City of Dover 2019 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN City of Dover, Delaware Planning for a Bigger Better Dover RELEASE DRAFT ISSUED – 10.1.2019 2019 Comprehensive Plan The City of Dover Acknowledgements Mayor: Robin R. Christiansen City Manager: Donna S. Mitchell Assistant City Manager: Matthew Harline City Council: William F. Hare Planning Commission: Nicholas Adams Matthew J. Lindell Kathleen Welsh Tanner Wm. Polce John H. Baldwin, Sr. Timothy A. Salvin Andrea B. Maucher Ralph L. Taylor Jr. Bobby C. Jones-Chair Scott W. Cole Kenneth Roach Fred A. Neil Deborah L. Edwards David L. Anderson Fred Tolbert Roy Sudler Jr. Robert D. Hartman Thomas Holt-Retired 8/2019 City of Dover Historic District Commission: Joseph McDaniel Ann Baker Horsey Eric S. Czerwinski Jonathan N.H. Street Mary Terry Mason The 2019 Dover Comprehensive Plan Project Team: City of Dover Planning Staff: David S. Hugg III, Director of Planning & Inspections Dawn Melson-Williams, AICP, Principal Planner Eddie Diaz, AICP, (Former Planner II) Julian Swierczek, Planner Tracey Harvey, Planner & CDBG Program Administrator Maretta Savage-Purnell, Secretary II City of Dover Department of Public Works: Sharon J. Duca, P.E, Public Works Director Jason A. Lyon, P.E., Assistant Public Works Director City of Dover GIS Staff: Mark Nowak, GIS Coordinator Jeremy Gibb, GIS Technician City of Dover Electric Department: Jim Robinson, Director Paul Waddell, Engineering Services & System Operations Superintendent City of Dover Parks & Recreation: Kirby Hudson, Director DRAFT TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 – Introduction ....................................................................................................... Chapter 2 – Patterns of Change ............................................................................................ Chapter 3 – Population Growth, Development, and Employment Trends: Analysis and Projections ................................................. Chapter 4 – Citizen Participation .......................................................................................... Chapter 5 – Natural Resources and Environmental Protection ..................................................... Chapter 6 – Historic Preservation ......................................................................................... Chapter 7 – Public Utilities and Infrastructure ..................................................................... Chapter 8 – Community Services and Facilities ................................................................... Chapter 9 – Transportation ................................................................................................... Chapter 10 – Economic Development .................................................................................. Chapter 11 – Housing & Community Development............................................................. Chapter 12 – Land Development .......................................................................................... Chapter 13 – Growth and Annexation .................................................................................. Chapter 14 – Intergovernmental Coordination ..................................................................... Chapter 15 – Implementation................................................................................................ MAPS LIST 1-1.1 Location Map 1-2 Aerial View 2-2A-E Existing Land Use 2019 5-1 Natural Features 5-2 Source Water Map 5-3 Environmental Features: Lands under Preservation 6-1A-B Historic Resources 8-1 City Owned Parks & Facilities 9 -1 Low Level of Service Areas (Transportation) 10-1 Downtown Maps 11-1 Low and Moderate Income Areas 12-1A-E Land Development Plan 13-1 Potential Annexation areas 13-2 Potential Land Use for Annexation Areas 14-1 State Investment Strategies Release DRAFT #1 – 10.1.2019 Chapter 1 Introduction Dover Comprehensive Plan 2019 Release DRAFT #1 - 10.1.2019 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION “BIG ENOUGH TO CALL A CITY BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO CALL HOME” Dover began as a planned community intended to be a center of government and poised for growth. It was not until 1717 that the town was actually platted into lots, streets and a public green that exist to this day. From those early lots and streets, Dover has grown to be the largest and most populated City in the central Delmarva Peninsula. Today Dover is distinguished as the dominant center of employment, commerce, and cultural activities in Central Delaware. The 2000 Census found Dover and the immediate environs to have surpassed a total population of 50,000 people and thus became a designated Metropolitan Statistical Area. For July 2019, Dover’s estimated population is 38,058 while the population