Georgetown, Del., Sept. 6, 2016: Sussex County this fall will host the first in a series of public workshops to gather ideas, understand concerns and take suggestions on how the county should develop over the next decade and beyond as officials and the public craft the County’s next comprehensive plan.

Five meetings – one for each County Council district – have been scheduled to give the public an opportunity to offer comments and suggestions for what should be included in the Sussex County Comprehensive Plan. The County’s current plan, adopted in 2008, expires in 2018.

Delaware law mandates that all counties and municipalities have a comprehensive plan in place to guide land use and future development. Counties and municipalities must review their plans every 10 years, and submit updated plans, as well as annual reports, to the state for approval.

A comprehensive plan, among other things, serves as the standard for how development occurs and how land use is governed in a community over a long-term period. Such plans are used by local governments to not only establish land-use policies and identify growth areas, but also to give consideration to various other community concerns, such as affordable housing availability, agriculture preservation, open space protection, historic preservation, economic development and transportation mobility.

The public meetings scheduled for the 2018 update include:

• Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Lewes Fire Company Station No. 2, 32198 Janice Road, Lewes (District 3);
• Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Millsboro Town Hall, 322 Wilson Highway, Millsboro (District 5);
• Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Seaford Volunteer Fire Department, 302 King St., Seaford  (District 1);
• Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Georgetown Fire Company, 100 S. Bedford St., Georgetown (District 2);
• Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2016, from 4:30 to 7 p.m., at Millville Volunteer Fire Co., 35554 Atlantic Ave., Millville (District 4).

All meetings are open to the public. Citizens may attend any workshop meeting they choose, regardless of district.

In addition to the first round of meetings, citizens can submit their comments, suggestions and ideas for consideration via the Internet or by mail. To submit comments electronically, log on to sussexplan.com to fill out a form. Comments also can be mailed to the following address:

Sussex County officials, along with the County’s land use consultant, will consider submitted comments as they draft the next comprehensive plan. Once a draft document is complete by mid-2017, Sussex County will host at least two more rounds of meetings to solicit more input before going to public hearings, the last step to finalize and adopt the plan by summer 2018.

For more information on the 2018 Sussex County Comprehensive Plan, please visit sussexplan.com. And for updates, stay connected on social media at www.facebook.com/sussexplan and twitter.com/sussexplan.

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