NEWS AND UPDATES
Livable Delaware Advisory Council to Discuss County Comprehensive Plans
The Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination will meet on Friday, February 29, for a discussion of draft comprehensive plan updates by Kent and Sussex Counties. An agenda (PDF) has been posted for the meeting, which will start at 1:00 p.m. in Room 112 of the Tatnall Building, at 150 William Penn Street, in Dover. The Council, known popularly as the Livable Delaware Advisory Council, was established by the General Assembly as part of Governor Minner's Livable Delaware legislative agenda. It is chaired by Lt. Governor John Carney.
(2/22/08)
"Takings" Presentation Posted
A PDF version of the "Straight Talk About Takings" presentation given by Land use attorney and property rights expert Max B. Walton at a forum for state and local elected officials on January 17 has been posted. This presentation examines the law related to land-use "takings" in Delaware and offers practical advice to local government officials on the "takings" issue.
(1/24/08)
Smart Growth America Praises Delaware Governors' Institute
The Smart Growth America coalition has posted a pleased review of a recent Governors' Institute on Community Design held in Dover. The Institute served as a high-level workshop for Cabinet leaders and other policy-makers charged with implementing Governor Minner's Livable Delaware Initiative.
(8/3/07)
Transfer of Development Rights Legislation Introduced
Legislation has been introduced in the Delaware General Assembly to enable local governments to take better advantage of Transfer of Development Rights programs and to make use of Special Development Districts to provide infrastructure. The legislation, House Bill 244, was crafted by a diverse group representing a variety of interests, including farmers, developers and state agencies. It was provided for public review and discussion earlier this spring. An updated page of Legislation Highlights (PDF) is now available.
(6/27/07)
Draft Transfer of Development Rights Legislation Now Available for Review
A draft of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) legislation (PDF) is now available for review. TDRs are already enabled in state law and are in use in several jurisdictions. This draft legislation, which was developed by a committee that included developers, farmers, state agency representatives and others, will enhance current efforts by enabling county-level TDR banks and allowing receiving zones to use a special mechanism called Special Development Districts to plan for and fund needed infrastructure. The draft TDR bill (PDF), and a one-page "highlights" document (PDF), are available for review. Please direct questions and comments to the Office of State Planning Coordination, at (302) 739-3090.
(4/26/07)
Governor Minner Joins Local Leaders to Sign a Land Use Planning Agreement for Southern New Castle County
Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner joined with local leaders in New Castle County on Wednesday, September 27, to sign a Memorandum of Agreement that will guide regional planning efforts in Southern New Castle County. With the agreement, Governor Minner noted that through "cooperation, communication and shared goals, we can grow in a thoughtful, responsible and orderly way." She added that the agreement is "a model for all of Delaware."
(9/27/06, updated 9/29/06)
Transfer of Development Rights Legislation Introduced
Senator Venables, Representative Valihura and a number of co-sponsors have introduced The Transfer of Development Rights and Community Development District Act, Senate Bill 344. The legislation would set up a process for the transfer of development rights (TDR) and set up a TDR bank. It would create Community Development Districts -- districts created to provide for financing of infrastructure needed for the development of the District and which must utilize TDR's. These two components, working together, are expected to help save open space by encouraging the transfer of development rights and by providing for higher density where development does occur. They will also provide more funding for the construction of needed infrastructure so that this burden does not fall entirely on existing property owners. A more complete review of this concept is found in Saving Open Lands, Funding Infrastructure (PDF).
(6/7/06)
Agenda Posted for May 8 Livable Delaware Advisory Council Meeting
An agenda (WORD) has been posted for May 8 meeting of the The Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination. The Council, known as the Livable Delaware Advisory Council will meet at 1:00 p.m., Monday, May 8, to review legislation related to the Livable Delaware agenda and proposed State Resource Area designations. The meeting will be held in the Conference Room of the Delaware Department of Agriculture, at 2320 South DuPont Highway, just south of Dover.
