So uh first of all, I'd like to ask for the Pledge of Allegiance, and I'll ask the Peter if he'll do it.

Thank you all for coming.

I'll now do uh the roll call and determination of quorum, sir.

Mr.

Peterman.

Present.

Mr.

Servon.

Present.

Mrs.

Carcher.

Present.

Mr.

Caufry.

Here.

Mr.

Mills.

Present.

Mr.

Davis.

Mr.

Jester.

Here.

So you have seven present.

You do have a quorum.

I do have a little announcement for our commissioners.

I've been asked again by the lady that transcribes our uh minutes that if you'll please just raise your hand.

She still don't know you by voice.

So before you jump in and say something, let me recognize you so she will know who he who is speaking.

We'll do that next week also for the motions in the second.

So now I'll get into the approval of the agenda.

If there's no corrections, additions, or whatever.

I would uh have a motion to approve.

To approve.

Second.

I didn't Denise made the motion.

I just got done talking about this.

I got Denise made the motion.

And Mr.

Mills, I guess you seconded it.

Sarah, call the commission.

Mr.

Peterman.

Yes, approved.

Mr.

Servan.

Yes to approve.

Mrs.

Carter.

Yes to approve.

Mr.

Gaufrey.

Yes to approve.

Mr.

Mills.

Yes.

Mr.

Davis.

Yes to approve.

Mr.

Jester.

Yes to approve.

So you have seven years in favor of approving tonight's agenda.

Thank you very much.

And sir, I'll come back to you one more time for the introduction and public hearing instructions.

Thank you.

This public hearing is being conducted for the purpose of giving the citizens of the county the opportunity to present testimony on the applications before the commission.

Everyone will have a chance to speak.

All testimony testimony given shall be sworn or affirmed.

For the record, please give your name and address.

Copies of any written statements or exhibits used during the hearing should be presented for identification and inclusion in the record.

The record will remain open for two business days following the hearing.

For each application before the commission, the chairman will introduce the application.

Then the applicant or representative will be given 15 minutes to present the application.

Following that, those in favor of the application will be allotted five minutes each to speak.

Then those opposed to the application will be allotted five minutes each to speak.

When everyone has had an opportunity to give testimony, the hearing on the application will be closed.

No decision will be made by the commission tonight.

The commission will hold a public business meeting next Thursday, January 15th at 6 p.m.

At which time it will make a decision on the public hearing applications heard tonight.

All information of record will be considered.

Anyone may attend the business meeting, but no new testimony will be received.

The public notice of this hearing was published on December 17th, 2025 in the Delaware State News.

And the Kent County Levy Court will hear these applications on Tuesday, January 27th at 7 p.m.

Unless tabled by the commission or withdrawn prior to the levy court hearing.

The levy court also meets in this room.

Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you very much.

We'll now get into our public hearing.

And the first one we have tonight is ordinance.

Application number is LC25-29.

CZ-26-01.

Applicant and owner is Alan E and Amanda L.

King.

463 Maidstone Branch Road, Dover Delaware 19.

Additional contact is SiteWorks Engineering.

Care of Dave Heatwall in 39 Commerce Street in Harrington, Delaware.

Present zoning is AR.

Proposed zoning is AR Agriculture Residential and BG General Business Low Density Residential and Highway Commercial.

Relation to the Growth Zone is outside.

Levy Court District is the second hall.

School district is Capitol.

Fire District is Dover Station 46.

Area and location is 23.85 plus or minus acres.

Areas for tonight's petition is 1.3.

Is there someone here to represent this application?

Please come to the podium.

Do we have an attorney online or do I have to do this?

We have an attorney.

Sir, you can't do that.

Yes, sir.

We do.

Okay.

Come up and give us your name and your address.

And the attorney will either swear you in or confirm you.

My name is Alan King.

Pull the microphone up to you.

There you go.

Is that better?

Okay.

So my name is Alan King.

I'm at 463, Maidstone Branch Road, Dover, Delaware, 19904.

Good evening, Mr.

King.

Do you swear affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth?

I do affirm.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, sir, for coming and give us a brief synopsis of what you're exactly trying to do.

Sure.

So back in 2022, we bought the I bought the business from my dad.

And um I knew we had some kind of zoning out there.

