Yup, its Monday,
New Castle County wants to get the word out that the “open for business” sign has been turned on.
I have noted in previous rants in this space about the county’s reputation as a difficult location for development. I was invited to discuss the issue with land use officials.
Often viewed as the villain is the county’s Unified Development Code. The complex document is not going away and future changes are likely. The development community has long complained about its complexity and lack of flexibility.
Meanwhile, anti-development sentiments have surfaced over the years, usually over retail developments like the Brandywine Town Center and more recently the former DuPont Barley Mill site.
That negativity by some accounts led to companies choosing sites in other states.
County Land Use General Manager Richard Hall wants business people to know that things have changed, at least when it comes to projects that create jobs.
The department has data to back up the claim.
Hall points to one example, the Incyte Corp. expansion project at the site of the former Wanamaker store just outside the City of Wilmington.
Even though the project on a crowded, hilly site was difficult, the path to approval for the pharmaceutical company took about seven months about a third of the average time frame.
The Incyte project did require close coordination with engineers, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) and others, Hall noted.
Another development with a below-average approval time was the CSC site in the Little Falls area west of Wilmington. Combined, the projects kept well over 1,000 jobs in the county.
Not every development will get fast-track treatment, Hall notes. The county is crowded and projects will often come as “infill developments” with homes or other types of development on smaller tracts.
The county has also been dealing with plans to redevelop a trio of golf course sites that are drawing fierce opposition from neighbors who don’t want to lose adjacent green space.
When it comes to traffic studies, Hall believes the Level of Service standards need some tweaking. In an op-ed piece last year, he outlined possible changes.
County Executive Matt Meyer also dropped in to offer a few thoughts.
Meyer said work on fast-tracking projects was already in place when he was sworn into office. He hopes the process can be refined further.
When it comes to attracting companies, the county has only a limited number of incentives available, Meyer says.
By contrast, neighboring states and even counties can come up with big incentives.
It is hoped Meyer, Hall, and others in county government will get their chance to put the fast-track process to work as two big properties move into the market – the former Claymont steel mill site and the former GM Boxwood site
Enjoy your day. This newsletter returns tomorrow. – Doug Rainey, Publisher
