SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Dozens of farmers packed Sussex County Council chambers Tuesday to oppose a proposed ordinance they say would reduce farmland values and hurt agricultural operations.
The ordinance would amend Sussex County code related to cluster subdivisions and residential planned community districts. The proposal would eliminate cluster subdivisions in rural areas and impose new standards tied to open space and sewage, significantly reducing the number of housing units that could be built on farmland.
County officials said the proposal is intended to redirect growth into designated growth areas as part of a broader effort to manage rapid development in Sussex County.
Dozens of Sussex County farmers urged county leaders to reject a proposed ordinance they say would reduce farmland values by limiting development opportunities in rural areas.
Farmers argued the changes could sharply reduce the value of their land, which they rely on as equity to secure loans and operate their businesses.
“I do believe this is a taking. They take the value. It’s our Fifth Amendment,” fourth-generation farmer Jay Baxter said.
Baxter said farmland value is closely tied to development potential, and reducing that potential could financially strain farming families.
“This has the opportunity to cut the value in our farming operation in half,” Baxter said. “The equity that’s in our land is how we pay our bills.”
Baxter added that farmers are fighting not only for profitability, but also to preserve their way of life.
“This is what we love to do. We’re passionate about farming,” he said.
The ordinance was one of four proposed measures discussed during Tuesday’s council meeting. No decisions were made, and council deferred all four ordinances to a future meeting. The public record remains open for written comments.
