Sussex County Council Approves Bioenergy Innovation Center Bonds
The Sussex County Council again met at Delaware Tech’s Carter Partnership Center. The Council will not meet next week, but will have a budget workshop next Tuesday beginning at 8:30 at the Sussex County Emergency Operations Center. The next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, May 11 at 10am.
Sussex County Council voted to approve up to $60 million in Solid Waste Revenue Bonds to cover construction and other costs associated with Bioenergy plant near Seaford. Back in March the Industrial Revenue bond Committee held a public hearing to meet federal tax requirements on the Bioenergy Innovation Center project application requesting the issuance of up to $60-million of solid waste revenue bonds. The Council’s vote today comes just one week after the Council voted to approve a conditional use permit for the Bioenergy Innovation Center project.
The bonds will be payable solely from the revenues received by the applicant and neither the full faith and credit nor the taxing power of the County shall be pledged to pay this debt. As required by the IRS, BDG DE, LLC goes through the County’s process in order for the bonds to be issued as tax-exempt. BDG DE, LLC has agreed to pay all costs of the County – including fees of its bond counsel in connection with the issuance of the Bonds and will pay the one-half of a percent of the bonds to the County. The Council’s vote was unanimous.
Director of Utility Planning & Design Review, John Ashman came before the Council with a request to prepare and post notice for the North Georgetown Area Annexation into the Sussex County Unified Sanitary Sewer District. The Sussex Pain Relief Center is looking to expand its facility with a surgery center, but are limited in what is permitted by DNREC under their formal variance. Others in the area are interested as well. The public hearing will establish the final boundary. The Council approved this request with a 5 to 0 vote.
The County Council held three public hearings this morning. The first was for the Pintail Pointe Expansion of the Sussex County Unified Sanitary Sewer District near Milton. A referendum vote is set for June 4th from 3 to 5pm – and absentee ballots will be available. County officials are asking that requests for absentee ballots be made early. Residents can also vote at the county offices.
The second public hearing was for Change of Zone No. 1921 – Stephen M. Sprogell – who is looking to change 5 acres of property from AR-1 to a MR-RPC in the area of the Bay Forest Club near Ocean View. The parcel would hold 23 units – 15 single family condos and 8 villas. No one spoke for or against the application – the Council approved it with a 5 to 0 vote.
The final public hearing was for a Conditional Use No. 2207 for CBB Cedar Pines, LLC north of Ocean View. The application was for a conditional use on 29 acres in a Medium Residential District for 75 multi-family units. No one spoke for or against the application and the Council approved it with a 5 to 0 vote.
