UPDATED: Sussex County Council to Received Comprehensive Land Use Annual Report Tuesday
The Sussex Central HS FFA-Agricultural Issues Team with the Sussex County Council / Image courtesy Sussex County Government
UPDATED – 06/23/26 – The Sussex County Council met Tuesday – but before the meeting they received a presentation from the Sussex Central High School FFA-Agricultural Issues Team. The team presented their issues in a tag-team debate style which was as entertaining as it was informational. Great job by all!
County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse presented the Council with the annual Comprehensive Land Use Plan Annual Report. Sussex County is currently using the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, which is reviewed and updated on the progress of implementation. The County’s Comprehensive Plan is reworked and certified by the Governor every 10 years – and work will begin later this year on the new plan with public workshops over the next two years – and a new plan certified by the Governor before the end of 2028. This month the Sussex County Council selected consultants to assist staff and Council on the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan Update.
Whitehouse updated the Council on the progress of new initiatives from the last reporting year – including the FY 27-32 Capital Transportation Program which provides information on various DelDOT capital and maintenance programs and the estimated costs for the project phasing of a capital project for each specific fiscal year. The Coastal Corridors Study which is focused on the east-west routes in Sussex County and the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District or TID were also briefly discussed.
Talking about land use, Whitehouse says that there’s been a change in the number and type ofo applications they have received. He’s seen a downward trend in Change of Zone and Conditional Use applications and while the total number of major subdivision applications has increased slightly – the total number of lots proposed has decreased. The County is seeing growth in all sectors – as well as an increase in applications for solar arrays (and there were three Conditional Use applications for solar arrays during the public hearings this afternoon)
You’ll find the full annual report on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan in the Council Packet.
In Old Business the Council approved two of the applications – Change of Zone No. 2053 for a nearly 30 acre parcel on Coastal Highway north of Cave Neck Road from AR1 to C-2 Medium Commercial and a Conditional Use No. 2540 for a self-storage facility, office and outdoor storage on 7 acres on Route 113 south of Georgetown. For Conditional Use 2604 for a landscaping business with outdoor storage and parking near Bridgeville, Council followed the recommendation of the Planning & Zoning Commission and denied the application.
During the afternoon session the council held 6 public hearings. Two were annexations to the County Unified Sanitary Sewer District – one in the West Rehoboth area and the other in the Fenwick Island area. Both were approved.
The Council held public hearings on three Conditional Use applications on Solar Arrays – two west of Millsboro and one near Milton. They were all approved. A Change of Zone No. 2032 from a GR General Residential District to a GR-Residential Planned Community of 181 dwellings on over 63 acres off Legion Road in the Oak Orchard area was deferred.
The Sussex County Council meeting for June 30th has been canceled due to a light agenda and no meeting was scheduled for July 7th, so the next Council meeting is currently scheduled for July 14th.
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ORIGINAL STORY – The Sussex County Council will meet beginning at 10am Tuesday, however the Council will participate in a presentation and discussion with the Sussex Central High School FFA-Agricultural Issues Team before the meeting.
The Council will hear from Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Annual Report.
A Change of Zone and two Conditional Use applications will be revisited in Old Business.
During the afternoon public hearings the Council will hold two public hearings on two sewer annexations, three conditional use applications on solar arrays and one change of zone to a General Residential District – residential planned community – for 181 units – in the Oak Orchard/Long Neck area.
The Sussex County Council meets at 10am Tuesday in the County Administration Building on The Circle in Georgetown.
CLICK HERE FOR THE COUNCIL AGENDA
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL COUNCIL PACKET