Sussex County has new plans to prevent flooding issues

Sussex County takes steps to prevent future flooding issues.

At a meeting Tuesday, County Council adopted a comprehensive drainage and grading ordinance.

In recent years, local officials have grown increasingly concerned about flooding due to previous heavy rainstorms.

The ordinance eliminates outdated standards for construction – some adopted as far back as the 1970s.

It creates more detailed requirements for road construction, sidewalks and runoff collection systems.

It also outlines new grading plans ensuring rainwater is properly collected and flows away from homes and streets.

The council says it includes bonding requirements and parking design within County code, applied to all new construction of major subdivisions and residential planned communities, as well as townhouse, condominium and apartment complexes.

“I think it’s fair to say that everyone, not just residents, have the same goal here: to make sure flooding is minimized wherever possible in our communities,” said Todd Lawson of the County Administration.

“These new standards really elevate Sussex County’s requirements. Ultimately, we believe the ordinance will make for a better product and better communities that our residents can enjoy.”

The new ordinance will take effect in various stages, with some components occurring immediately and others occurring 30 days from Tuesday.

To view a copy of the ordinance, click here.