The latest updating of New Growth, a term for Castle County's Comprehensive development that includes a Development Plan, which takes mix of residential, office place every five years, and commercial uses. begins Thursday with a (2 of 2) meeting seeking the public's Clark, in his first days in input on what changes are office, issued an executive needed. order that he said will take The process will have a new him out of any decisions on wrinkle this year because projects involving Saul Ewing, former County Council his wife's law firm. Clark is President Paul Clark serving the rest of Coon's automatically became county term, which ends in 2012. executive last week when "We look forward to an open, Chris Coons left the position transparent and fair debate to be sworn in as a U.S. during this process," Clark senator. Clark's wife, Pam said. Scott, is a prominent land- County Councilman Jea Street use attorney in the county said he's seen nothing in and some have expressed Clark's tenure as County concerns that Clark's role as Council president to indicate county executive could be that his wife's job will compromised on development influence how he governs the issues. county. Bill Dunn, vice president of "I'm sick of all the talk the Civic League for New about it already," Street Castle County, an said. "Why is everyone of the organization whose members opinion that he's going to be include civic groups, out to ruin the county? One, businesses and individual he's only the county residents, said Clark's new executive. Two, anything he role makes public wants to do has to come participation in updating the through us, the council. comprehensive plan more Three, he has to get re- important than ever. elected in two years and he's "Absolutely," he said. going to do everything Dunn unsuccessfully sought responsibly if he wants to the county Democratic Party's get re-elected." nomination to replace Clark Street has been on the last week, but lost to County council for all six years Councilman Timothy Sheldon. A Clark served as its president. special election between He said Clark never asked him Sheldon and Republican Tom to vote for or against a Kovach, a former state project that involved his representative, will take wife. place next month or in "My experience doesn't show January. anything mischievous about As a civic leader, Dunn said, him," Street said. he's participated in past David Culver, general manager comprehensive plan updates for the county's Department and feels as though of Land Use, said he hopes as residents' suggestions aren't many county residents as being taken seriously. possible take part in "People have come forward and updating the new plan. taken an interest, but they The first meeting will be are generally disregarded, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the getting little or no multi-purpose room of the recognition," he said. "It Gilliam Building at 77 Reads seems that what the engineers Way in New Castle Corporate or attorneys for developers Commons. County officials come up with get a high level will provide an overview of of implementation when a new current land-use conditions plan comes out every five and will outline the process years." on how the 2012 plan will be State law requires the county updated. and other Delaware The county has hired JMT, a municipalities to update consulting, planning and their plans twice a decade. engineering firm with offices The county's plan was last in New Castle County, to lead updated in 2007. The new one the process. will go into effect in 2012, For more information, go to county spokeswoman Angie the county's land-use website Basiouny said. at www.nccdelu.org. The site The document is used as a includes a schedule of public blueprint for land-use meetings, a link to the decisions. current plan, a collection of The current plan calls for draft documents for the new redeveloping depressed areas plan, as well as information and encourages development about how to receive e-mail where existing road and sewer and Twitter updates on the systems can handle the growth. process as it moves forward. It also advocates Smart
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