Sussex County Council Meets Tuesday; County Marijuana Regulations Up for Discussion
Image courtesy Sussex County Government
UPDATED – 09/09/25 – The Sussex County Council discussed the possibility of amending Ordinance #3016 which regulates marijuana establishments. After Sussex County adopted the ordinance in May of 2024, State lawmakers passed Senate Bill 75 – which would have limited the restrictions a county may impose on the operation of marijuana establishments. Governor Matt Meyer vetoed SB 75. During the discussion, Assistant County Attorney Vince Robertson told the Council that the 3-mile separation that the state lawmaker were objecting to actually is in the Delaware Code in regards to liquor establishments – and was adopted in 2020 – increasing the separation of liquor establishments from 1-mile to 3. The Council is agreeable to amending the ordinance and will wait for staff to bring it forward for introduction and public hearing. County Administrator Todd Lawson also told the Council that action should be taken as he has heard whispers that the State Senate may convene in special session to override the veto.
Sussex County’s Finance Department has been again awarded for it’s financial management. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada, based in Chicago, late this summer awarded Sussex County its prestigious Triple Crown Award, which recognizes governments that have received GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the previous year. The County won each of those awards in the last year, thereby guaranteeing it Triple Crown status.
The distinction is the second-in-a-row Triple Crown Award win for Sussex County, and the latest in a string of financial accolades bestowed upon the County – including an upgrade to the highest Aaa bond rating – during the past 20-plus years.
Scoring the latest financial trifecta once again puts Sussex County in a select class, as one of only 403 local governments nationwide and the only one in Delaware to have earned the Triple Crown Award this year, according to GFOA.
The Council approved a reappointment to the Personnel Board. This is a three-person administrative panel – not tied to specific councilmanic districts. They hear appeals of employee terminations, adverse personnel and disciplinary actions and employee grievances. The Council has reappointed Kathy Newcomb to serve a 3-year term.
Human Resources Director Karen Brewington came before the Council to announce the third quarter employee recognition awards. She said there were 57 submissions and six winners were chosen as Shining Stars:
- Abby Disque – Building Code Department
- William Soto – Building Code Department
- Clint Whaley – Building Code Department
- Danielle Lones – Permit Counter at P&Z
- Alex Kansak – Engineering Department
- Kelli Peterson – Emergency Communications
Each will receive a certificate, Shining Star pin and will be eligible for Employee of Year – awarded later this year.
There were four public hearings during the afternoon session for 3 Conditional Use applications and one Change of Zone. The Council approved CU No 2517 for an on-premise electronic message center sign for the High Tide Church on Nine Foot Road in Dagsboro. The Council deferred action on CU No. 2493 for Ronnie Hunt for site development business with office and outdoor storage and parking on a property on Route 17 just past the traffic light. A second CU No 2494 also for Ronnie Hunt was a similar application for property near Gum Road and Route 17, which the applicant chose to withdraw with plans to return the property to it’s original AR-1 status within 60 days. The Council did approve the withdrawal of the application. The final application was a Change of Zone for a property off Kings Highway in Lewes. The Council approved the Change of Zone from AR-1 to C-2 medium commercial district which will allow a strip mall to retain parking area when DelDOT begins a future dualization of the roadway between Dartmouth Drive and Freeman Highway. This would allow the two parcels to be combined with a goal to construct the new building behind the existing building, while the existing building remains operational.
The Sussex County Council is scheduled to meet next Tuesday, September 16 beginning at 10am in the County Administration Building on The Circle in Georgetown. Included in the agenda is a presentation from DelDOT with project and Transportation Improvement District (TID) updates and an afternoon public hearing on a Change of Zone No. 2001 on behalf of Belmead Farm, LLC for a C-4 planned commercial district for over 39 acres in the area of Mulberry Knoll Road and Route 24 in Lewes.
CLICK HERE FOR COUNCIL AGENDA FOR 9/16/25
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ORIGINAL STORY – 09/08/25 – The Sussex County Council meets Tuesday morning after 2 weeks off. They will have a discussion and possible introduction of an ordinance amending Ordinance #3016 – which regulates marijuana establishments in Sussex County. There are 4 afternoon public hearings scheduled. Three are conditional use applications for properties in Frankford and Dagsboro. There is a change of zone application for a parcel in the area of Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road in Lewes.
The Sussex County Council meets at 10am on Tuesday in the County Administration Building on The Circle in Georgetown.
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