DELAWARE - A bill to expedite the development process for certain projects is on its way to becoming law. The Delaware Senate passed House Bill 104 on Tuesday with a vote of 18 to 3.
House Bill 104 eliminates the state's pre-application process for land use if the developer meets certain requirements. The PLUS process was created 20 years ago.
Senator Stephanie Hansen voted against the bill. She says that PLUS is important because it gives the public their first glance at a project.
Steve Counts of Sussex County says he's concerned about areas like Robinsonville Road and Route 24. He worries that even if only part of the land in a proposed project is in a zone that qualifies, the whole project will get approved even if it's in a partially rural area.
"Half of the land is outside of the level two area," Counts says "Because any part of it is in it, they can, for example, Royal Farms would like to develop this into a gas station."
Bill co-sponsor Representative Ruth Briggs King says this only makes the approval process shorter and doesn't take away environmental or comprehensive plan requirements.
"It's partly an economic development issue with moving things more quickly in a community where we know it's designated for that kind of growth anyway, so it's not like we're putting it out in a rural setting," Briggs King says.
According to the bill, a project would have to create full-time jobs to receive the pre-approval process exemption, so it wouldn't necessarily create more housing developments.
Some municipalities have their own pre-approval process and this bill would not eliminate them. Counts hopes that will help control what's being built.
House Bill 104 takes effect upon being signed into law.