During its November regular meeting, the Frankford Town Council voted 5-0 to accept the Town Planning and Zoning Commission and town manager’s recommendation to ease the requirements for both (i) minimum lot size (from 6,000 to 5,000 sq. ft.) and (ii) minimum lot width (from 60′ to 45′) in the residential planned community (RPC) district. These code changes will allow builders to construct smaller homes without taking a loss-which is expected to lead to lower house prices and, thus, better meet the growing demand for moderate-income housing.

No public comments opposing the revisions were made during, or prior to, the hearing.

“As we know, some of our neighbors have reservations relative to the number of subdivisions that are being constructed in the unincorporated parts of Sussex County,” said Sheldon Hudson, Frankford’s town manager. “It is worth noting that, when cities are easy to work with and builders, as a result, choose to invest in land located within municipal limits versus in an unincorporated area, the farmland that would otherwise disappear from that area remains untouched—which can lead to more in the way of public support for new in-town residential projects.”

Relative to building moratoriums, there is no such restriction in place in Frankford—a step some Delaware counties and municipalities are taking now that the statute formerly known as SB 23 has become law. Thankfully, the Town is small enough to be exempt from the statute’s requirements-meaning Frankford has more flexibility relative to land-use decisions than do Sussex County and many Delaware cities.

In other news, the Town is currently considering applications to annex 5 additional parcels—3 residential (east of US 113) and 2 commercial (west of 113). Vines Creek Crossing, a 600-unit subdivision located near the northeast corner of Pepper and Gum roads, has just begun “going vertical.” The 500-unit “Lynch farm” development, located between 113 and Clayton Avenue, has received preliminary site plan approval.

Lastly, Frankford is in the process of moving to a new website that will soon allow it to better serve the public and promote itself to retail site selectors. The goal is for the site to “go live” early next year.