UPDATED: Dozens Turn Out to Discuss Building Moratorium at Sussex County Council Tuesday
Image courtesy Sussex County government
UPDATED – 01/14/25 – After the topic of a building moratorium was broached during last week’s Sussex County Council meeting – the chambers was packed with people wanting to make public comment on the subject. People from around the State as well as Washington, DC commented. Most were in opposition – only a handful spoke in support. There were others who were not in favor of a moratorium, but were ready to bring stakeholders to the table to discuss what they called Sussex County’s irresponsible and excessive growth.
Jill Hicks of Sussex Preservation Coalition (SPC) spoke to the Council and presented what could be considered a challenge. She asked the County Council for three things –
1. A Commitment – that within 30 days the council will make a solid commitment to work to end irresponsible and excessive growth. Recent amendments adopted by the County Council did not go far enough.
2. A Plan – that within 3 months County Council will develop a plan to engage stakeholders — including – County officials, state agencies, the public and development community. That plan should outline steps and timelines to review current land use plans and gain consensus on needed amendments and implementation.
3. Progress – that if significant progress not made within 6 months – then a call for a moratorium with results and time-bound mandates will be pursued by SPC.
After 39 people commented during the public comment section, Councilman Matt Lloyd spoke briefly on his proposal – and clarified that he is not looking at a blanket building moratorium, but a pause in accepting new applications on specific types of development in AR-1 lands for 12 months. He isn’t looking for these applications to be denied – but wants to capture the changes that voters demanded when they elected him and two other new members of the Council in November.
Work to write an ordinance comes next followed by introduction of the ordinance and public hearings before the Planning & Zoning Commission and the County Council.
The Sussex County Council will not meet next week. The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday, January 28th.
========================================================================
ORIGINAL STORY – 01/13/25 – The Sussex County Council will meet Tuesday morning at 10. District 1 Councilman Matt Lloyd will discuss with the Council an issue that he mentioned in his council member comment during last week’s meeting about development initiatives and the possibility of a 12 month building moratorium on major subdivisions in Sussex County – to study the process more thoroughly – including the creation a task force to gather an inventory of undeveloped land in each councilmanic district.
The Council will also consider requests to schedule public hearings on two sewer annexations – including the Love Creek Mobile Home Community – of 168 homes and 10 campers.
The Council meeting begins at 10am in the County Administration building on The Circle in Georgetown.
CLICK HERE FOR THE COUNCIL AGENDA
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL COUNCIL PACKET