and the work that we are doing following on the task force, I would ask that this ordinance be tabled temporarily.” she said.
Those proposed ordinances include revisions to the Sussex County Rental program and new rules requiring open space in development applications.
Gruenebaum asked county administration that updates on ongoing development applications become more frequent in the meantime.
