Annual moratorium ends, demo permits issued in Rehoboth
Story Location:
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
United States
Like the nonresident locals flocking back downtown when parking meter season ends, it’s apparent new property owners in Rehoboth Beach have been waiting for the annual 4-month moratorium on demolitions to close Sept. 15.
Every year, from May 15 to Sept. 15, Rehoboth has a moratorium on demolitions of any building that is 750 square feet or larger and/or has a connection to city water or sewer lines.
Over the past few weeks, in anticipation of the moratorium’s end, seven demolition applications have been filed and permits have been issued by the city:
- 5 Olive Ave. – filed Aug. 4, issued Aug. 31 for a two-and-a-half-story, single-family dwelling and pool. This is the second demo permit issued for this property – in 2017, one was issued for a one-story, detached accessory structure
- 207 Stockley St. – filed Aug. 6, issued Aug. 23 for a one-story, single-family dwelling
- 800 Bayard Ave. – filed Aug. 10, issued Aug. 31 for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure
- 301 Stockley St. – filed Aug. 10, issued Sept. 3 for a one-story, single-family dwelling
- 105 Country Club Drive – filed Aug. 23, issued Sept. 1 for a two-story, single-family dwelling
- 2A Queen St. – filed Aug. 27, issued Sept. 2 for a two-story, single-family dwelling
- 6 Queen St. – filed Aug. 27, issued Sept. 2 for a two-story, single-family dwelling.
Demolitions in Rehoboth Beach are a trend the Gazette has covered for years – the city has issued 245 permits since April 2012. The last story the paper ran on the subject was published in March, before the moratorium, and featured three houses that have since been demolished at 63, 65 and 67 Lake Ave. In between that story and this story on the end of the moratorium, the city issued one demolition permit April 7 for a one-and-a-half-story, single-family dwelling at 203 Norfolk St.
Is house moving a growing trend?
Not all houses are being demolished. There have been two house-moving permits issued by the city recently – one April 5 to move a one-story, single-family dwelling located at 306 State Road and one issued Sept. 1 to move a one-story, single-family dwelling located at 312 Hickman St.
Including the formerly Clear Space-owned historic bungalow at 413 Rehoboth Ave. and a house at 226 State Road, there have been at least four houses moved in the last calendar year.
DEMOLITION PERMITS ISSUED IN REHOBOTH BEACH SINCE APRIL 2012
Permits issued annually since April 2012:
- 2012: 14
- 2013: 15
- 2014: 23
- 2015: 23
- 2016: 30
- 2017: 30
- 2018: 27
- 2019: 34
- 2020: 32
- 2021: 17 to date
Permits issued by month since April 2012:
- January – 21
- February – 19
- March – 24
- April – 9
- May – 6
- June – 3
- July – 9
- August – 53
- September – 32
- October – 32
- November – 21
- December – 16
