Planning Assistance

Planning Assistance is the technical-assistance pilot Housing Delaware offers Delaware municipalities under Senate Joint Resolution 8. It also supports the zoning reform work described for cities and towns on the Local Municipalities page.

Technical assistance for zoning & land use reform

Senate Joint Resolution 8 (SJR 8) directs Housing Delaware to create a pilot program to support local zoning reform efforts. The program will provide technical assistance to selected municipalities to modernize their zoning and land use codes, with the goals of encouraging a greater variety of housing types, promoting compact, mixed-use development, and addressing housing affordability challenges.

Participation in the pilot is entirely voluntary, and municipalities will be able to select the zoning and land use reforms that they are interested in pursuing from the menu listed below. The technical assistance provider will work directly with each municipality to assist in the development and implementation of the selected reforms.

Menu of zoning reforms

Participating municipalities may select from the following reforms:

• Allow Accessory Dwelling Units and/or “missing middle” housing types as a permitted use in residential zones
• Allow manufactured/modular homes where single-family detached homes are permitted
• Create pre-reviewed design plans for “missing middle” housing types
• Increase allowable density for housing by reducing minimum lot sizes and bulk standards to promote the development of compact housing
• