GEORGETOWN, DE – Sussex County is taking a proactive approach to managing its rapid growth with the formation of the Land Use Reform Working Group, a committee aimed at balancing development with preservation.
The group was appointed at Tuesday’s County Council meeting and will begin meeting in the coming weeks to discuss ways the County can address the pace and intensity of residential development in southern Delaware.
Growth has been a longstanding issue in Sussex County, which has seen its population nearly double over the past 25 years as new residents, according to county officials.
The committee will comprise 10 members representing a broad spectrum of interests, including affordable housing advocates, builders, citizens’ groups, developers, environmentalists, and farmers. Their goal is to evaluate and propose policies on land use, ensuring a balanced approach to development.
Jay Baxter, a fourth-generation Sussex County farmer and representative for the Sussex County Farm Bureau, said he wants to ensure the future of Sussex County is managed responsibly,
“Every decision we make impacts the next generation that's coming on. It’s our responsibility to make sure they are given the same opportunities we were given,” Baxter said.
Baxter says he's eager to get to work,
“I'm very happy to be on this working group, to try to figure out a way to responsibly grow Sussex County. To maintain my property rights, to maintain my property values, but yet to see Sussex County continue to be something beautiful that people love to come to.”
County Administrator Todd Lawson says the newly elected town council has been heavily focused on addressing development,
“They said, we want to tackle the number one issue, which is development. And we want to do it with a working group of stakeholders that understand the issues and let them go to task and come back with recommendations that they can consider.”
One of the group’s first priorities, according to Lawson, will be identifying where growth is currently happening and ensuring that future development is directed into designated growth areas—regions identified by the county as best suited for expansion.
County Council President Douglas B. Hudson said they want to plan for the future,
“Land use and development as a whole touches every one of us,” Hudson said. “The Council recognizes the future is now, and that decisions we make today will long outlast any of us. So, we are going to look to these stakeholders, from a variety of backgrounds, to help us chart the best course forward for our constituents and community.”
The committee will provide recommendations to the Planning & Zoning Commission and County Council, with initial proposals expected later this year.