Delaware law requires counties to have a comprehensive plan and update it every 10 years. Many of the IBF Board and members attended the public hearings and provided comments particularly on environmental aspects as the County went about developing its 2018 plan.
IBF recognizes SARG – Sussex Alliance for Responsible Growth, for its diligent hard work in shaping the 2018 Comprehensive Plan. SARG started with a group of neighborhoods working together to fight a big shopping center proposed north of Lewes. While they were successful in their efforts, they reached the conclusion it was better to fight for a better process than to fight each decision reached by the County. When the County started its comprehensive plan update, SARG decided to take a positive approach and become actively involved from the start in order to positively influence its development. They attended all the plan workshops and meetings with the goal of helping create a better plan that could be used to guide County development in the months and years ahead.
Rich Borasso, a leader of SARG, discussed their work at a March 2019 IBF meeting. At that point, SARG had also conducted a survey of Sussex County citizens identifying the priorities they want established under the 10 year plan. The top three priorities from their survey are in line with the original priorities that emerged from the County’s planning process: First priority is future land use; second priority is conservation, and the third priority is mobility/transportation.
SARG supports the County in its priorities and plans to continue to interact with the County to influence it to take actions consistent with those priorities. An early opportunity arose in spring 2019 when County Councilperson IG Burton introduced an amendment to an ordinance, which would make developments. SARG testified in support of the proposal at the public hearing as did IBF members. Subsequently the amendment passed.
IBF will continue to support and work with SARG in its efforts.