(5/3/06)
EPA Seeks Nominations for the 2006 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that nominations are now open for the fifth annual National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. The award recognizes communities who use smart growth principles to help create better places to live. Nominations are being accepted for awards in five categories: Built Projects, Policies and Regulations, Small Communities, Equitable Development, and Overall Excellence in Smart Growth. The nominations deadline is May 1, 2006. The awards will be given at a ceremony in Washington, DC in November.
(3/3/06)
Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission Turns Down Isaacs Glen Proposal
The Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission has decided that the Isaacs Glen subdivision doesn't comply with the County's Land Use Plan and would not fit well in what is a predominantly agricultural area. According to a story in on the decision in the March 2 edition of the News Journal (Isaacs Glen cluster plan turned down), the Commission voted 4 to 1 to reject the plan, which would have seen 1,630 housing units added to the rural area between Milton and Milford. The proposal was reviewed under the PLUS process in November of 2005. State agency planners did not support the proposal (PDF).
(3/2/06)
Agenda Posted for December 12 Livable Delaware Advisory Committee Meeting
A draft agenda [PDF] has been posted for the December 12 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination, generally known as the "Livable Delaware Advisory Committee." The meeting will start at 1:00 p.m., at the University of Delaware's Paradee Center at 69 Transportation Circle, in Dover.
(12/6/05)
Information and Resources Added to Equity in Agriculture Pages
The Equity in Agriculture portion of the Livable Delaware web site has been updated to include additional Resources, including web-page versions of the bibliography and annotated bibliography and a PDF version of the Equity in Agriculture Presentation, as well as a Commentary section and a detailed series of Frequently Asked Questions.
(12/2/05)
Delaware's Secretary of Agriculture Offers an Opinion Column on Preserving Open Space and Farmland
Land preservation is an important part of the Livable Delaware effort, but land preservation -- by itself -- cannot guide growth and guarantee responsible land-use decisions. Every time a developer proposes a project that violates a county's or town's own comprehensive plan and Delaware's Strategies for State Policies and Spending, should the state be expected to step in and buy the parcel? Or should land preservation be used in conjunction with land use planning techniques? Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse examines these issues in a Opinion column published in the October 18 editorial in the Cape Gazette.
(10/21/05)
National Attention for Delaware's "Got Trees?" Initiative
The National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices offers Delaware's Got Trees? Buffer Initiative as a model for other states' environmental efforts in this week's edition of Front & Center, a weekly newsletter that includes reports on state best practices.
(10/14/05)
Governor Minner Announces Preservation of Another 145 Acres
Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner has announced the addition of 145 acres to White Clay Creek State Park, describing the action as "a continuation of the conservation efforts that are part of my Livable Delaware initiative." The state has acquired the Deerfield Golf and Tennis Club and other lands that are surrounded by the Park. The property will be managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation.
(10/5/05)
State Planning Office Releases A White Paper on Preserving the Value of Agricultural Lands
The Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination received the results of State Planning Office research into preserving the value and equity inherent in Delaware's rural landscape at their September 20 meeting. The research, published as Equity in Agriculture: Preserving the Value of Delaware's Rural Lands, led to the drafting of the Delaware Sprawl Prevention Act, now under consideration by the Delaware General Assembly.
The research was undertaken by the Office of State Planning Coordination, with assistance from the University of Delaware and in collaboration with the Governors Office and several state agencies, notably the Delaware Department of Agriculture (DDA) and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).
The white paper, and an accompanying powerpoint presentation (PDF), outline the threats to Delaware agriculture posed by sprawling forms of development and explains how the provisions of the proposed Sprawl Prevention Act will work to enhance the value of the states rural areas by protecting natural resources and the agricultural industry while directing development into areas where it has been planned for by municipal, county and the state governments. The white paper also reviews, and lays to rest, several myths that have arisen during discussion about the Act.
(9/20/05)
Agenda Posted for September 20 Livable Delaware Advisory Council Meeting
A draft agenda [PDF] has been posted for the September 20 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination. The Advisory Council will meet starting at 1:30 p.m. in the conference center of the Delaware Department of Agriculture at 2320 South DuPont Hwy., in Dover. Please note that the meeting time has changed, slightly, from earlier calendar postings.
