Kent County Planning Commission Meeting – January 8, 2026

The Kent County Planning Commission convened on January 8, 2026, to conduct public hearings on two zoning and signage applications. No decisions were made during this session; the commission will vote on the applications during a public business meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2026. The meeting began with the adoption of the agenda and instructions regarding the public hearing process, which mandates that the public record remains open for two business days.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was unanimously approved via vote (7-0) by all present commissioners: Peterman, Servon, Carcher, Gaufrey, Mills, Davis, and Jester.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public or online participants offered comments during the hearings for either application (CZ-26-01 or CS-26-01).
• No public comments were received during the designated public comment period at the end of the meeting; o

Discussion Items

Application CZ-26-01: Zoning Change for Alan and Amanda King (SiteWorks Engineering)

• Applicant Position: Alan King, the business owner, stated the business has grown rapidly since 2022 and is "running out of room" for vehicle traffic, specifically citing concerns about parking areas and "tractor trailers turning around" for the existing building. He requested a zoning change to General Business (BG) and a parcel configuration increase to 1.3 acres to accommodate growth.
• Staff Position: Staff recommended a conservative approach due to the rural nature of the area and the intensity of BG zoning. They proposed approving the BG zoning but limiting the acreage to the existing 0.7 acres to match the current Industrial General (IG) volume, rather than the proposed 1.3 acres.
• Commissioner Discussion & Positions:
  • Chairman & Commissioner Davis: Expressed full support for the applicant's request for 1.3 acres. Commissioner Davis explicitly stated, "he doesn't need more space for the parking," and the Chairman noted, "You're correct... we have with the tractor trailers turning around." The Chairman suggested the applicant contact the staff engineer (Chris Connolly) immediately to reconfigure the map for a larger parcel to ensure future feasibility.
  • Commissioner Peterman: Inquired about the zoning differences, noting the purple line (existing 0.7-acre IG), red line (staff's recommended 0.7-acre BG), and orange line (applicant's proposed 1.3-acre BG). He asked if consolidating the zoning would be possible; staff clarified that the approved area cannot exceed the advertised 1.3 acres, but a split between the staff's recommendation and the applicant's request is possible.
  • Commissioner Mills: Supported the Chairman's sentiment that a larger amount is more feasible given the visual layout of the parking and display areas observed at the site.

Application CS-26-01: Comprehensive Sign Package for State of Delaware (Fire School)

• Applicant Position: Jonathan Street, representing the Becker Morgan Group, presented the application on behalf of the State of Delaware. He clarified the site houses three entities: the Fire Commission, Fire Marshal's Office, and Fire School. The project involves updating existing signage to mimic current designs, including a new digital sign.
• Specifics: The digital sign is 14 feet long and 5 feet tall, to be located at the entrance between the fire school and the fire marshal's office.
• Commissioner Discussion: Commissioner Jester (via audio) noted the sign is visible and asked about its location and dimensions. Staff confirmed the specifications. No commissioners expressed opposition or support concerns; the application was simply advanced to the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Agenda: Approved (7-0).
• Action on CZ-26-01: No final vote taken. The commission directed the applicant to contact staff (engineer Chris Connolly) to discuss re-configuring the 1.3-acre proposal to fit the parcel geometry before the record closes on Monday. The application will be voted on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
• Action on CS-26-01: No final vote taken. The application will be acted upon at the business meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by motion and second vote (7-0) at approximately 11:15 PM local time (11:15:00+00:00 UTC).
• Upcoming Notices: The Kent County Levy Court will hear these applications on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM, unless tabled or withdrawn.