We didn't know what we had.

So uh I didn't know where the business would go.

My dad had it as a hobby.

And when I came into it, I had to open it up to the public, and we started selling some tools out of it.

And which my dad had was doing the same thing.

We it just growing a lot bigger than what we had uh I never imagined it would grow this fast this quick.

Um so we're basically we're running out of room.

We need some more room.

So I came in and talked to Mr.

Chris Connolly, and uh I it's been three or four, actually, probably two or three months ago now.

And um we sat down and we talked, and he was like, Well, the first thing we need to do is change our zoning before we add on to the building.

So that's kind of why we're here tonight to um see what we can come up with.

Excellent explanation.

I appreciate that.

Yep.

Does any of the commissioners here or Mr.

Davis online have any questions for this individual?

No.

Mr.

Gauvery.

Did you have a chance to look at the staff recommendations on the parcel?

Um I did not.

Okay.

Um actually had to do with that.

Um they were recommending a modified approval of your request based on um mainly keeping it it wasn't it wasn't the zoning as the issue, it was primarily the configuration.

Um get this wrong.

You've helped me out here.

If I could just point out the staff recommendation is actually on the screen, if that helps.

Uh, yes, it is.

Okay.

So the configuration that um the zoning is would be easier to change if the volume of the property remained the same, the volume of what the initial the existing co um zoning code is to the one that you want to change it to.

The configuration is not as important.

So how you move that piece of parcel around isn't as important as the volume of it.

Um so that's where it says the recommended um right now it's proposed.

Uh we've got to propose 1.3 acres.

And um we're recommending keeping the what the the IG and the BG to be identical.

Is that correct, Sarah?

Yeah, currently there's 0.7 acres of IG zoning.

The proposal came in at 1.3 of BG, highway commercial.

So given the rural nature of the area and BG zoning being a fairly intensive zoning district, the staff took a more conservative approach and is suggesting approving the BG zoning, but keeping it at the same acreage, the point seven.

Um, which I believe encompasses the business and allows for some growth.

So I guess the question would be that um is that um is that going to be an adequate amount of of acreage for what you have intended.

So my my biggest concern is gonna be my parking area.

You know, not as not so much, yes, that would be plenty of room for my building.

Um for my parking area is what I'm concerned about on that.

Um another thing that Chris uh Mr.

Connolly had uh pointed out to me who was like, We're do I guess the um industrial zoning is more is more intense than what we're asking for.

And he said he thinks that would be okay, you know, we should be able to get the 1.3 acres.

He said as long as we stay below the 1.5, is what he said recommended.

Um I think Sarah wants to say something.

I I would simply suggest, since the applicant hasn't seen this until this evening, and the record stays open for two days.

So perhaps if you have time, you can give Chris a call tomorrow.

And we can see if we can give you a hand laying it out and see if it works.

Sure.

Is that what I said?

The the biggest part is right there in front of the building where it's at right now.

We're we're a little tight on some of our our parking with the big trucks coming in there and turning around.

And that's why we'd ask for a little bit more out the front and out the sides a little bit more for parking lot than for a building, is what we're asking for.

And I also saw that you had a display on the south side of your building there with like tires on it or something colored stuff.

Uh yes, yeah, it's pipe.

That's right.

What you had there I think with the recommendation of what what Sarah and M are proposing, you need to call Chris and what we're trying to do is make it more feasible for you to use in the years to come.

That's right.

No.

Okay.

Does uh Sarah for Sierra Denise?

You have a question?

I just uh I guess my question is let's whatever this it you know, whatever either way goes, we vote on it next week.

Now, if the gentleman says, Oh, I really need to change not the email, but the location a little bit.

That that doesn't have to come back to us, does it?

Given that it's a map and it's it's a legal document, it would be better if we sorted it out.

And Chris in particular is very good at layout, and given if since we've got until close of business Monday.

Okay.

If there is perhaps we can make it all work with the point seven, or maybe there's something else.

And that way we have time to get it to you before the record closes.

Thank you.

I think the larger amount probably would be more feasible for him to utilize after after going to the location and looking at what you had.

And I think we're trying to be as as easy going with you as we can to make it better for you in the future.

Because you probably got children too.

They want to take over the business.

