By Tony E. Windsor

Town Manager Jamie Smith informed the Mayor and Council that the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) has invited municipalities across the state to apply for a voluntary technical assistance pilot program aimed at updating local zoning ordinances.

During the discussion, held at the October council meeting, Smith explained that the program would not require rewriting the entire zoning code, but would instead focus on seven specific reform areas. Those areas include permitting accessory dwelling units and missing middle housing in residential zones; permitting manufactured modular homes in single-family areas; creating pre-reviewed design plans or pattern books; reducing lot sizes to achieve greater density; allowing taller multifamily and mixed-use developments; establishing inclusionary zoning for affordable housing; and permitting higher-density mixed-use development in commercial areas.

Smith said municipalities participating in the program must assign a dedicated staff member to work with DSHA’s technical team, attend required workshops, and commit to pursuing at least one of the proposed zoning reforms.

“I’ve looked over the list,” Smith said. “The only one I think would be truly beneficial for Laurel is the permitting accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in R1 zoning districts. Those lot sizes are relatively large, and if they meet the setbacks, this could be very doable.”

She noted that the town’s current R (residential)1 zoning has a minimum lot size of 75 by 100 feet, while R2 zoning allows 50 by 80 lots with a minimum dwelling size of 800 square feet. “A 50 by 80 lot is pretty small,” Smith said. “When you factor in the setbacks, you’re looking at a 30-foot-wide home at most.”

Addressing other items in the DSHA proposal, Smith said modular homes are already allowed in Laurel, provided they meet existing roof pitch and overhang standards. She also explained that the town does not have pre-reviewed design plans or “pattern books,” as building aesthetics are not regulated beyond basic code compliance.

On the topic of inclusionary zoning for affordable workforce housing, Smith said Laurel’s R3 zoning already allows for multifamily developments but expressed caution about adding more R3 districts. “We currently have five subsidized apartment complexes in town,” she said. “If a developer wanted to build another, we couldn’t prevent it from being subsidized. That’s their right as a property owner.”

The DSHA application is due at the end of October, leaving the town limited time to decide. Council members agreed to move forward with applying for the grant to pursue zoning changes allowing accessory dwelling units in R1 districts.

“If we participate in permitting ADUs, DSHA will do most of the technical work,” Smith said. “If we don’t like the results, we’re not obligated to move forward. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

Council members voted to proceed with the application focused solely on the accessory dwelling unit proposal. The motion was made and approved unanimously.

B&G Club rep updates Laurel officials on club’s youth activities

Dave Crimmins, a representative of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware, attended a recent meeting of the Laurel Mayor & Council to provide an update on programs and activities underway at the Laurel Boys & Girls Club.

Crimmins, who served as executive director when the Western Sussex Boys & Girls Club opened in Seaford in 1998, reflected on how community leaders in Laurel—among them Frank and Caroline Calio, Vance Phillips, Senator Bob Venables, Council President Dale Dukes, then-Councilman Don Phillips, and Greg Johnson, helped establish the Laurel club at the former National Guard Armory.

“My role has changed now to where I’m the team director for Sussex County,” Crimmins said. “And as part of that, I just wanted to give you a little update of what we’re doing.”

He noted that current Laurel Club Director Brian Daisy could not attend the meeting, and pointed out that Chris Horsey, who oversees the afterschool program, now serves about 100 children daily. “That program has literally doubled over the last few years,” Crimmins said.

The Laurel Middle School also hosts a new afterschool program, offered Monday through Thursday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at no cost to families. “We have about 30 kids signed up right now, averaging about 20 a day,” Crimmins reported.

The club’s teen program runs Monday through Thursday evenings, averaging 20 to 25 participants. “During the summer, we extended the hours through a grant,” he said. “Now, during the school year, we close between 8 and 9 p.m., after that, we feel kids need to be home.”

Food and community engagement are a core part of the club’s mission. Crimmins highlighted a Friday night “Teen Takeover” event at the Laurel Skating Rink, organized in partnership with rink owner Karen Schreiber and soon to open Davelli’s Bagels in Laurel. which draws 40 to 50 teens weekly.

A major focus for the Laurel Club, Crimmins said, is workforce development. “We held a focus group with 11 teenagers and asked them what they really wanted,” he explained. “It wasn’t basketball or video games; they wanted jobs and a chance to make money.”

In response, the club launched a workforce readiness program two years ago, combining hands-on work at the club with soft skills training in responsibility, accountability, and punctuality. “We’ve had about 11 kids hired after training,” Crimmins said. “Some continue working with us, others have gone on to college.”

Crimmins credited grant support, including a Delaware Criminal Justice Byrne Grant and a Laurel Middle School Grant, for sustaining these efforts. He also praised local partnerships with Operation West Laurel, One Laurel, and community leaders such as Amy Handy and Bill McGowan.

Crimmins also expressed appreciation to the Laurel Redevelopment Corporation for its support. “The LRC has been part of our story from the start,” Crimmins said. “When we first came into the Armory almost 25 years ago, they were right there to help.”

He reminded the council that the armory, secured in 1998, is leased for just one dollar a year, though maintenance costs remain high.

“I just wanted to give you an update as you go into your planning,” Crimmins said. “We’re here with you. We’re part of the community, providing services for the kids of Laurel. Thank you for what you do.”