Workforce Housing Plans Under Attack (Justifiably)
Last night I attended the public meeting in Odessa to discuss “Workforce Housing” plans for the Vance Neck Rd. area. Workforce Housing is a concept that encourages builders to create affordable housing, by waiving fees and loosening regulations and increasing density. The ordinance that enabled this process was approved by New Castle County Council on Feb. 26th of this year.
What it has allowed developers to do is resubmit plans for developments already on the books, and double the density of the land. All of this with almost no further review by the county or any other entity. No additional reviews are required by DNREC for storm water. No additional reviews are required by DelDOT to assess whether or not the roads can support the additional traffic. No one checks with the school district to see what capacity problems this might cause. And any of these things that need to be done after the fact, will be borne by the state, county and school district, not the developer.
This is a huge win for developers. The housing market has tanked. They can no longer sell their $450,000 McMansions, so they can save money on fees, open space requirements, infrastructure reviews and sell twice as many homes at half the cost. What we really are doing is bailing out speculators. They bought the land hoping to sell it at a tidy profit, but when the market went south they needed a better way to off-load this land.
There were some pretty frustrated people at the meeting last night. To his credit, Penrose Hollins showed up, since he was the sponsor of the Workforce Housing ordinance. Unfortunately, he essentially accused the people at the meeting of never showing up at the County meetings and voicing their opinions. At some point in his speech last night, he realized that he wasn’t going to convince anyone in that room of anything and he handed the mic back and walked out of the room. Stupidly, he went out the main entrance and ended up getting into a bunch of small verbal confrontations with the people in the overflow area. He ended up having to call the police to come ensure his safety.
I’ll have more on this later, but here’s what you can do today. Call Chris Coons. Call him this morning. Call him now. Ask him to put a hold on all workforce housing projects until County Council meets to address the issues of southern NCC. His number is (302) 395-5101. There needs to be some planning around workforce housing and there hasn’t been any.
Great post, LG. I’ll make the call after I drop the kids off at school. I’m so tired of this nonsense.
Doesn’t this “plan” fit into that theme of limited government interference in the market? You know, allowing business to do business, make money and prosper. Liberalgeek has a liberal bias and frankly I think he hates America.
I wonder how many of your neighbors, the ones berating and threatening Hollins on the way out, I wonder how many praise conservative “small government”, “tax cuts” and have called Obama a socialist. I am not presuming. I don’t know them. But I find it interesting nonetheless. Something you argue for in theory that bites you in the ass in practice.
Nice roundup; you must have come late and gotten stuck in the back hallway……
Some of us looking forward, missed all the action… 🙂
It’s about time members of the Council discover the wrath of those living below the Canal… New Castle County is not just Wilmington you know….
Addendum: why just call? Vote against him on Tuesday (only if you’re a Democrat). And definitely vote against Bell…. who is running for County Council FOR FOUR MORE YEARS!!
Hi DG – Not really. There were certainly conservatives in the room. But there were liberals, libertarians and a few that I’m sure have never voted in their lives.
This is a classic loophole created by developers, for developers.
-Buy the land
-seek approval for a reasonable neighborhood
-get approval
-change the plan significantly
-ask for and receive rubber stamp
-Build twice the number or houses at half the -quality
-sell them to landlords
-walk (or run) away
Wanna guess who wrote the Workforce Housing Ordinance?
kavips – I was lucky enough to have a seat in the back. So I could hear Hollins and some people jawwing. Fun.
As for voting Coons out, if he is in the pocket of developers, we are left with the unfortunate situation of voting for a developer or a crook.
Keeping crooks honest, is a watchdog citizen’s responsibility.
A former crook working for me, is better than a saint working for someone else….
My how jaded I’ve become….
I’m wondering if Nancy is even awake yet?
Nothing yet about her take on the action…..
rsmitty was unable to make it… My, what he missed…
GEEEEEK–I didn’t realize this was THE meeting!!! Oh my goodness..I missed it…and didn’t even have to travel to New Castle. It was one of the kid’s birthdays and I AM FIRM about it being their meal, their day etc….shoot she only wanted “pigs in a blanket”, we wrapped it up early and I could have been there!!! I am so bummed…WE CANNOT take this housing hit in Appoquinimink….and you writers are forgetting a whole ‘nother piece to this pushing NCC–it’s called Aberdeen. Those jobs are here and coming (mostly viewed as high end)….they want office space and housing….surveys show those coming don’t mind and are used to commuting…Cecil County area residents have made it clear they are not looking to embrace change and growth….and have essentially said to NCC “have at it”…..well guess what I suspect NNCC is picking over? The high-end building occupancy and office centers Aberdeen folks need….which once again leaves MOT as the bedroom community, with no economic base, but educate my kids NOW!! The ONLY trade-off acceptable is NOT to increase density…because we can have hope many of these households are older, perhaps children are further along in school, or even empty nesters. WE CANNOT have the building rush here…w/o responsible planning. I am already looking at an apartment complex going up on Route 299–that has the potential to fill an ENTIRE elementary school. A school cannot be built as quick as the apartment complex….but that’s a whole ‘nother issue…just working w/ what we’re tossed. I welcome everyone moving here, but Christmas please don’t change the rules to aid and abet an already taxing situation!! Would somebody please build me a nice size office center down here first? And Coons should NOT be taking the hit for this…he’s just trying to manage it and scramble for what is economically advantageous for NCC–but may be geographically devastating.
