DOVER, DE- Fire safety concerns are at the center of a heated debate in Dover after City Council voted to waive subdivision standards for the Cecil Street Townhouses, eliminating a required rear alley for emergency access.
The decision, initially vetoed by Mayor Robin Christiansen on March 17 due to fire safety concerns, was overridden by council on Monday, with only Councilman Brian Lewis voting to uphold the veto.
The controversy began in February when the city’s Planning Commission determined the rear alley was unnecessary and recommended approval of the waiver.
However, during a Feb. 25 Council Committee of the Whole meeting, the request was denied.
After the developer revisited the issue on March 10, City Council approved the waiver in a 7-0 vote.
Christiansen argued that eliminating the alley would hinder fire crews from accessing all sides of the townhomes in an emergency, leading him to veto the approval.
"If we are going to have standards in the city, they should be maintained citywide and should assist in making the city a better place to live, work, and play. So I vetoed that."
Councilman Brian Lewis, who was not in attendance at the March 10 meeting, was the only council member to side with the mayor.
Lewis warned that without a rear access road, emergency responders could struggle to reach a fire in the middle unit of the townhouses.
"Without an access road, what if there is a fire in the middle unit of the row of townhouses? I think it's important that a rescue unit get back there."
However, Dover Fire Marshal Jason Osika, along with supporters of the waiver, defended the decision, stating that the townhomes do not need a rear alley.
"There is a smaller alley on the one side, and then they have Northwest Street, and those ladder trucks can reach the rear that way."
Osika also emphasized that while city code typically requires secondary access for townhomes, alternative safety measures—such as sprinklers—are allowed and, in this case, provide even greater fire protection.
"When we do alternatives, it's to meet or exceed. And when you, by getting a sprinkler system rather than the rear access, we're exceeding in my opinion."
Councilman Fred Neil supported the waiver, saying the sprinkler system will serve as a first line of defense against fires.
"That immediately helps end that fire. It's fighting the fire the moment as it goes off."
Despite assurances from fire officials, Lewis remains skeptical, citing the potential for sprinkler system malfunctions.
"There have been situations where those systems have failed, which is concerning."
With the veto overridden, construction of the four Cecil Street townhomes is expected to proceed without a rear access alley. A start date has not yet been announced.