After months of campaigning on a “responsible growth” platform, the new Democrat-controlled Levy Court put their money where their mouths are last night.
DOVER — By a 5-1 margin, Kent County Levy Court on Tuesday night enacted a nine-month moratorium on new applications for major subdivisions.
The article goes on to describe the overwhelming public support for the actions the D’s took…
The vote came at the end of a three-hour public hearing in which residents lined up to support the moratorium. Its authors say it is intended to free the planning staff to work on a five-year revision of the comprehensive land-use plan and to draft final versions of adequate public facilities ordinances dealing with roads and schools.Many speakers described the moratorium as an opportunity to shore up laws, rules and regulations to make the county’s growth more orderly.
But wait. Why, if the public wanted such an action for years, did Levy Court not lead? You ask, and the News-Journal answers…
A 4-3 Republican majority blocked a six-month moratorium on new subdivision applications last fall. A new 5-1 Democratic majority now controls Levy Court, so enactment of the moratorium Tuesday night was all but a sure bet.
No more Smith, Blakey, and Burris = no more rubberstamping what the developers want in Kent County.
In the spirit of giving credit where it’s due (ahem, FSP), the lone Republican on the Court, newcomer Erik Buckson, voted with the majority in favor of the moratorium.
–ASM
There’s hope for you yet, but you failed to mention where the lone “no” vote came from.
Well by default, if the only R voted with the Ds, one D of the 5 voted no.
It’s 5-2 now.
The comeback begins.
FSP
Ha! That’s quite a hole to dig yourself out of in that county.
The real question is, will he be another GOP slave to developers, or will he wisen up and join the D majority in ensuring responsible growth (like his only R counterpart has)?