(September 12, 2005)
A Progress Report for Livable Delaware
A two-page Progress Report on Livable Delaware (PDF) is now available. This brief report looks back to the start of Livable Delaware in 2001 and lists legislative and policy changes based on the Livable Delaware agenda and on discussions with state, county and local leaders about how to implement Livable Delaware. It also outlines some of the cooperative projects -- with local governments, developers and citizen's groups -- that have resulted.
(August 30, 2005)
Livable Delaware Advisory Council Meeting Set for September 20
The Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination
will meet on Tuesday, September 20, starting at 1:30 p.m., in the
conference center of the Delaware Department of Agriculture at 2320
South DuPont Hwy., in Dover. The Council advises Governor Minner on
issues related to the Livable Delaware agenda.
(August 29, 2005. Updated to reflect time change, September 12, 2005)
EPA Offers Smart Growth and Schools Publication
The EPA's Smart Growth resources web site offers links to various resources relating to Smart Growth and school siting, including a publication (Schools for Successful Communities: An Element of Smart Growth [PDF]). The publication, from the Council of Educational Facility Planners International and U.S. EPA, offers guidance for school districts and community leaders to work together when looking for locations for new schools.
(August 16, 2005)
August 8 Livable Delaware Advisory Committee Meeting Cancelled
The August 8 meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination has been cancelled. The next regularly scheduled meeting is set for October 3, though a September date may be added as well.
(August 3, 2005)
Grant Recipients at Ingleside Homes Already at Work in Their Livable Community Area
The Ingleside Homes Garden Club - who received a Livable Communities Mini-Grant - is already working on their project. The group is improving the garden space - which is used daily by Ingleside residents and guests - at the H. Fletcher Brown estate in Wilmington, Delaware . As part of the Cool Springs Historic district, these gardens provide vital programming, horticultural therapy, public walking space, and free meeting space for over 35 civic groups throughout New Castle County. The pictures (linked below) show volunteers watering flowers, weeding, and trimming wisteria. All efforts are helping to provide a receptive, safe, landscape for the entire community to enjoy. See the pictures.
Gov. Minner Signs Farmland and Forestland Preservation Bills
Governor Minner signed Senate Bill 121 and Senate Bill 229 on July 20, 2005. Both bills are designed to help protect Delaware's farmlands and forestlands. Senate Bill 121 - the Forestland Preservation Act - is part of the Governor's Livable Delaware Legislative Agenda. It establishes a new program to protect Delaware's forestland and was sponsored by Sen. George Bunting and Rep. Pamela J. Thornburg. Senate Bill 229 is a related measure to create a permanent funding stream for preserving farmland. It was sponsored by Sen. Nancy W. Cook and Rep. Thornburg.
The signing was held in Blackbird State Forest, just north of Smyrna.
"It makes sense to reinvest some of that income from growth and development into the permanent preservation of land," Governor Minner said. "For me and for many people here today, these two bills represent an achievement that will endure into the future and will benefit generations to come."
[Full Story]
(July 20, 2005)
Five Grants Awarded For Livable Projects
Governor Minner has announced the award of five $1,000 mini-grants to non-profit groups that propose to exemplify Livable Delaware on a community scale. The grants will be used to implement ideas from two new Livable Delaware Guides -- "Plants for a Livable Delaware" and "Livable Neighborhoods." [Full Story]
(July 12, 2005)
Two Livable Delaware Bills Sent to Governor
As the first session of the 143rd Delaware General Assembly came to a close this week, two parts of the Livable Delaware legislative agenda were approved and have been sent to Governor Minner for her signature. Senate Bill 112 improves and expands existing law that permits the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to use easements and other land use rights to preserve open space and other resources. The changes will encourage the re-development of brownfields and similar properties. Senate Bill 121 parallels the original Aglands Preservation Act and creates a Forestland Preservation Program by allowing the Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation to protect forested areas as well as farmland. The remaining proposals in the Livable Delaware legislative agenda remain in Legislative Hall for consideration when the 143rd General Assembly resumes its work in January.
