Town of Little Creek, Delaware Comprehensive Plan
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TownTown ofof LittleLittle Creek,Creek, DelawareDelaware ComprehensiveComprehensive PlanPlan July 2006 Prepared by The Town of Little Creek Planning Commission With assistance from the Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination Little Creek, Delaware Comprehensive Plan Adopted by the Little Creek Planning Commission In December 2005; and by the Little Creek Town Council July 2006 Prepared by: The Town of Little Creek Planning Commission With assistance from the: Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination August 28, 2006 The Honorable Harry E. Marvel, Sr. Mayor, Town of Little Creek P.O. Box 298 Little Creek, DE 19961 RE: Certification of the Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan Dear Mayor Marvel: I am pleased to inform the Town that as of August 7, 2006 per the recommendation of the Office of State Planning Coordination, the comprehensive plan for the Town of Little Creek is hereby certified provided no major changes are enacted. The certification signifies that the comprehensive plan is currently in compliance with State Strategies. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Town of Little Creek for working with the State to incorporate our recommendations into the plan before adoption. My staff and I look forward to working with the Town to accomplish the goals set forth in your plan. Congratulations on your certification! Sincerely, Constance C. Holland Director Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS TOWN, COUNTY, AND STATE OFFICIALS..................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND.............................................................................................................. 5 1-1. The Authority to Plan.................................................................................................................. 5 1-2. A Brief Overview of the Community ......................................................................................... 6 1-3. Existing Land Uses ..................................................................................................................... 7 1-4. Public Participation..................................................................................................................... 8 1-5. Little Creek’s Planning Goals and Vision ..................................................................................9 CHAPTER 2. MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY .......................................................... 11 2-1. Town Governance, Land Use Planning and Regulation Process.............................................. 11 2-2. Demographics, Future Population, and Housing Growth......................................................... 12 2-3. Environmental Features............................................................................................................ 20 2-4. Future Land Use........................................................................................................................ 24 2-5. Growth and Annexation............................................................................................................ 27 2-6. Public Utilities and Services ..................................................................................................... 30 2-7. Community Services and Facilities .......................................................................................... 31 2-8. Transportation........................................................................................................................... 33 2-9. Community Character and Design............................................................................................ 34 2-10. Redevelopment ......................................................................................................................... 35 CHAPTER 3. IMPLEMENTATION ................................................................................................ 36 3-1. Summary of Recommendations and Actions............................................................................ 36 3-2. Intergovernmental Coordination............................................................................................... 39 APPENDIX A - MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY CHECKLIST SUMMARY......... 41 APPENDIX B - MAPS............................................................................................................................ 42 APPENDIX C – INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMENTS ............................................................. 43 Adopted: July 2006 1 Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan TOWN, COUNTY, AND STATE OFFICIALS Town of Little Creek Mayor and Council Harry Marvel, Sr., Mayor Judith A. Hegman, Commissioner/Treasurer Penny Gentry, Commissioner/Secretary Virginia Stanley, Commissioner Debra Frye, Commissioner Planning Commission Michael Bundek, Chair Scott Bundek, Commissioner Harold Grow, Commissioner Keith Frye, Secretary Alex Tkachuk, Commissioner Philip Whitlock, Commissioner Town Solicitor Stephen Schwartz, Esquire Kent County Commissioners David R. Burris, President, 6th District Ronald D. Smith, Vice President, 2nd District Allan F. Angel, 3rd District P. Brooks Banta, 1st District Donald A. Blakely, 5th District Richard E. Ennis, Sr., At-Large Harold J. Peterman, 4th District County Administrator Robert S. McLeod Director of Planning Services Michael J. Petit de Mange, AICP Director of Public Works Hans Medlarz State of Delaware Governor The Honorable Ruth Ann Minner Senate The Honorable John C. Still, 17th District House of Representatives The Honorable Donna D. Stone, 32nd District Office of State Planning Constance C. Holland, AICP, Director Adopted: July 2006 2 Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan Acknowledgements The Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan was developed between January 2005 and August 2005 by the Town of Little Creek Planning Commission with assistance from the Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination. The State Planning Office was assisted by students and staff at the University of Delaware, Institute for Public Administration for certain aspects of plan development and mapping. The following is a list of personnel who worked with Little Creek to develop and draft this plan: David L. Edgell, AICP, Principal Planner Project Manager D. Barrett Edwards, Research Assistant Principal Drafter Nicole Minni, University of Delaware GIS and Mapping Support We would like to thank the following staff for meeting with the planning staff and/or the Planning Commission and contributing to the completion of this plan: Dave Carter, Laura Herr, Wayne Lehman, Susan Love and Mike Powell, all from DNREC, Hans Medlarz from Kent County, and Thomas Wuerzer from IPA. Adopted: July 2006 3 Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan A Municipal Development Strategy for Little Creek, Delaware ADOPTED – July 2006 INTRODUCTION The Town of Little Creek’s Comprehensive Plan was developed for a variety of purposes. The town initiated the development of the Plan in January 2005. The Comprehensive Plan will provide a framework for development and annexation for the town and will be used to craft the first land development codes for Little Creek. This Comprehensive Plan serves as an official statement about the future of the town. First and foremost, the plan is a unified advisory document to the Council and the Planning Commission on land use and growth issues. It should be used to guide future development decisions, re-zonings, annexations, and capital improvements throughout the town. Little Creek will use the plan as the basis to establish its zoning code, other land use ordinances, and zoning map. The plan is also an informational document for the public. Citizens, business people, and government officials can turn to the plan to learn more about Little Creek and its policies for future land use decisions. Potential new residents can use the documents as an informational resource about the town, its characteristics, and facilities. This document contains the most current information available on population, transportation, housing, employment, and the environment. Finally, the Little Creek Comprehensive Plan is a legal document. The Delaware Code specifies that “…any incorporated municipality under this chapter shall prepare a comprehensive plan for the city or town or portions thereof as the commission deems appropriate.” The code further specifies that “after a comprehensive plan or portion thereof has been adopted by the municipality in accordance with this chapter, the comprehensive plan shall have the force of law and no development shall be permitted except as consistent with the plan.” (§ 702, Title 22, Delaware Code) Adopted: July 2006 4 Town of Little Creek Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND 1-1. The Authority to Plan Delaware law requires that municipalities engage in comprehensive planning activities for the purpose of encouraging “the most appropriate uses of the physical and fiscal resources of the municipality and the coordination of municipal growth, development, and infrastructure investment actions with those of other municipalities, counties and the State….” This plan was written to comply with the requirements of a municipal development strategy as described in the Delaware Code for towns with a population of 2000 or fewer. The municipal development strategy for small communities (such