The Sussex County Planning & Zoning Office is responsible for administering the land use process within unincorporated areas of the county. The office is the public point of entry for subdivision, zoning change, conditional use, special use exception and accessory use requests.

The Planning & Zoning Office staff supports the County's Planning & Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustment, as well as County Council, on land use applications submitted to County government. The office manages all land use applications, and schedules public hearings on subdivision, zoning or other land use requests.

The Planning & Zoning Office provides zoning information for building permits, including property line setbacks and structure locations. Additionally, the office coordinates inspections of properties - including investigating public complaints - to ensure zoning compliance with the County Code.