(July 1, 2005)
Sprawl Prevention Act Introduced in Delaware General Assembly
The Sprawl Prevention Act, House Bill 280, has been introduced in the Delaware General Assembly. The bill, a part of the Livable Delaware agenda to curb sprawl and protect the sustainability of Delaware's agriculture industry, is sponsored by state Rep. Robert J. Valihura and state Sen. David P. Sokola. It targets stand-alone community wastewater systems that enable larger, more dense developments in rural areas where state and local governments have planned for preservation rather than growth. Under the legislation, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control would not permit such systems for residential use in these designated non-growth areas. [See related Governor's Office News Release]
(June 28, 2005)
Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Asks County Residents to Support Anti-Sprawl Legislation
Kent County Levy Court Commissioner P. Brooks Banta has published a Guest Opinion in the Delaware State News in support of the Sprawl Prevention Act, a key component of Governor Minner's Livable Delaware Legislative Agenda. In his Column, published on June 22, 2005, Mr. Banta says "a Livable Delaware bill that will attempt to rein in sprawl and protect our rural quality of life deserves the support of Kent Countians."
(6/23/005)
June 13 Livable Delaware Advisory Council Meeting Cancelled
The June 13 meeting of the meeting of the Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. The next meeting is scheduled for August 8, 2005.
(June 7, 2005)
State Agriculture Secretary Scuse Calls for Preservation of Agricultural Industry
Delaware Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse published a DELAWARE VOICE column in the May 31 edition of the News Journal calling for a Sprawl Prevention Act. In his column, Farming competes with new suburbs, Sec. Scuse argues that his mission to protect and enhance the sustainability of Delaware agriculture includes ensuring that the agricultural industry is protected from sprawl. "I am a farmer, not a future developer," he concludes. "Many of us view agriculture as a way of life fundamental to Delaware's heritage, economy and future. My job as Secretary of Agriculture is to keep it that way."
(June 3, 2005)
Delaware Today Lauds a "Livable" Development
The June issue of Delaware Today magazine includes a feature article on the Villages of Five Points development, outside of Lewes. The article notes some of the facets of the new development that make it a model for Livable Delaware -- walkability, smart density, and a mix of commercial and residential uses in a town style. It focuses, though, on the success of the various businesses that have chosen to become a part of the Villages of Five Points and how the same aspects that earned the praise of State Planning Coordinator Connie Holland are some of the main attractions for businesses and their customers alike.
(May 26, 2005)
Delaware Nature Society Offers Land Conservation
Forum
The Delaware
Nature Society (DNS) will present a Land Conservation Forum --
Tools
for Professional Advisors and Landowners -- on Tuesday, May 24,
in Bellevue Hall at Bellevue
State Park. The forum, which will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
is intended for accountants; appraisers; attorneys specializing in
real estate and tax law, wills and estate planning; landowners; Realtors;
and Government and nonprofit land conservation staff. Speakers will
include Patrick F. Noonan, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Conservation
Fund, and Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner. There will be case studies
of conservation agreements and tailored breakout sessions. The forum
is presented in partnership with The Brandywine Conservancy, The Conservation
Fund, The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control, and the Delaware Field Office of The Nature Conservancy.
The registration fee ($55) includes a buffet luncheon. The registration
deadline is May 10. For more information, please contact Jennifer
Gochenaur, Associate Director for Natural Resources Conservation,
at 302-239-2334 (Ext. 102).
(May 6, 2005)
State Planning Coordinator Offers Update
on Annexation
Several Delaware publications have published State Planning Coordinator
Connie Holland's update on possible annexation legislation over the
last month. Among other appearances, the update appeared in the April
24 edition of the News Journal as a PERSPECTIVE column
-- Annex
in balance statewide. Ms. Holland discusses the successes that
have come from the existing comprehensive planning partnership among
the state, county and municipal governments looks forward to continued
cooperation.
(May 4, 2005)
Governor Minner Discusses Livable Delaware
with Homebuilders
Governor Ruth Ann Minner shared
her plans for work on the Livable Delaware agenda over the next
few months with the Homebuilders
Association of Delaware on Thursday, April 21, 2005. The Governor
took the opportunity to invite the Homebuilders Association to continue
the constructive relationship they have had with the Livable Delaware
agenda.
