GEORGETOWN, Del. - On Tuesday, the Georgetown Town Council approved an ordinance to amend the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map and the zoning map, reclassifying part of the First Baptist Church of Georgetown's property from Highway Commercial District to Townhouse Residential District to facilitate a proposed multi-family housing development by Davison Realty Inc.
The company’s application proposed rezoning 14.084 acres of the church’s property at 20304 DuPont Boulevard.
In a summary attached with a letter submitted by Douglas J. Liberman, P.E., vice president of Larson Engineering Group, to the Town of Georgetown, it is explained that zoning changes for the rear of the site would align with the Comprehensive Plan’s goal of providing affordable housing within the town.
Melinda Bowen, who lives in affordable housing herself, expressed hope that the ordinance would pass.
"I think we all need it. I mean, I think we need more. I don't think is enough. Georgetown needs it, yes, it does," Bowen said.
Liberman outlined the proposal in a letter, stating, "The plan is to subdivide the rear portion of the church property for the multi-family residential while keeping the church and the parking lot as a separate commercial lot."
John Betts, a Georgetown resident, supports the idea.
"There's an increased homeless population that has migrated here because of the services that are here, and so housing has been a crisis, and it continues to be a crisis, and affordable housing is hard to find. So, if that's something that the town and the church want to accomplish, I think it's a great idea," Betts said.
The remaining 10.559-acre lot will stay zoned as Commercial for the church’s use.
