Rethinking Delaware: There can be a better Sussex County

Guest blog by Anne Canby, Rita Landgraf, David Singleton and Christophe Tulou; originally featured in Bay to Bay News

Former state cabinet secretaries Anne Canby, Rita Landgraf, David Singleton and Christophe Tulou are part of Rethinking Delaware, along with leaders of housing, health and environmental nonprofits dedicated to achieving sustainable, affordable communities for all.

Sussex County is at a turning point. The pace and scale of development are no longer abstract planning issues; they have drastically changed daily life. Auto-reliant sprawl means more congestion, less affordable housing, fewer farms, more pressure on forests and wetlands, and higher infrastructure costs. At stake is not simply where homes and roads go. At stake is the kind of county Sussex wants to become.

The problems are known well and felt acutely. Sussex County Council’s Land Use Reform Working Group, the state’s zoning reform pilot program, the Delaware Department of Transportation’s traffic studies and even a televised documentary have created the agenda. The question now is whether Sussex will turn concern into a shared vision, measurable goals and coordinated action.

A real vision must guide what gets built, where it’s built, how much to build and how development supports daily life. The current way of growth separates homes, jobs, shops and services in ways that force people to drive almost everywhere. That path worsens traffic, raises household costs, fails to meet housing needs, discourages physical activity and consumes land that cannot be replaced.

There is a better alternative. Sussex should prioritize compact, connected, mixed-use communities and neighborhoods, especially in and near towns. Done well, these places can provide affordable homes; streets that support walking, biking and transit; and access to daily needs without long car trips. They can strengthen downtowns, improve health, reduce household costs, preserve farmland and open space, and help the county adapt to a changing climate.

This is, fundamentally, a question of values. How important is retaining small-town identity and a sense of community? Clean beaches and healthy inland bays? Reliable emergency services? A viable agriculture industry? Resilience against climate risks? Housing for healthcare workers, teachers, restaurant workers, poultry workers, construction laborers and others of modest means? If your answer is that it is important to preserve those things, then plans, policies, budgets and votes must square with those values.

No one assumes this will be easy. Decisions affecting growth are divided between state and local governments whose priorities and tools are not always aligned. Current zoning limits the types of housing that can be built. The county does not control all the investments in water, sewer, roads or schools. Significant natural areas lack strong protections. Comprehensive plans often lack clear goals, outcomes, timelines and public discussion of future land use maps or zoning changes. Without those elements, progress is hard to measure, and developing broad-based support is hard.

But difficulty is not an excuse for inaction. Addressing these barriers would benefit residents and governments alike. A sustainable growth pattern would expand housing and transportation options, reduce emissions, lower utility and transportation costs, improve public health, protect natural resources, strengthen climate resilience, help infrastructure keep pace with growth and increase property tax value per acre — reducing the burden on individual households.

Sussex can grow in a way that creates long-term value instead of long-term regret. Imagine development that provides a stronger return on each acre, creates vibrant downtowns and walkable neighborhoods, supports farms and local businesses, protects open space and reduces the costs and risks associated with climate change. That future will not happen by accident. It will happen only if the public demands it and leaders act on it.

The next step is for everyone to engage: Attend hearings to learn what values, comprehensive plans and ordinances advance; to press for compact and affordable housing options; to support protection of farms and natural areas; to insist that future land use maps, zoning and infrastructure investments are integrated; and to ensure that county, town and state leaders set measurable goals, align plans and budgets, and report publicly on progress.

Sussex County can choose a better future. But choosing requires more than concern. It requires residents and leaders to name what they value, translate those values into policy and hold one another accountable. The time to speak up is now; it is the only way to build the Sussex we say we want.