The Dover Plan From the People – For the People City of Dover, Delaware 2008 Comprehensive Plan Prepared by the City of Dover Department of Planning Adopted by the Dover City Council February 9, 2009 Adopted by the Dover Planning Commission December 2, 2008 Certified by the State of Delaware April 24, 2009 The Dover Plan From the People – For the People Acknowledgements Mayor: Carleton E. Carey, Sr. City Manager: Anthony J. DePrima, AICP City Council: Kenneth L. Hogan Planning Commission: John Friedman Thomas J. Leary William J. DiMondi James G. McGiffin John H. Baldwin, Sr. William P. McGlumphy Thomas Holt Eugene B. Ruane Francis C. Nichols Sophia R. Russell Michael von Reider Reuben Salters Ronald Shomo Timothy Slavin Fred Tolbert Beverly Williams Colonel Robert D. Welsh City of Dover Historic District Commission: C. Terry Jackson, II Joseph McDaniel James D. McNair, II Charles A. Salkin Ret. Col. Richard E. Scrafford The 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan Project Team: City of Dover Planning Staff: Ann Marie Townshend, AICP, Director of Planning & Inspections Dawn Melson-Williams, AICP, Principal Planner Janelle Cornwell, AICP, Planner II Michael Albert, AICP, Planner Diane Metsch, Secretary II City of Dover Public Services: Scott Koenig, P.E., Director of Public Services Tracy Harvey, Community Development Manager City of Dover Public Utilities: Sharon Duca, P.E., Water/Wastewater Manager Steve Enss, Engineering Services & System Operations Supervisor City of Dover GIS Staff: Mark Nowak, GIS Coordinator Jeremy Gibb, GIS Technician City of Dover Parks & Recreation: Zachery C. Carter, Director University of Delaware: Asma Manejwala, Graduate Research Assistant City of Dover Economic Development Strategy Committee: Anthony J. DePrima, AICP, City Manager Michael Petit de Mange, AICP, County Administrator, Kent Ann Marie Townshend, AICP, Director of Planning & County Levy Court Inspections Cindy Small, Executive Director, Kent County & Greater Arden Bardol, Senior Associate, BeckerMorgan Group, Inc. Dover, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau Judy Diogo, President, Central Delaware Chamber of Jeff Stone, Director of Infrastructure & Intergovernmental Commerce (CDCC) Relations, Delaware Economic Dev. Office (DEDO) Heather Keegan, Commercial/Industrial Liaison- Daniel Wolfensberger, Director, Central Delaware Kent/Sussex Counties, Delaware Economic Development Economic Development Council (CDEDC) Office (DEDO) Asma Manejwala, Graduate Research Assistant Paul Lakeman, President, BayHealth Foundation TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................ i Chapter 1 – Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2 – Patterns of Change ........................................................................................ 10 Chapter 3 – Population Growth, Development, and Employment Trends: Analysis and Projections ....................................... 20 Chapter 4 – Citizen Participation ...................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER 5 – NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ............................................................................ 38 Chapter 6 – Historic Preservation ..................................................................................... 50 Chapter 7 – Public Utilities and Infrastructure ................................................................. 66 Chapter 8 – Community Services and Facilities ............................................................... 78 Chapter 9 – Transportation ............................................................................................... 90 Chapter 10 – Economic Development ............................................................................ 112 Chapter 11 – Housing & Community Development....................................................... 132 Chapter 12 – Land Development .................................................................................... 144 Chapter 13 – Growth and Annexation ............................................................................ 164 Chapter 14 – Intergovernmental Coordination ............................................................... 174 Chapter 15 – Implementation.......................................................................................... 178 MAPS 1-1 Location Map 1-2 Aerial View 2-1 Major Development Activity 2003 – September 2008 2-2 Existing Land Use 2008 5-1 Natural Features 5-2 Regional Environmental Features 6-1 Historic Resources 11-1 Low & Moderate Income Areas 12-1 Land Development Plan 13-1 Potential Annexation areas 13-2 POTENTIAL LAND USE FOR ANNEXATION AREAS 14-1 State Investment Strategies The Dover Comprehensive Plan From the People – For the People PREFACE This Comprehensive Plan’s title: The 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan: From the People-For the People signifies the continuing underlying philosophy that the people of Dover should play the most important part in shaping the City’s future. This value was realized through an early Citywide “hands on” citizen participation effort that guided experienced City planning staff as they wrote the original plan in 1995-96. The same philosophy has guided the plan update in 2003 and now in 2008. This Comprehensive Plan addresses the concerns of the community and proposes achievable solutions. A Comprehensive Plan serves many purposes. Initially it serves as a unified advisory document to the City Council and the Planning Commission about the issues and concerns of the community regarding land use, transportation, historic preservation, natural resources, community facilities, housing, and the general future of the City. The Comprehensive Plan is also an official statement about the future of the City. Readers will find the 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan is a positive plan that supports Dover’s continued growth and development but is tempered by the people’s demand that Dover keep its small town feel and high quality living and natural environment. The Comprehensive Plan’s most important purpose is to serve as an informational document. Future City Councils and Planning Commissions will use it as the foundation for rezoning, annexations, and other land use decisions. Professionals from such diverse fields as economic development, marketing, land development, and finance will find the latest information on population, employment, transportation, housing and the environment. Ultimately, the Comprehensive Plan is the legal document upon which the City of Dover Zoning Regulations are based. The zoning enabling law: Chapter 3 Municipal Zoning Regulations of Title 22 of Delaware Code, Section 303 Regulations states, “The regulations shall be in accordance with the comprehensive plan.” Concurrent with the adoption of The Dover Plan: From the People-For the People in 1996, the City Council made over 200 changes to the Zoning Map and the Planning Department launched a comprehensive review of its zoning text. Between 2003 and 2007 a number of important zoning changes were adopted, including revisions to the corridor overlay zone, street regulations and the development of the Traditional Neighborhood Design Zone (TND) along with the Source Water Protection Overlay Zone. The 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan was developed over a one-year period starting in October 2007. The planning staff gathered and analyzed land development trends, demographic data, and environmental information during the first six months. Throughout the spring of 2008, the staff focused on gathering information from the people of Dover through eight community-planning workshops in which nearly 100 people participated. The spring and summer 2008 was spent analyzing and integrating the information collected at the spring meetings into the Goals and 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan February 9, 2009 Preface Page i Objectives of the Comprehensive Plan, which include a land development plan and policies for growth and annexation. The new Economic Development Chapter was developed through the coordination of local, county and regional economic development experts during the Dover Economic Development Strategy Committee meetings. In July 2008, a Preliminary Draft Comprehensive Plan was presented to the Dover Planning Commission and City Council. It was also made available for review the public via the City website. The 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan was always intended to be a dynamic document that will change with the needs of the City. This Plan was prepared in response to state legislation and changing conditions within the City. The Plan draws upon the strengths of the previous plan, the vision of Dover’s citizens, and a wealth of new information and technology to create a plan that will help the City of Dover meet its needs. It is expected that this plan will be reviewed in five years as required. It is also expected that this plan will be amended from time to time when new information becomes available and the additional planning studies envisioned in the recommendations are completed. 2008 Dover Comprehensive Plan February 9, 2009 Preface Page ii CITY OF DOVER PROPOSED ORDINANCE #2008-44 BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DOVER, IN COUNCIL MET: WHEREAS, pursuant to Title 22 - Municipalities, Chapter 7 - Planning Commission, Section 701 - Establishment; Membership, of the Delaware Code, the City of