for Kent County as a whole is estimated to be 181,864 persons. The City has grown to an area of over 23 square miles, including 170.33 miles of roads, 226 miles of water mains, and 192 miles of sewer lines. Homes and businesses in Dover produce 40% of the sewage treated by the Kent County Treatment Plant each day. It is estimated that 70% of the jobs in Kent County are located in Dover. Currently, there are over 4,030 businesses licensed, and the estimated value of buildings within the City is more than 3 billion dollars. The preceding facts demonstrate Dover’s regional importance. Everyday thousands of people come to Dover’s shopping malls and stores, recreation facilities, hospitals, medical offices, four major colleges, hundreds of small businesses, and City, county, state, and federal government offices. Despite its size, growth, and regional significance, Dover strives to maintain a small town feel, celebrating attributes that make it a desirable place to live, work and do business. Dover’s residential areas remain tranquil and have retained their small-town feel. When recently polled, residents of Dover cited the design and size of the City, its historic buildings, and its small-town atmosphere as among the qualities they like best about living in Dover. Dover is also known for its parks, open space, cultural and recreation opportunities. It is these attributes that establish Dover position on growth and the use of land, as set forth throughout this Comprehensive Plan. Release DRAFT #1 – 10.1.2019 Page 1 - 1 Release DRAFT #1 – 10.1.2019 Chapter 1 Introduction Dover Comprehensive Plan 2019 CITY HISTORY Dover’s early history was one of slow growth. In 1730 it was said that no more than 40 families lived in Dover. In 1777 after New Castle was captured by the British, Dover became the Capital of the State of Delaware. Modest growth occurred in the 1790s after the construction of a State House bolstered Dover’s status as the State capital. However, Dover remained a small market and government town of less than 200 acres, centered around The Green. By 1838 no more than 600 people lived within the City limits. In 1855, a railroad line was extended to Dover allowing it to support a number of industries, including canneries that processed local produce for the large markets now accessible by train. The City experienced its first building boom after the Civil War. Commercial growth began to occur along both State and Loockerman Streets. Residential lots were platted further north and west of The Green, extending the City grid system with many new streets. The growth during this period gave birth to what is now the City’s Victorian Dover Historic District, a National Register Historic District. The Green itself was transformed during this period from a commercial square to the park-like setting of today. In the early part of the 20th century, Dover’s pace of growth slowed, some new industries joined the area and a few pre-World War II suburban style subdivisions were platted around the periphery of the City. It was not until after World War II that Dover began another building boom spurred by the arrival of several large manufacturing companies. By 1960, the City had grown to over 1000 acres, and yet this was just a prelude. Over the following ten years, the City added 8000 additional acres to its jurisdiction. Through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, growth continued at a consistently brisk pace. This was mostly due to annexations encouraged by a City policy of withholding services from areas outside the municipal boundaries. This policy enabled Dover to share in the fiscal and other benefits of new growth and allowed the City greater control over the character and quality of surrounding development. Initial annexation activity during this period was concentrated on the east and south side of the City. Later annexations were conducted on the north and west sides of town. Most of the areas annexed were utilized for residential purposes. However, another significant trend was the development of the US Route 13 corridor as a highway commercial area. Large tracts of land associated with Dover Air Force Base, Dover Downs, Delaware State University, Wilmington University and Delaware Technical & Community College were also annexed during this time. Through the twenty-first century, the City has focused on “infill” annexations of individual parcels and also annexations of larger tracts on the north and west sides of the City for residential development or for specific major uses such as with Dover High School and the Woodlands of Dover International Speedway. This time period also introduced new zoning classifications as well as several overlay zones through the City. COMMUNITY CHARACTER The result of this rich and textured history is that Dover today is a very diverse and