On October 1, 2024, SPC has filed a NEW petition to the County that all four components be considered for approval together.   Read the petition!

 

On September 10, 2024, SPC petitioned the County to have County Council consider the entire Northstar application.   So what have we learned?  

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1)  The Northstar development application was fast-tracked through the approval process because  it included an affordable housing component - an important priority for Sussex County.  

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2)  The Northstar development application has 4 pieces, 3 pieces are associated with commercial use and affordable housing.   These would require County Council to approve since re-zoning or a conditional use is requested.

 

3) However, the largest piece of the application was for 758 homes and since it did not require rezoning could be separately approved by Sussex Planning and Zoning without any approvals through County Council.  

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4) The affordable housing component may not come to fruition.  The developer needs to apply for State funding to move forward with the affordable housing project.  Funding has not been secured to date and it is unclear if or when funding would be approved.

 

5) Given these facts, the developer has in effect fast-tracked their application and split their components up to allow a large "by right" development to proceed even if the affordable housing component fails.  This is a dangerous precedent for other applicants to follow suit in the future. 

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​​​SPC requests your help by writing your Council Member, Planning and Zoning officials and Letters to the Editor to support this petition.

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For more details, see Joe Pika's essay Northstar - Trojan Horse on Route 9. 

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