The city of Seaford will be gaining a new eating establishment at the former site of Plaza Tapatia. The long vacant building will be torn down to make room for a Cook Out restaurant. The site, located at 22928 Sussex Highway, is owned by Jeremy Reaves and the restaurant is owned by OI & Sing LLC. The 3,000 square foot restaurant will include a dual lane drive thru and 62 parking spaces. The site requires approvals from DelDOT, State Fire Marshal, and Sussex Conversation. The council approved the sketch site plan.
The final site plan review was presented and approved by council for building a 157 lot subdivision on Old Furnace Road which is farmland and partially wooded at the edge of city limits. DR Horton is the builder with lots of R-2 zoning single family dwellings at a minimum of 4,500 square feet per lot. The subdivision will include city electric, water, and sewer.
A public hearing was held and a second reading for revisions to the municipal code for temporary sign regulations which defines election campaign signs. All signs require the property owners’ permission and must be removed within 30 days following the election. Additionally, the code also defines off-street parking for garden apartments and townhouses to be three per dwelling.
Finally, the updated definition to Chapter 4 would include a family definition of five or fewer adults, and minor children in their care living together in a dwelling unit and removes from the code unrelated people. Sleeping areas for one occupant must be minimum of 70 square feet. If there are two or more occupants the sleeping area may not be less than 50 additional square feet per occupant.
In new business, Police Chief Marshall Craft requested permission to purchase an additional patrol vehicle for the police department as well as up-fit an existing vehicle for patrol. The vehicle purchase and upgrade will be paid for with the remaining FY25 budget. Delivery is ready and up-fitting would occur in January 2025. The police department budget was approved for five vehicles and with the requested purchase and up-fitting the department remains under budget for the fiscal year. Council approved the request by Craft.
Director of Public Works Berley Mears requested approval to replace the current sewer lateral camera that was purchased in 2010 and is no longer repairable. This is an unbudgeted expenditure for a 200 foot camera which is used for inspections to find blockages in lines. Mears told council the average lifespan is approximately 12 years. The purchase will be paid through the sewer capital reserve account.
Mears also returned with a first reading of Chapter 14 of the Municipal Code for water meters that would require meters to be installed on single-family residential irrigation systems. Mears updated the wording per the request of council and now provides two options. A meter and pit installed before an irrigation system connection and the meter will be charged for both water and sewer, or install a separate meter and pit to service only the irrigation system. A second reading of the change will take place at the next council meeting.
Katie Hickey, superintendent of parks and recreation, presented to the council a request to apply for an Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Trails grant of $52,500. The 75/25 grant would provide for paver construction at Riverwalk fishing pier and solar lighting at Oyster House Park. Hickey told council the monies would replace the uneven pavers on the east side and the grant will also provide the installation of a bench and railing as well as replace trash cans on the riverwalk. The other grant monies will be used at Oyster House Park to add three solar lights and increase visibility and security. The request was approved by council.
Hickey also presented bids review to council for a front mount mower with a snow blower attachment. The recommendation was to award the bid to Taylor & Messick at a price of $28,000. Council accepted the bid recommendation.
Bill Bennett, director of electric, presented and council approved a request for monies on a bid for a wire reel trailer with figure 8 fiber optic attachment which pulls existing wire. Bennett recommended the city accept the bid of D&D Electrical Sales with a cost of $37,213.72 with delivery in 10-12 weeks.
