Sussex County Council directs staff to draft building-permit fee enabling legislation for school construction

Sussex County Council on May 13 voted 4-1 to direct county staff to craft proposed state enabling legislation that would let the county impose a building-permit surcharge, modeled on Kent County's program, to fund the local share of school construction.

The vote followed public comment from school officials and residents pressing the council to act on impact fees or similar mechanisms. "It's been 2 years since the Delaware General Assembly gave Sussex County the power to make developers pay their fair share toward the cost of school construction," said Blair Catlin Brown, a school social worker and Delaware State Education Association executive board member, who presented over 600 petition signatures urging action.

Why it matters: Councilmembers and school officials said population growth and new residential development are increasing demand on school capacity and that current funding places the local share on existing taxpayers. The motion asks staff to prepare proposed legislation reflecting the…