Management has never been more key…
I just read Kavips piece…I assure you we REALLY DON’T KNOW as a district ahead of time the “actual” land use permission granted. We were cold-cocked just last October w/ the large apartment complex going up on Rt. 299. Know how I found out? A patient came in…saying….”well we finally agreed to sell…we have to be out in 30 days..” I knew this larger property..and said you mean for the XYZ shopping center they’ve been talking about? NO-it’s for a 500 unit apartment complex (according to her)!! I thought to myself..no way..we haven’t received any intention paperwork from anywhere….when lo and behold it’s all true and dirt moving…..and the school district can bend over!! We have to move feeder patterns to public outcry…etc. etc..etc…and this is no way over yet….forget building a sewer down here…we will be a sewer in short order. Again, of the list Kavips indict…I still do not see Coons and Bill Powers too, for that matter as players in this….Paul Clark another story…and I am so glad Bruce Ennis was there and spoke up…
I was at the meeting last night as well, I must say Ed Cerwinzki from Appo School Board was wonderful, as was Dick Cathcart & Bruce Ennis.
Bill Bell needs to go, he was an embarrassment, he has absolutely no clue, he talked in circles, and blamed everyone else for HIS decision. Bill Powers just sat there. Penrose Hollins did try, but he should have presented the matter differently. He failed to explain that the real blame for all of this should be on the ordinance that Paul Clark passed in July of this year, which specifically targets these areas of NCC.
VOTE BELL & CLARK OUT TUESDAY, DO NOT DELAY.. THEY WORK ONLY FOR THE DEVELOPERS.
We need to vote Tom Scherer, and Bill Dunn on Tuesday. Both men were at the meeting last night, and they will work for the people.
One more thing Chris Coons doesn’t Care, neither does Clark. The other thing that blows my mind in the horrific aftermath of these discussions, BILL BELL voted in favor of Bayberry the day after he spoke to John Taylor.
IS BELL NUTS ? What a great way to help these folks, bring an additional 1200 + houses in, THE NEXT DAY HE VOTED IT IN !!!
UNREAL.
VOTE HIM OUT, VOTE HIM OUT. SAVE OUR COUNTY AND OUR CHILDREN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
Yea Ed Czerwinski!!!! Now I know we were represented well!! This guy is a pit bull/park ape of any raw deal affecting the school district…I am on the phone w/ him in short order to be debriefed, and see where we’re going!!!! I just might be a poll worker somewhere on Tuesday….Any takers?
Issues like these go right to one the big issues Cathcart stands for and that is well-thought-out and well-planned growth. Joanne should be quite aware of this as well, especially with the interactions with the district. Trailer classrooms are not acceptable, ever. The kind of growth that he, Ennis, et. al. seek to put a stay on will lead us right back to the trailer classrooms. This, of course, in addition to the EXTREME environmental and infrstructure impact that would slam that area.
From what I have read, serious kudos go out to Chuck Mulholland and John Taylor (leader(?) of that community group), Cathcart, Ennis, and Cerwinzki.
Do NOT forget Tom Scherer on September 9th for all of those D’s in Council District 12!!! If you contributed to Bell this cycle, this link may interest you.
Do NOT forget Bill Dunn on September 9th for all of those D’s in NCCo!!!
I am so sorry I missed that meeting last night, but as I steadfastly professed, it was a night with my kids and I will not compromise them.
Oh brother–just got off the phone w/ Ed Czerwinski–who claims to have heard post meeting chatter by NCC folks of the “approved” 300 unit apt. dwelling off Boyd’s Corner Rd…..we have yet to hear of ANY of this down here!!! Cold-cocked again?? Is this for real? Again, that has potential for another ELEMENTARY school for us….and the Brandywine district is emptying? And there are rows of potential housing units in Wilmington? Near jobs, transportation and healthcare? Cmon council….
The school issue is front and center in this fight. If they are not discussing it with the district and respecting the warnings that the district might issue. Someone has to take ownership of building the schools.
Joanne – when is the next opening scheduled for the schoolboard? I have been “kicking the tires” in my mind about it for a while now. My kids are school aged, or coming of school age now and I think I’ve finally had it with only shouting to the wind.
Don’t get me wrong, from my view, it seems that the Appoquinimink Board does a good job, but I have to imagine someone will want to step away and relax at some point.
We rotate off yearly..unless there’s a resignation. This year Ed’s seat will be up in May. If he runs again..I back him…he’s far too valuable w/ construction issues etc…the filing is generally in February.
Like I said before, …from my view, it seems that the Appoquinimink Board does a good job… I have no current desire to challenge one of the now-incumbents. To me, school boards aren’t about politics, but ensuring the quality and community involvement in the school district being represented. I have no complaints with the board as-is right now. I was just speaking in terms if an ‘open seat’ was in the works. If not, it certainly doesn’t mean I can’t be active.
If anyone is still reading this thread, Tom Scherer needs help on election day. From the frustration I’m reading on here, sounds like he should hand out a flier at the polls that just says “WILL FIGHT WORKFORCE HOUSING.” Maybe it will help him win. Any of you guys able to help him? You can reach him at tgscherer@aol.com
rsmitty-we have LOTS of committees right now that can use you!!! Very little time commitment too, on many of them!!! Call me!!!! WE NEED great, involved, concerned people.
Coons, Scott and Bell…Middletowners better get their checkbooks ready to pay for the new schools!