(April 22, 2005)
Governor Minner Announces Livable
Delaware Grants for Community Groups
Governor Ruth Ann Minner has announced a mini-grant competition for
community groups who want to implement ideas from two new Livable
Delaware Guides -- "Plants for a Livable Delaware" and
"Livable Neighborhoods." Five mini-grants of $1,000 each
are available to civic associations and other community-oriented groups
to implement Livable Delaware concepts for their communities. A Livable
Communities Mini-Grant Application (PDF) is posted on the Livable
Delaware Guides page. Application deadline is Wednesday, May 25, 2005.
[Full
Story]
(April 22, 2005)
Governor Minner to Announce New Livable
Delaware Publications
Governor Ruth Ann Minner will join State Planning Coordinator Connie
Holland and representatives of the Delaware Nursery and Landscape
Association on Wednesday, April 20, at All Seasons Nursery and Garden
Center, in Dover, to present two
guides to help Delawareans create more livable neighborhoods.
"Plants for a Livable Delaware" and "Livable Neighborhoods"
are two publications that take Governor Minner's Livable Delaware
program down to the level of community, neighborhood, backyard. The
Governor will announce a competitive grant program for community groups
proposing plans to implement ideas contained in one or both publications.
The announcement is planned for 1:15 p.m. at All Seasons Nursery and
Garden Center, at 1325 South Governors Avenue.
(April 15, 2005)
Agenda Posted for April 11 Livable Delaware
Advisory Council Meeting
A (Draft
Agenda [PDF]) has been posted for the April 11,
2005, meeting of the Governor's
Advisory Council on Planning Coordination. The Council, known
as the Livable Delaware Advisory Council, will meet starting at 1:00
p.m. at the Paradee Center, on Transportation Circle, in Dover. The
agenda includes a report from the Office
of State Planning Coordination and a review of the Livable
Delaware section of the Governor's 2005
Legislative Agenda.
(April 5, 2005)
Livable
Delaware Advisory Council Member Named Delaware Tree Farmer of the
Year
Marty Ross, a member of the Governor's
Advisory Council on Planning Coordination, has been named Tree
Farmer of the Year by the Delaware Tree Farm Committee. Mr. Ross,
who owns 68 acres of forestland east of Delmar and has participated
in the American
Tree Farm System since 1988, was honored on March 17 at the annual
banquet of the Delaware Forestry Association (DFA). According to DFA
president George H. Torbert, III, "Marty Ross is well-known throughout
the state for his strong support of forest landowner property rights.
You would be hard-pressed to find someone more dedicated to Delaware's
forests."
(April 4, 2005)
Livable Delaware Initiatives Outlined
in Governor Minner’s 2005 Legislative Agenda
Governor Minner's 2005
Legislative Agenda includes a healthy Livable
Delaware section that will focus attention in the current session
of the General Assembly on annexation, transfer of development rights,
protecting forestland, enabling redevelopment and development of livable
communities, environmental issues and other factors. The Livable Delaware
web site will focus on these efforts during the session and will track
all legislation related to Livable Delaware issues that is considered
by the General Assembly.
(March 23, 2005)
More Open Space Protected and Added to
the Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve
The Delaware Coastal Programs of DNREC has
announced the addition of two parcels, totaling 147 acres, to
the Blackbird Creek portion of the Delaware National Estuarine Research
Reserve. The lands were purchased using funds from the U.S. Department
of Commerce and State of Delaware. They will be preserved as natural
habitat and will be available for educational visits by area schools
and for research activities.
(March 18, 2005)
Brad Connor Joins Livable Delaware Advisory
Council
Dagsboro Mayor Brad Connor has joined Governor Minner's Livable
Delaware Advisory Council. Mayor Connor takes over the seat representing
municipal government as the official representative of the Delaware
League of Local Governments on the Council. [Full
Story]
(February 18, 2005)
Five Acres of Open Space Protected in Port
Penn
The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has
announced a partnership with Delaware Wild Lands Inc. to protect
over five acres of uplands and marsh near Port Penn from development.
