News Briefs 8/30/24

Primary election letters deadline set

The Cape Gazette will accept letters to the editor about the upcoming Delaware primary election through 2 p.m., Monday, Sept. 2. Letters received after deadline will not be included in a print edition or online. 

Due to the amount of letters received, the Cape Gazette cannot guarantee all submissions will make a print edition. All letters received before the deadline will appear at capegazette.com.

Lewes council to hold public hearing Sept. 3

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, at city hall.

The panel will take comments on four proposed ordinances related to driveway width, floodplain building height requirements, compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain regulations and freeboard requirement, and building height for commercial, institutional and industrial zones.

See the full agenda and meeting link at lewes.civicweb.net.

Lewes BPW completes Donovan-Smith connections

The Lewes Board of Public Works has finished connecting all residents of the Donovan-Smith Manufactured Home Community to city water and sewer. GMB engineer Charlie O’Donnell said all properties were hooked up Aug. 28.

Owner Ken Burnham will be responsible for water and sewer costs for the next 20 years, as part of the 2022 annexation agreement with the city. BPW received $5 million in state clean water grants for the project. O’Donnell said restoration work and street repaving are on track to be finished by the November deadline. 

Rehoboth Beach City Hall closed Sept. 2 

In recognition of Labor Day, Rehoboth Beach City Hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave., will be closed Monday, Sept. 2. For information, contact the city at 302-227-6181 or information@cityofrehoboth.com. 

Henlopen Acres Town Hall closed Sept. 2 

In recognition of Labor Day, Henlopen Acres Town Hall, 104 Tidewaters, will be closed Monday, Sept. 2. For information, call 302-227-6411 or townmgr@henlopenacres.com.

Lewes City Hall to close for Labor Day

Lewes City Hall will be closed Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day. It will reopen at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3.

Oceanside stretch of Point opens Sept. 1

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will reopen a stretch of oceanside beach at The Point in Cape Henlopen State Park Sunday, Sept. 1. 

The Point’s bayside beach will remain closed until Oct. 1 for use by shorebirds migrating south for the winter.

The Point has closed annually since 1993 each March to protect threatened and endangered beach-nesters and migratory shorebirds, including piping plovers, oystercatchers, least terns, red knots, and other species. It reopens in late summer-early fall for beachgoers and anglers.

The DNREC Divisions of Parks and Recreation, Fish and Wildlife, and Watershed Stewardship have worked together since 1990 to implement a management plan to increase beach-nester and migratory shorebird populations.

During this year’s closure, eight piping plover chicks successfully fledged from nests at The Point. 

At least 11 least tern chicks hatched, but observers were unable to record how many successfully fledged. 

Thus far in 2024, 24 species of shorebirds, 10 species of terns including the federally threatened roseate tern, and seven species of gull are among the species observed at The Point.

Rehoboth BoA denies variance requests

During a meeting Aug. 26, the Rehoboth Beach Board of Adjustment voted unanimously to deny several variance requests for the property at 215 Philadelphia St.

The applicant was looking to make major renovations to the property, including removal of the existing two-story main dwelling duplex unit and garage apartment, improvements to the existing one-story cottage, and construction of a new single-family main dwelling unit. The applicant would have needed variances related to demolitions, lot area per dwelling or dwelling unit, the number of single-family detached dwellings, rear yards and side yards, but none were approved.

Dewey climate change committee meets 

The Dewey Beach Climate Change Committee will meet at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. 

Members may possibly vote to recommend commissioners implement a resiliency fund, create a plan for real estate disclosure/education for property owners, and set an ordinance related to storm reconstruction measures. 

Members may also vote to recommend a packet of educational materials to present property owners as part of an awareness campaign. 

For the agenda and meeting link, go to townofdeweybeach.com.

Dewey marketing committee to meet 

The Dewey Beach Marketing Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Lifesaving Station, 1 Dagsworthy Ave. Members may possibly vote to recommend a winter seasonal activity and a spring walking parade to town council. The committee will also discuss fundraising ideas for the new town hall and Dewey in Bloom updates. For the full agenda and Zoom link to the meeting, go to townofdeweybeach.com.