Sussex officials ready for Delaware Tech meetings

Sussex County officials have finalized plans to hold some land-use application public hearings at a larger venue to allow for more attendance.

The county’s first off-site session will be a planning and zoning commission meeting at 3 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 21, in Room 540 of the Carter Partnership Center at Delaware Technical Community College off Route 9, Georgetown.

Due to attendance restrictions under the COVID-19 state of emergency, the county’s meeting venue in the administration building on The Circle in Georgetown is limited to 30 people. Because of that, 15 to 20 land-use applications have been put on hold, said County Administrator Todd Lawson during county council’s Jan. 12 meeting. “We are busier than we’ve ever been,” he said. “We want to keep these land-use applications moving.”

Although land-use applications have been scheduled and voted on over the past nine months, the applications on backlog have the potential to attract larger crowds.

The Delaware Tech venue can accommodate as many as 70 people in seats spaced 6 to 13 feet apart. The venue also has the capability to accommodate an overflow crowd in separate rooms.

“The real challenge is, we are planning for the unknown. People may not come at all and choose to participate virtually,” Lawson said. “But we still have to plan for the worst-case scenario that a lot of people will show up.”

Land-use applications heard by council and planning and zoning include rezonings and conditional uses. Subdivision applications are heard only by the planning and zoning commission.

While all business will be on the agendas of planning and zoning meetings, Lawson said regular county council business will not be conducted at the Delaware Tech meetings, which will only include public hearings.

County council and the planning and zoning commission will have at least one meeting per month at the college. The county administrator said it’s anticipated the backlog of applications can be completed by scheduling hearings through June. Lawson said meetings could be longer than usual.

Livestream, phone access continues

Lawson said although face coverings are required for those who enter the building, once inside, the public, and county officials and staff are not required to wear face coverings because social distance requirements will be met.

The public attending hearings at the college will pass through a security check and undergo a health screening, which also occur at the county administration building.

The hearings will still be livestreamed and available by telephone to comply with state-of-emergency restrictions.

“If this doesn’t work, and people don’t show up, we can entertain the idea to come back here [county administration building],” Lawson said.

Lawson said county staff have talked to all developers with pending applications, and all support the change in venue.

“This is a question of equity and fairness. We need to make every effort to accommodate these applications. I applaud your effort to make this work,” Councilman John Rieley said to Lawson.