Dewey leaders continue green space requirements discussion

Dewey Beach commissioners continued discussions on proposed green space requirements Aug. 16 with plans to fine-tune a draft ordinance for a possible vote at their next meeting.

The town charter and code committee, planning and zoning commission and council have worked toward the changes over the past several months, with the goal to reinforce existing driveway requirements and decrease the use of non-driveway space in front yards for parking in the town’s north end.

Charter and code committee member Marcia Schieck said the driveway situation is out of control. Since the last meeting, she said, two north-end homeowners have placed stone along the entire front of their properties. Member Dave Lyons agreed, saying changes won’t alter the size of homes being built; it’s just a reallocation of the ground to be more green than not.

The current requirement for the Neighborhood Residential district calls for a minimum 15% of the gross lot area of the property to be dedicated to planting and beautification, with a minimum of 50% of this requirement in the front yard, Commissioner Gary Persinger said.

The proposed requirement would increase the green space of the lot area to 25%, Persinger said. The entire front yard must be green space except for a 4-by-18-foot walkway and either one 20-by-18-foot driveway or two 10-by-18-foot driveways. Remaining requirements must be distributed between the side and back yards. Existing areas covered with non-green space materials may remain but cannot be expanded.

Parking would be prohibited in green space areas, which may include plant-based mulches, artificial mulches and decorative rock or stone. Artificial mulch and decorative rock or stone may only be used around and between, and in close proximity to, plants and shrubs.

Driveways and walkways must have no-spill borders to contain materials, and the requirements would apply to all new construction, expansions or additions in the NR district.

The proposed changes will help prevent front yards from turning into parking lots, Commissioner Paul Bauer said. Mayor Bill Stevens said drivers are unable to park in legal public spaces on town streets when cars park along the entire width of a property.

Commissioner David Jasinski said he was concerned the phrasing “in close proximity” regarding where artificial mulch and decorative rock or stone could be used wasn’t specific enough. He recommended placing a square-foot limit on the requirement so it is quantifiable.

Increasing the green space requirements will also help alleviate stormwater and nuisance flooding issues because it will help give water a place to go, Jasinski said.

“It’s a very reasonable requirement,” he said.

Stone is the brunt of the problem, Schieck said during public comment. Other materials can be placed around plantings, she said, recommending that stone not be permitted in the front yard at all, except for the driveways and walkway. Resident Cindy Souza asked leaders to enforce code currently on the books before creating new requirements.

Persinger said he would further fine-tune the ordinance for a possible vote at the September meeting, for which an agenda has not yet been set.