The lands are adjacent to open space areas around Port Penn and include
a site of some historic value.
(February 16, 2005)
Bernice Edwards Joins Livable Delaware Advisory
Council
Bernice Mitchell Edwards has joined Governor Minner's Livable
Delaware Advisory Council, representing Community Development
interests on the 21-member council. She is executive director of First
State Community Action Agency and has more than 25 years of experience
in the non-profit and social service field, and program management
and administration. [Full Story]
(February 11, 2005)
Draft Agenda Posted for February 14 Meeting
of the Governor's Advisory Council on Planning Coordination
A draft agenda
(PDF) has been posted for the next regularly scheduled meeting of
the Livable Delaware Advisory Council. The Advisory Council will meet
starting at 1:00 p.m., February 14, at the Paradee Center at 69 Transportation
Circle, in Dover.
(February 8, 2005)
Proposed Westown Project Goes to Public for Review
The proposed Westown Project will be the subject of public discussion
at a Tuesday, February 8, workshop on the transportation aspects of
the Westown
Master Plan to be hosted by the Delaware Department of Transportation.
The Westown Project is the subject of a front page story in the February
6 issue of the News Journal (Westown
Could Reshape Delaware). According to Office of State Planning
Coordination planner Herb Inden, the project could lead the way in
showing how development projects can help fulfill the promise of the
Livable Delaware Agenda.
(February 6, 2005)
News Journal Editorial Calls For Strengthened
Control Over Annexation
An editorial in the February 2 edition of the News Journal (Livable
Delaware needs added heft to curb annexation) calls for "legislation
giving the state final authority over undesirable municipal annexations."
House
Bill 334, considered in the 142nd General Assembly
in 2004, would have required that annexation be consistent with a
municipality's most recently adopted and state-certified comprehensive
plan.
(February 2, 2005)
Governor Minner Continues to Highlight Livable Delaware in State
of the State Address
Governor Minner focused on her Livable Delaware agenda in part of
her State
of the State Address to the 143rd General Assembly
on January 25, 2005.
The Governor noted, "Today, the principle behind Livable Delaware – that we should collectively plan where to grow and grow only where we plan – has been widely embraced."
"This year I will propose strengthening and expanding Livable Delaware to aggressively protect our water quality and other natural resources that are endangered by sprawling development. We will better enforce the state investment strategies we have developed with our counties and towns to manage how and where we grow. I will ask you to join with me to support a legislative package that recognizes and safeguards the natural qualities that make Delaware truly unique before they are degraded or gone forever," she added.
Details of the legislative portions of the Livable Delaware agenda
will be posted on this web site as they are brought out during this
session of the General Assembly.
(January 25, 2005)
Livable Delaware Web Site Revised
You probably noticed the changes on your way in. We've adopted, and
are adapting, the State of Delaware web portal design for this update
of the Livable Delaware site. Aside from moving to this "common
look and feel" -- which make it easier to move among the various
state agency web sites -- we want to make this site an educational
resource for folks interested in Livable Delaware, sustainable development,
and smart growth. What would you like to know more about? Please e-mail
questions about Livable Delaware to Mike
Mahaffie, in the Office of State Planning Coordination, and we'll
try our best to answer them!
(January 21, 2005)
Governor Highlights Livable Delaware Agenda in Second Inaugural
Address
Governor Minner featured some of the goals of her Livable Delaware
Agenda during her second
inaugural address on January 18, 2005.
The Governor said, "part of the purpose of our lives is to sow seeds that we will not reap. That thought defines some of the accomplishments of my first term. Reading teachers in schools, Livable Delaware, our fight against cancer: these are initiatives whose impact will not be fully realized for years, if not decades."
In listing some of her intentions for her second term, Governor Minner
said "we will ensure through Livable Delaware that development
in our state’s future is more responsible than in its recent
past. Less pollution will go into our air and water and less trash
will go into our growing landfills. We will continue to save open
space and farmland for tomorrow, and will ensure that those efforts
can continue after I am gone."
(January 18, 2005)
