SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - On Tuesday, the Sussex County Council voted 4 to 1 to begin working on a recommendation for a potential school impact fee after Councilman Steve McCarron introduced the proposal to help address school overcrowding.
The idea was discussed during the meeting and drew support from representatives of the Cape Henlopen and Indian River school districts.
The Delaware State Education Association launched a petition with the message "Stop School Overcrowding in Sussex" to back the proposed fee. Blair Catlin Brown from the DSEA mentioned during the public comment period that the petition gained over 600 signatures.
Jason Hale, director of operations for Cape Henlopen School District, said all schools in the district are at or over capacity.
"We keep talking about responsible growth. I mean, that's the key. This is not school districts being against growth. We're certainly for growth. We would like to see it done responsibly," Hale said.
Tammy Smith, director of finance for Indian River School District, said her district has also felt the effects of rising enrollment.
"It's extremely important for us. We've seen tremendous growth over the past ten-plus years in our district, which has led to overcrowded buildings and schools at or over capacity," Smith said.
McCarron noted that he would not want the fee to apply to new construction valued under $30,000.
The county will consider Kent County's model, which includes a 1.16 percent surcharge on building permits, as they develop a proposal.
"With the increase in development, having the impact fees funnel funds to our district to help alleviate the cost to all taxpayers and the local share of construction would be tremendous," Smith said.
Not all members supported the move. Council Vice President John Rieley said he understood the concern over school capacity but does not believe the county should act as a fundraising agent for school districts. Rieley added that it is the responsibility of the state and local school districts.
The recommendation, once drafted, would be presented to state legislators for further consideration.
"This isn't just a Cape Henlopen issue. This is a Sussex County issue, and this is something that I think that once we're able to move forward with, this is going to impact our students and our community for generations to come," Hale said.
CoastTV News has reached out to the Home Builders Association of Delaware for comment but has not received a response.