Schaeffer: Delay action on transportation district

Sussex County District 3 Republican candidate Mark Schaeffer has called on the current council to look at alternative funding methods for transportation improvements and to delay action on the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District.

At council’s Sept. 29 meeting, Schaeffer urged council to allow its two newly elected members the opportunity to participate in the negotiations and implement the ideas he suggested during his comments.

Although Schaeffer defeated current District 3 County Councilman Irwin “I.G.” Burton in the Sept. 15 Republican Primary by 44 votes, Lewes resident Patricia Drago has filed for the seat as a write-in candidate, giving him an opponent in the Nov. 3 general election.

Republican Cindy Green will be replacing retiring District 2 Councilman Sam Wilson. The two new council members will be sworn in at the first meeting in January 2021.

County council has received the final draft of the proposed improvement district and has placed the issue on its Tuesday, Oct. 6 agenda. If approved, it would be the first district in southern Delaware.

Delaware Department of Transportation officials define a transportation improvement district as follows:

“A defined geographic area where land use and transportation is planned in detail in advance. Instead of focusing solely on the area surrounding proposed development for infrastructure needs, the TID allows for a comprehensive approach about how development will impact traffic in this area in the future. A determined fee for development contributions to the infrastructure ensures this work happens as development happens and equitably distributes the cost of improvements.”

The district covers 24 square miles, and includes 66 miles of roads and 62 intersections. A key factor in defining the area for the district is proposed growth, which includes almost 13,000 new housing units and 1.5 million square feet of commercial space expected by 2045.

DelDOT officials have proposed $284 million in road improvements in the district. About 23 percent of the cost would be covered by developers. DelDOT would provide the remaining funds for projects through its six-year capital transportation program.

Major roads in the district include sections of Route 24 and Route 9, and sections or all of Robinsonville, Plantation, Mulberry Knoll, Cedar Grove, Angola, Dorman, Jolyns Way, Webb's Landing, Jimtown, Beaver Dam, Kendale, Wil King, Conley’s Chapel, Hollymount and Camp Arrowhead roads.

Development districts are proposed

Schaeffer said developers and new residents should foot the bill for road improvements, and not current Sussex residents.

“New development is going to require substantial upgrades to infrastructure. This is going to come at a substantial cost. Our citizens shouldn’t have to pay for those improvements,” he said. “County council shouldn’t rely on DelDOT and funds from the General Assembly when a more reliable source can be created. I would like to propose a win-win for all impacted by future and existing development.”

Schaeffer said council should ask the General Assembly to amend the county charter to allow for the issuance of industrial revenue bonds or tax increment financing, two forms of funding used by municipalities in the county.

Schaeffer said the bonds can be used independently of DelDOT to fund critical infrastructure considered essential to economic growth. He said the bonds are issued and repaid or funded by development in special districts created by the county.

He said the districts allow for special property fees to be imposed on new development requiring the developer and individuals moving into the area to pay for transportation and other improvements when development occurs, not after development occurs. “It stops the practice of having our citizens foot the bill to make needed improvements after development happens,” Schaeffer said.

“This system is proven and has been in use throughout Sussex County for many years by local municipalities such as Millsboro and Bridgeville. This system is a better solution to fixing our traffic problems than the central planning and broken promises from the state government and DelDOT. This keeps Sussex County in control of its infrastructure, its growth, its property rights and its bright future,” he said.

“I would encourage the current county council take the time and do the due diligence required before binding the county to the TID program in its current form and to long-term promises from Dover, and allow the new council in January the opportunity participate in the negotiations and implement these ideas,” Schaeffer said.