Residents encouraged by Sussex council plans to limit development

Several residents attending Sussex County Council’s Feb. 4 meeting praised council members for their plan to move quickly to consider restricting development, and one pressed for more decisive action.

During their campaigns, three council members elected in November emphasized limits on development.

The issue boiled over at a Jan. 14 council meeting when one of them, Matt Lloyd, called for a one-year moratorium on accepting applications for large residential development projects in rural areas. 

An overflow crowd of developers, builders, real estate firms, bankers and others attended the meeting. Nearly all of the dozens of people who spoke during the public comment session opposed the plan, and Lloyd found no allies on council for his suggestion.

As he did at the Jan. 14 meeting, George Lodato of Laurel called again Feb. 4 for council to enact Lloyd’s moratorium proposal. Lodato said he disagreed with claims by many that a moratorium would devastate the construction industry and other businesses.

“I don’t feel it is a lot to ask to look at how it would affect our future,” Lodato said. “At the last public hearing that I attended in January, contractors, construction firms, Realtors and special-interest groups came up to the podium to say that it would put a lot of people out of work by stopping construction. But I do not believe Councilman Lloyd’s moratorium would do that, as he is not asking to stop construction.” 

Lodato said he worries that without action, Sussex County will run out of room for new developments and construction jobs will then be lost.

Jill Hicks, president of the Sussex Preservation Coalition, and Richard Borrasso of Milton thanked council for giving attention to development issues.

Borrasso raised questions involving council’s vision for growth and development, identifying external factors that contributed to the current situation, the scope of potential land-use reforms and a plan to implement change.

Hicks questioned the reasons for burdens on roads, medical services, schools and emergency services. She also raised concerns about emergency evacuation plans, water quality, and loss of forest land, wetlands and biodiversity.

“We hear your commitment,” she told council. “Launching a work group with time-bound deliverables set by county council is progress in the right direction. We all want this done expeditiously and done right. We are here to work with you.”