Sussex County schedules public meetings for 2007 Comprehensive Plan Update

Georgetown, Del., Jan. 4, 2007: Sussex County government will hold a series of public meetings beginning later this month to take comment on the 2007 Comprehensive Plan Update, a state-mandated document that will guide development and land use within Sussex County into the next decade.

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 this year’s update of the comprehensive plan. The County’s current plan, adopted in late 2002, expires this year.

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 five years, and submit updated plans to the state for approval. Such plans define, among other things, growth zones, land-use policies and how development should proceed in the future.

The public meetings scheduled for the 2007 update include:

  • Monday, Jan. 29, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Greenwood Fire Company, U.S. 13, Greenwood, (District 2);
  • Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Lewes Fire Company, Savannah Road, Lewes (District 3);
  • Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Seaford Fire Company, King and Cannon streets, Seaford (District 1);
  • Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Selbyville Fire Company, North Main Street, Selbyville (District 5);
  • Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Bethany Beach Fire Company, Coastal Highway and Hollywood Street, Bethany Beach (District 4).

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

In addition to the public meetings, citizens can submit their comments, suggestions and ideas for consideration, via the Internet or by mail. To submit comments electronically, log on to sussexcountyde.gov/comprehensive-plan to fill out a form. Comments also can be mailed to the following address:

Sussex County 2007 Comprehensive Plan Comments
ATTN: Mr. Hal Godwin, Assistant to the Administrator
PO Box 589
Georgetown, DE 19947

Sussex County will consider submitted comments as it formulates a draft of the Comprehensive Plan Update. Once a draft document is complete, Sussex County will host a series of hearings later this year to solicit more public input, before taking the final steps in adopting the plan.