Windham residents raised questions Thursday about how the town’s proposed first zoning law would affect existing lots, small businesses, housing, and future development, as the Town Board considers whether to revise the draft before taking action.
The April 30 public hearing at Town Hall in Hensonville followed a three-year drafting process tied to Windham’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan. The proposal would divide the town into five zoning districts and replace several separate land-use rules with a broader code governing what can be built and where.
Town Supervisor Tom Hoyt said the board will review written and verbal comments from the hearing and determine whether corrections, clarifications, or changes in wording are needed. At the board’s next meeting on May 14, Hoyt said, the town may reopen the public hearing.
Several residents asked how the law would treat nonconforming properties, including lots that would not meet the proposed minimum lot sizes if the law is adopted. Others asked how projects already before the Planning Board would be handled, whether business uses should require special permits, and whether the proposal would make it harder to create housing for workers.
Helen Budrock, the Delaware Engineering consultant who drafted most of the proposed law while working with a Town Board-appointed zoning commission, said zoning is meant to guide future development. Existing properties would generally be grandfathered in, she said.
Budrock will review the public comments before the board decides what changes, if any, should be made.
Some speakers supported the creation of zoning while asking for refinements. One architect said the rules would make her work easier, but urged the town to clarify definitions, building-height rules, business district uses, and how density limits would be applied.
Others were more critical, warning that the law could restrict growth, raise housing costs, and make it harder for young people, workers, and small-business owners to remain in Windham.
Fire District Commissioner Elizabeth Gross urged the town to consider emergency access, water supply, turnaround space, and other needs of volunteer firefighters as future development is reviewed.
Hoyt opened the hearing by asking residents to focus their comments on specific sections of the proposed law. After public comments ended, the board recessed the hearing and officials stayed to answer questions from residents.
Noah Eckstein is the editor-in-chief of The Overlook. Send correspondence to noah@theoverlooknews.com.