FREDERICA — Kent County Levy Court in July asked Frederica’s mayor and Town Council to consider de-annexing a vacant 216.4-acre county-owned property that straddles Del. 1.
The Town Council on Aug. 19 gave the county its unanimous answer: No, thank you.
Levy Court president Joanne Masten, in a July 21 letter on the Levy Court’s behalf to Frederica’s mayor and Town Council, requested that the town begin the necessary process to de-annex Tax Parcel No. MD-08-141.00-01-01.00-000 from Frederica’s corporate limits.
According to county property records, the unimproved site, which is bordered to the north by the Murderkill River, is assessed at $3,790,300.
Frederica officials are updating the town’s comprehensive plan and Kent County leaders, upon reviewing the document, thought continued inclusion of the county-owned property warranted further discussion, Masten wrote. Maintaining the parcel within the town’s municipal boundaries provides limited benefit to both the town and county, her letter read.
“The property is currently held by Kent County for governmental purposes and may be utilized in the future to support public infrastructure, utility, operational, or other County service needs,” Masten’s letter read. “As such, preserving the County’s flexibility to plan for and develop the property in a manner that best serves the residents of Kent County is an important consideration.”
Continued annexation may subject further county uses of the property unnecessarily to municipal zoning, land use and permitting requirements that could restrict, delay or complicate Kent County’s ability to use the property efficiently for governmental and public purposes, she wrote.
“Given the County’s ownership of the parcel and the absence of any significant municipal planning or service-related benefit associated with its inclusion within the Town limits, the Kent County Levy Court believes de-annexation is both reasonable and appropriate,” Masten’s letter read.
Frederica Mayor William “Chick” Glanden told Daily State News on Aug. 24 that the Town Council was not interested in letting go of the property.
“Once you annex in something, you try to keep it,” he said. “You don’t really want to let it go It sets a precedent for others to de-annex.”