Here are some of the current issues being discussed by the LBCA:

LBCA is actively involved promoting the common good and general welfare of those who live or own property on Lewes Beach and in the City of Lewes. We’ve provided oral and written testimony at City hearings, organized citizen petitions, submitted questions for the record, and highlighted City policies that were negatively impacting those of us on the beach and all of Lewes. At the same time, we’ve worked to foster a better sense of community in our beach neighborhood. Since 2021, we’ve helped the City to:

Fix a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited parking one car behind another on your driveway, made unlawful off-street parking places covered in stone, gravel, shells or any substance that was not either cement or petroleum based, among other things.
Overturn a decision by the City Planner who, without any public notice or consultation, overturned 80 years of precedent and reversed the lot orientation of every property on the Bay side of Bay Avenue, making more than 70 homes non-compliant.
Fix a proposed new rental law that, among other things, that would have allowed City staff to reject licenses even though the applicant complied with the law, block appeals of staff decisions, and terminate rental licenses for secret violations known only to staff.
Fix a city ordinance that was making it difficult if not impossible for many Lewes Beach homeowners to repair or maintain their properties.
End a de facto building moratorium on Lewes Beach.
Set aside a City proposal to limit lot coverage on most of Lewes Beach to 20%.
Protect open space on Lewes Beach from being turned into parking or building lots.
Turn down a City staff proposal requiring all decks, including second and third story decks, be made out of City approved paving materials.
Turn down a City staff proposal that would have required beach homeowners to certify any new walkway, including stepping stones, utilizing “an engineered system based upon local geotechnical conditions” approved by the City Engineer, without explaining what that meant or the process for approval.
Turn down a proposal to require homeowners to guarantee any new sewer line was flood proof, even though it would be connected to the City sewer line which isn’t, which makes compliance impossible.
Reject a City staff off-street parking proposal until the City first explains how to comply with the rules already on the books but not enforced.
Reject a City staff proposal on roof pitches for buildings in the floodplain on Lewes Beach but not for buildings in parts of the floodplain where the Mayor and a Member of City Council own property.
Overturn a City staff rule requiring homeowners on the beach to first tear down their home before submitting a building permit application for a new home. The City admitted there was no policy or statutory basis for this costly and punitive requirement.
LBCA has presented or submitted more than 200 questions for the record about City policies and proposals. Unfortunately, to date, none have been answered.

Fix a proposed ordinance that would have prohibited parking one car behind another on your driveway, made unlawful off-street parking places covered in stone, gravel, shells or any substance that was not either cement or petroleum based, among other things.

Overturn a decision by the City Planner who, without any public notice or consultation, overturned 80 years of precedent and reversed the lot orientation of every property on the Bay side of Bay Avenue, making more than 70 homes non-compliant.

Fix a proposed new rental law that, among other things, that would have allowed City staff to reject licenses even though the applicant complied with the law, block appeals of staff decisions, and terminate rental licenses for secret violations known only to staff.

Fix a city ordinance that was making it difficult if not impossible for many Lewes Beach homeowners to repair or maintain their properties.

End a de facto building moratorium on Lewes Beach.

Set aside a City proposal to limit lot coverage on most of Lewes Beach to 20%.

Protect open space on Lewes Beach from being turned into parking or building lots.

Turn down a City staff proposal requiring all decks, including second and third story decks, be made out of City approved paving materials.

Turn down a proposal to require homeowners to guarantee any new sewer line was flood proof, even though it would be connected to the City sewer line which isn’t, which makes compliance impossible.

Reject a City staff off-street parking proposal until the City first explains how to comply with the rules already on the books but not enforced.

Reject a City staff proposal on roof pitches for buildings in the floodplain on Lewes Beach but not for buildings in parts of the floodplain where the Mayor and a Member of City Council own property.

Overturn a City staff rule requiring homeowners on the beach to first tear down their home before submitting a building permit application for a new home. The City admitted there was no policy or statutory basis for this costly and punitive requirement.

LBCA has presented or submitted more than 200 questions for the record about City policies and proposals. Unfortunately, to date, none have been answered.

Lewes Beach Civic Association