Dear Sussex County Resident:

Please take a moment to read this entire message.  It gives you details on an important issue coming before the County Planning & Zoning Commission and the County Council.  Once you have read this information, please take the brief survey.

On Thursday, April 11, 2019, the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Current County development regulations regarding Cluster Developments. Councilman I. G. Burton proposed the Amendment. The County Council is currently scheduled to hold a public hearing on the Amendment and the Planning & Zoning recommendation on May 14, 2019. Both hearings are open to public comment.

Cluster subdivision basics:

7,500-square-foot lots instead of 20,000 square-foot lots in standard subdivisions
Open space must be beneficial to residents and adjacent to preserved lands, wetlands, parks, waterways, farmland or woods
A pedestrian trail is required in open space with connection provided to any other existing trails
Sidewalks on at least one side of all streets
Central water and sewer

• Superior design elements: 30 percent open space in one contiguous land tract; preservation of existing wetlands, waterways, wildlife corridors, farmlands and woodlands as part of design; minimum 25-foot setback from wetlands; limited removal of trees; scenic views preserved to the greatest extent possible

• Developers receive expedited review.

Here is the existing ordinance: https://sussexcountyde.gov/sites/default/files/ordinances/o2024.pdf

Here is the proposed amendment: https://sussexcountyde.gov/sites/default/files/ordinances/Cluster.Ordinance.Amendment.Intro_.022619.pdf

The original ordinance, adopted in 2008, allows developers in AR-1 zoned land to cluster homes on 7,500-square-foot lots rather than the 20,000-square-foot lots required in standard subdivisions, an over 60% reduction. According to the Cape Gazette, “the advantages of 7,500-square-foot lots over 20,000-square-foot lots are huge. They permit developers to concentrate expensive infrastructure in smaller areas, meaning significantly less labor and materials.  That’s sidewalks, streets and utilities, and that means lower capital investment up front. Clustering also allows greater creativity in fashioning water, meadow and wooded features which all contribute to premium prices for homesites."

In return for this very significant concession, developers were to apply “Superior Design” standards to the subdivision. Examples of those standards include 30 percent of the required open space must be one contiguous tract of land, the preservation of existing wetlands, waterways, wildlife corridors, farmlands and woodlands, a minimum of a 25-foot setback from all wetlands, the removal of healthy trees is limited and scenic views are to be preserved to the greatest extent possible. This has not happened.

In 2008, the Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended to Sussex County Council to make the use of Superior Design standards mandatory.  However, when the County Council approved clustering in 2008, they made incorporation of superior design elements voluntary rather than mandatory. Nearly all subdivisions approved over the past few years have used the cluster option and none have applied Superior Design standards.  Therefore, developers have received the benefits of clustering without adhering to the spirit of the law.  The proposed amendment to the Cluster Ordinance would make the use of Superior Design standards mandatory when developers elect to create a Cluster Subdivision.

Regardless of your position on this amendment, it is critically important that the residents of Sussex County make their voices heard on this issue. There are two ways to do that and SARG encourages the use of both. Attend both of the public hearings and present your thoughts on the subject. If you can only attend one, make it the County Council hearing. The other way is to express your opinion is through this survey. SARG will attend all public hearings and present the results of the Survey to the Commissioners and Council members.

Take the survey now.  It is only four questions and will take less than five minutes.  It is completely anonymous, no personally identifiable information is collected and all responses are used only in the aggregate.

Click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z5NB2YX

Thank you for your participation.  Please feel free to forward this message to anyone else you think would be interested in this issue.  We will notify you of the results of the survey by email.