That's right.

Is there any other commissioners have any questions?

Peter?

Yes, I was wondering if someone can just give a short explanation of the differences between the colored boundary lines.

Like is that part of the suggestion.

Because there's three different colors.

The the purple line is the existing IG zoning, the point seven.

The red line was the staff's recommendation.

The orange line is what the applicant proposed.

And so why is there reduced amount of the again the the staff took a fairly conservative approach given the rural area?

Um and the rather intensive zoning districts.

Um effectively match the acreage between the IG and the BG.

So the IG and BG, that's recommended sizes.

It is an existing point seven of an acre of IG on the property.

The applicant is proposing one point three acres of BG.

Highway commercial, which is arguably not entirely appropriate out in the country, although neither is IG.

Would it be the time instead of having split zoning to make it all one zoning?

Would that make any more sense or not?

You can't go bigger than what was advertised.

Okay.

Okay.

Just quite question I had.

Yep.

Does any other commissioners have a question?

Denise, did you have one?

Well again of Sarah.

Um so it is possible that after discussion, it could be somewhere in between those two.

Is that correct?

It's entirely possible.

That's why I think it's very important the applicant give us a call to the case.

Okay.

Okay.

And then we can we can be sure to accommodate what he needs for the business.

Uh-huh.

Sure.

You have anything else, Mr.

King?

I don't.

No.

Well, I I tell you, and I I would go along with the larger proposal because after being up there and seeing where your parking area is at and your display area, you know.

You're correct.

We have with the tractor trailers turning around and all like that.

That's right.

So uh that would be my also thoughts too.

Yeah, and we greatly appreciate your consideration.

Yeah.

Uh does anybody else have anything or Mr.

Davis have any questions?

No, I uh I agree with the uh the chairman.

I think he doesn't need more space for the parking, and I would definitely support that.

Thank you, sir.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Yeah, I appreciate you all your time tonight.

No problem.

We'll take it up next week.

Yeah, okay.

So you want me to get in contact with Mr.

Connolly tomorrow?

Call the number tomorrow.

The 302 7442701.

Yep, yep, I got it for you.

You know what it is.

Very good.

Okay, yeah, very good.

Is there anybody else here in favor of this application?

Uh not tonight, no.

No, I was just asking the audience.

Oh perfect.

Yeah.

Anyone else here in favor of this application?

Is there anybody on the phone in favor of this application and would like to speak?

If does anyone join us online that wants to speak in favor of application C Z 2601, please indicate by raising electronic hand or pressing star three if you're joining us by phone.

No hands raised online, Mr.

Chairman.

Thank you very much.

So we'll be taking this application up next week.

Thank you for your presentation.

Next on our agenda tonight, and our last application is uh Oh, excuse me.

You're correct.

I'm trying to get through it too quick, I guess.

Being I didn't see anybody in the audience, of course.

Uh is there anyone here opposed to Mr.

King's application?

Anyone here or online that is opposed to this application?

Similarly, if you're online and would like to speak in opposition to application CZ 2601, please indicate by raising electronic hand.

Still no hands raised online, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Now we'll get to move on.

Thank you, and we'll see you next week.

Our next application is application entitled CS-26-01, Kent County Fire School.

Application owner is State of Delaware, Delaware State Fire School, 540 South DuPont Highway, Dover Delaware 19901.

Engineer is the Becker Morgan Group.

Present zoning is AR agriculture residential.

Present use is a fire school.

Been there many a time.

Proposed use is same with a comprehensive sign package.

Relation to the gross zone is inside.

Levy Court District is the second, Mr.

Hall.

School district is capital.

Fire district is Cheswell Station 44 43.

Area and location is 28.0, plus or minus acres on Chestnut Grove School Road.

Is there someone here or online that would like to represent this application?

Yes, sir, Mr.

Chairman.

I am here.

Jonathan Street, the Becker Morgan Group.

Thank you, sir.

And we'll get your attorney, our attorney to you're not a lawyer, I assume.

No, sir.

Okay, we'll get you either sworn or affirmed.

Good answer.

Do you swear affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth?

I do.

Thank you very much.

Okay, sir.

Go ahead with your presentation.

Mr.

Chairman, uh Commission members, good evening.

My name is Jonathan Street.

