GEORGETOWN, Del. -- Sussex County officials are reexamining how land development is handled as the county continues to see rapid growth.
Sussex County is the fastest-growing county in Delaware, with housing construction becoming an increasingly common sight. County leaders say that growth has prompted discussions on how to manage development responsibly.
A county workshop held on Tuesday outlined several recommendations aimed at guiding future development. These recommendations come from the land use reform working group, appointed by the county council last year.
Among the priorities discussed were limiting neighborhood sprawl and placing greater emphasis on mixed-use or higher-density housing. Officials also highlighted the importance of preserving open space and forested areas throughout the county.
"I'm not in favor of overcrowding, and I think some developers are maximizing profit," Millsboro neighbor Robert Tobin said. "Green areas are important. Bike paths, all the elements that make a community, developers have to support," said Robert Tobin.
County leaders said mixed-use and higher-density housing could also help address affordability, another major focus of the workshop. Officials said Sussex County needs more affordable housing options and is looking to allow more middle housing types.
They said expanding housing options could help attract and retain workers for essential services such as hospitals, while also supporting improvements to local infrastructure.
Infrastructure concerns were among the most common issues raised by community members.
"The roads and the roadways, especially, the infrastructure needs to be upgraded," Robert Herman, a neighbor from Milton, said. "It's also stressing out the police department, the fire department, and the medical staff."
Officials said they want to work closely with municipalities to balance local needs explained that development decisions must also weigh commercial growth against residential expansion.
Some residents pointed to recent development decisions as examples of the challenges facing the county.
"The system's a little lopsided. For instance, the development they just canceled on Route 24, I think that would have been important to have simply because those were services my wife and our families were looking to have," Tobin said. "But the local people who have lived here understood that transportation on Route 24 is just not there to handle the additional load."
County officials emphasized that no final decisions have been made on the recommendations discussed at the workshop. They said the proposals must still be turned into ordinances and go before the Sussex County Council and the public for review.
Officials said they expect multiple ordinances related to development to be drafted in the coming months.