The Georgetown, Delaware, planning commission voted 3‑2 at a public hearing last week to recommend that the town council deny a proposed repeal of the town’s cottage‑housing ordinance, keeping the rule that permits up to 12 small cottages per acre.
The planning commission of Georgetown, Delaware, voted 3‑2 at a public hearing last week to recommend that the town council deny a proposed repeal of the town’s cottage‑housing ordinance, keeping in place the rule that permits up to 12 small cottages per acre.
The ordinance, adopted by the council in December 2023 by a 4‑1 vote after extensive public comment, was intended to expand affordable housing options by allowing cottage‑style units on single‑family lots.
Earlier this month the council had voted 3‑1 to send the repeal request back to the planning commission, following recommendations from an ad‑hoc committee formed in the summer after Mayor Angela Townsend asked the council to consider amending or rescinding the measure.
The committee cited recent state legislation—Senate Bill 23, which lets certain residential projects bypass public hearings if they meet zoning requirements, and House Bill 450, which streamlines land‑use permitting and raises density thresholds—as reasons the town should revisit its local ordinance.
At the hearing, commission chair Larry Rohlfing, who supported the repeal, warned that allowing cottage housing before other types could “throw out the balance of housing” in Georgetown, arguing the town needs a coordinated approach that considers all housing forms.
Several residents voiced opposition to repeal, noting concerns about preserving the historic character of the town and fearing that eliminating the cottage option would worsen the local affordable‑housing shortage. Residents Adam Buczkowski and Linda Dennis argued the ordinance protects the town’s ability to control land use.
Springboard Delaware executive director Judson Malone questioned the committee’s claim that the ordinance conflicts with state law, pointing out that the only cottage project currently under review—the Market Street Village by nonprofit Little Living—would not be affected by a repeal and that no timeline for a replacement plan had been offered.
Council member Jon Peterson and other community members warned that repealing the ordinance would remove one of the few tools Georgetown has to create affordable homes, potentially deepening the housing crisis highlighted by the Delaware State Housing Authority’s 2023 estimate of a need for 20,000 additional affordable units statewide.
Commissioner Jennifer Weaver voted against the repeal, saying the ad‑hoc committee had not demonstrated how the ordinance fails to align with Senate Bill 23 or House Bill 450, and called for the committee to return to the drawing board.
The commission’s vote was conditional: the town council or the ad‑hoc committee must present new recommendations before the issue can be reconsidered at a future council meeting, which is not scheduled on the upcoming agenda.