NEWS AND UPDATES
Archived, April 2006
Proposed Mixed-Use Community Wins Smart Growth Recognition
Bell Point, a proposed new community that would offer housing appropriate to a mix of income levels, has been recognized by the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance (DVSGA) as a good example of smart growth development (PDF) in the region. The project, which is located along Route 9 just west of the Five Points intersection and Route 1 in Sussex County, went through an early PLUS Review in 2004 to help with preliminary planning. It has since been refined. The developers have worked closely with the Delaware State Housing Authority and will take advantage of Sussex County's newly created Moderately Priced Housing Unit (MPHU) program.
The project is expected to be submitted for a new PLUS review in the next few months. Meanwhile, the conceptual plan has been praised by State Planning Coordinator Connie Holland, State Housing Authority Director Sandy Johnson, and the DVSGA as the sort of development proposal that meets the needs of a diverse mix of households and matches many of Delaware's Livable Delaware goals.
(4/27/06)
New Data Set: Delaware Municipal Annexation Areas
The Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination has published a geospatial dataset of the future annexation areas of Delaware's incorporated towns and cities. The new dataset, Delaware Municipal Annexation Areas, reflects the areas identified for future annexation consideration by those cities and towns with certified comprehensive plans.
Municipal annexations are governed by 22 Delaware Code '101, which requires identified annexation areas and certified plans for most annexations. The Delaware Municipal Annexation Areas dataset shows areas of short-term and long-term annexation interest, areas of concern to municipalities, and areas of joint concern or joint annexation interest.
(4/25/06)
Delaware Planners to be Featured at National Planning Conference
Staff with the Office of State Planning Coordination, DelDOT, DNREC, and the City of Dover will be featured in a panel discussion on smart growth at the National Planning Conference of the American Association of Planners (APA), in San Antonio, Texas.
The Monday afternoon panel discussion, Delaware's Permitting Process and Smart Growth, will feature Connie Holland, AICP, and Dorothy Morris, of the State Planning Office; Ann Marie Townshend, AICP, of the City of Dover; Kathy Bunting-Howarth, PhD, of DNREC; and T. William Brockenbrough, Jr., AICP, of DelDOT.
The Conference Program notes: "Since 1999 Delaware has encouraged proper planning at the local level and made policies among state agencies consistent with state growth. A review of these efforts shows that state regulation and permitting processes regarding water, wastewater, and road access have had a large impact on the location of development."
The APA national conference is expected to draw some 5,000 planners from around the US and abroad. Participants will share information and experiences in meeting the challenges posed by growth and change.
(4/21/06)
Agenda Posted for April PLUS Meeting
An agenda (PDF) has been posted for a meeting of the Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS) on May 3, starting at 8:30 a.m., in the first floor conference room of the Haslet Armory, on William Penn Street, in Dover. Each month, state agency planners review and comment on proposed land use changes, giving useful feedback to developers and local government leaders prior to consideration by local governments, which have final approval authority. A map of the latest PLUS projects (GOOGLE) is also available.
(4/6/06)
