DNREC and the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration worked together in 2021 to provide a full spectrum of technical, policy and outreach support for the Lewes Resilient Communities Partnership project. They worked closely with a city committee to help the city and its residents better understand the environmental challenges that impact them and assist in the policy development to promote equitable resiliency.

The City of Lewes is one of Delaware’s most climate-vulnerable communities and is committed to developing and implementing climate resiliency policies and practices.

In 2021, the Mayor and City Council empaneled an 11-member Lewes Executive Committee on Resiliency (LECR) to identify, debate and recommend resiliency measures that the City Council could adopt.

Lewes Executive Committee on Resiliency

The 11 members of the Lewes Executive Committee on Resiliency represented a diverse range of stakeholders and interests. They met a month for nine months.

With the support of DNREC and the Institute for Public Administration, the committee received technical expertise, policy analysis and project management and meeting facilitation services.

After identifying and debating an initial list of 14 potential strategies, the committee recommended two policies for adoption by Lewes City Council:

• A real estate disclosure to highlight a property’s vulnerability to sea level rise
• The creation of a municipal resiliency fund to be used for an array of resiliency-building practices

As of May 2021, the Lewes Executive Committee on Resiliency was disbanded, and the City Council decided to take no action. However, the remaining 12 policy options could be considered by Lewes City Council in the future.

Since May 2021, Lewes City Council has passed four ordinances that were identified and discussed during the 2021 Resilient Community Partnership:

Reducing lot coverage and a companion ordinance that defines pervious and impervious surfaces.

Doubling freeboard to 36 inches in the 100-year floodplain and requiring 18 inches in the 500-year floodplain for both residential and non-residential structures. Maximum building heights were increased to accommodate these changes.

Doubling the tidal wetland buffer to 100 feet.

Defining and enforcing a tree protection policy and a tree density standard.

Related Topics:  climate coastal energy, coastal programs, lewes, resilient communities, training