I'm a senior associate with the Becker Morgan Group.

I apologize.

I can't be there in person tonight, but uh locally uh I have or recently I found myself down in North Carolina, so I can't be up there tonight to speak to you in person.

The application in front of you tonight uh is a comprehensive sign plan, which you're aware of to accompany the new addition to what is the state fire commission.

Uh many members, uh many lay members of the public may not realize that the fire school property actually houses three different entities.

The fire commission, the fire marshal's office, and the fire school itself.

The fire commission is actually the one uh that is that's doing the the current additional to the building right now, and the comprehensive sign is package is really to mimic what's already out there.

They're just redoing and updating the signage that's there.

Uh because there's three different entities and two different buildings, two different separate buildings housing those entities.

Uh comprehensive signage plan is is needed.

Uh the signage that's on the building will mimic what's already out there with a new seal that's over the cupola for the main entrance for the commission.

Uh but I believe a new digital sign that's going to be out there as well.

Uh I'm here to answer any questions.

Uh, Sherry Lambertson is the executive director of the state park commission is in the audience representing the owner.

I don't know that you have any questions for her, but I'm more than capable of answering what you might have.

So I'm here.

If you've got any questions, please let me know.

Uh it looks like to me at the entrance area, you're gonna have a video screen sign.

I'm sorry, at the entrance.

Yeah, I got it pressed.

Okay.

Is the video screen gonna be there at the entrance where you in between the fire school itself and the uh fire marshal's office?

Is that what I understand?

Yeah, that there's a there's a digital sign that that they're putting up.

It's that little uh rectangle that you see on the side of the building there.

Uh what's how what's the size of that?

Uh the digital sign is what the size of it.

Well, I don't have that setting.

Oh, there it is.

It's it's 14 feet long and five feet tall.

I thank you very much.

Appreciate that.

Yeah, spend a minute in an hour at the far school.

Back when you started.

So uh open it up to the commissioners now.

Is Mr.

Davis or anybody here on the commission have questions for this individual?

None.

I don't see any questions here.

Thank you, sir, for your presentation.

Thank you very much.

Is there anyone here that would like to speak in favor of this application and come to the mic?

Either online or present in the hall, would like to speak for in favor of this application.

If there's anyone else joining us online who would like to speak in favor of this application, please indicate by raising electronic hand.

No hands raised online.

I thank you, sir.

We'll now go to the opposition.

Is there anyone here in the hall or online that would like to speak in opposition to this application?

Similarly, if you're online and would like to speak in opposition to this application, please indicate by raising electronic hands.

Still no hands raised online, Mr.

Chair.

So I guess uh seeing none on either one, so we'll take this application up next week for the list to me.

Didn't you know that, Denise?

So we'll move on and we'll take this application up next week.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, sir.

We'll now get down to public comment.

Is there anybody here or online that has anything to say?

Would like to come up to the mic.

Anybody, Mark?

If there's anyone joining us online who would like to make public comments at this time, please indicate by raising electronic hand.

No hands raised online, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you very much.

So I get down to commission come out comments.

Is any commissioners have any questions or anything?

Has there been any other about the dinner?

I do.

Yes.

I I've got first hold on, Mr.

Davis.

It we haven't been able to find a day or time where we can get more than four of you together, so we're gonna have to try again.

Okay.

Thank you very much, Mr.

Davis.

Go ahead with your question.

What was the answer about the dinner?

We haven't been able to find a day or a time we can get more than four of you together, so we're gonna have to try again.

Okay.

Any other commissioner comments?

Any other business before the commission, Sarah?

If not, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

Motion to adjourn.

Um Mr.

Peterman is Mr.

Peterman, would you like to make a motion?

Yes, I would.

I'd like to make a motion to adjourn.

Do I have a second?

Peter I'd like to second that motion.

I have a motion and second, sir.

Call the commission.

Mr.

Peterman.

Yes to adjourn.

Mr.

Servan.

Yes to adjourn.

Mrs.

Carcher.

Yes to adjourn.

Mr.

Gaufrey.

Yes to adjourn.

Mr.

Mills.

Yes to adjourn.

Mr.

Davis.

Yes to adjourn.

Yes to adjourn.

Thank you all and happy new year.