Delaware
New Castle County unveils draft Sustainability Plan, seeks public feedback until end of May
New Castle County releases a draft sustainability plan outlining continuing efforts and short and long-term goals for the county.
The county is seeking feedback on the plan until the end of May and will hold in-person and virtual public meetings over the next few weeks.
The plan looks at affordable and sustainable housing development, open space, recreation and waste management, along with green energy like electric vehicle infrastructure and solar farm feasibility, climate resilience, protection of natural resources, and environmental justice.
County Executive Matt Meyer says this plan is similar to the state’s Climate Action Plan with a county-specific focus.
“The goal is obviously to complement those plans and in some cases supplement them. In some cases there are goals and programs in there that we think can be expanded on and will be expanded on in the county hopefully long into the future.”
Meyer says that work is led by the county’s Land Use Department, which he says on a smaller scale can often do more than state or federal governments can.
Land Use General Manager Charuni Patibanda highlights infill development as one major goal.
“There are all kinds of parcels along Kirkwood Highway that have buildings already on them, so redevelopment or infill development is redoing those properties into projects that include mixed uses like housing and retail or office and retail or whatever it is the market is calling for,” Patibanda says.
The county’s new Sustainability Coordinator Kristie Arlotta will lead many of these efforts, including efforts to deal with one of the county’s most prevalent issues, air quality.
“Air pollution can be very localized as well and it’s so different,” Arlotta says. “Claymont might be very different than New Castle. So our goal is to increase the amount of air monitors we have and also think about how can we address those air quality issues.”
Historically, the county has received an “F” for air quality in the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report, but this year received its best ever rating, a “C,” which means there are still too many ozone action days.
Residents can review the plan and submit feedback online. The county’s next public information session is May 1 at the Route 9 Library.
DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — People in Delaware County said it feels like new housing developments are popping up on every corner.
WSYX
“What haven’t you noticed, right? The whole area just exploded,” said Scott Shonebarger.
Scott Sanders, the executive director of the Regional Planning Commission, said companies like Intel and other industries are a main driver for thousands of people moving to Delaware County.
With the big boom comes an urgent need for more housing.
John Wicks is the developer at Real Property Design and Development.
He has spent over a decade building homes for families in Delaware County.
Wicks said the Olentangy School District is one of the hottest spots for new homes.
“I started with one high school up until the 90s, then now we’re up to four up to five different high schools so it’s just a big draw,” said Wicks. “It’s a beautiful community.”
The district has grown into the fourth largest in Ohio with a new elementary school opening next year, and a fifth high school in 2028.
Wicks said the growth has presented some challenges over the years like labor shortage and some opposition.
“It’s become a big issue for a lot of people that live in and around these areas. They tend to oppose new growth and new development, so restrictions have gotten a little bit harder. Costs have obviously gone up over the last 20 years,” said Wicks.
The planning commission says between 275,000 and 350,000 people could call Delaware County home by 2040.
That’s up from 214,000 in 2020.
Scott Shonebarger said he supports growth but wonders when is enough.
“I mean to a certain extent I think you know at some point right you have to have some sort of boundaries I think, getting into the fact that now you have five high schools,” said Shonebarger. “What’s the limit?”
Police in Wilmington, Delaware, shot and killed a 19-year-old man Wednesday night.
The incident happened in a residential area near 24th and Jessup streets just after 11 p.m., Wilmington police said in a news release. The person who was shot has not been publicly identified.
Officers were monitoring a large crowd gathered outside when they saw a man exit a home with a handgun and point it toward the crowd, police say.
When officers approached the man, he ran away and a foot pursuit began, police say.
At some point in the chase, an officer fired their weapon and hit the 19-year-old. The man was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
Police say they recovered a loaded gun from the man and that the officer was not injured.
Video filmed at the scene shows a crowd of residents gathered outside after the shooting.
Police are asking anyone with more information to come forward. The shooting is under investigation by the Delaware Department of Justice and Wilmington police.
Delaware Supreme Court Justice Karen L. Valihura announced Wednesday that she will lead a new corporate law institute at the Wilmington University Farnan School of Law.
She will step down from the bench of Delaware’s highest court in late July, after choosing not to seek reappointment at the end of her 12-year term. She revealed her plans for the next phase of her legal career in a special session of the court in Wilmington.
As well as joining the Wilmington University law school faculty, Valihura will be the founding director of the school’s new Corporate Law, Governance and Practice Institute. …
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