Apartments will be part of Sussex rental program

At its Dec. 20 meeting, the Office of State Planning Coordination Preliminary Land Use Service discussed plans for Chapel Branch, an 84-unit affordable apartment complex on 7.4 acres at the Dorman Road-Route 24 intersection near Angola.

The plan includes a pair of three-story buildings and a community center. All apartments will be built under the Sussex County Rental Program with below-market rates based on family income. Because the project is following the regulations in the county program, a public hearing is not required.

The project will be built in phases on two subdivided lots.

The plan also includes a crosswalk on Route 24 to a sheltered bus stop.

During the PLUS review, state officials said the crosswalk needs to be approved by the Delaware Department of Transportation.

All apartments must contain sprinklers, and fire lanes are required around all buildings. A vegetated/wooded buffer along the property's perimeter is required.

The property is located in the county's coastal growth area where high-density housing is permitted. The apartments' density will be 11.3 units per acre – 12 units per acre is the limit set by the county. The property is also within the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District, meaning developer Volker Development Inc. will be required to provide funding for road improvement projects in the district. The developer is located in Fond du Lac, Wis.

Rental program updated

The county updated its rental program ordinance last year.

The ordinance allows developers to build apartment buildings with affordable units by right with density up to 12 units per acre without a public hearing that is usually required for multifamily housing. It will also speed up the review process.

Projects will be subject to site-plan review by the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission and county staff, as well as the state and Sussex Conservation District.

Regulations also include open space of 50%; connection to central water and sewer service; interconnectivity to any adjacent commercially zoned properties; sidewalks on at least one side of all streets, with connectivity to surrounding sidewalks; and interconnectivity to walking and biking trails. Projects must also include a streamlined administrative process of approving tenants and monitoring compliance with the program, while clarifying penalties for noncompliance.

Rent is based on 80% of area median income. In Sussex County, that’s a household income of $60,100 for a family of four and $48,100 for a two-member family. Rent for apartments will be, on average, less than half the market-rate rent.

All screening, rental agreements and background checks would be handled by the project’s property management.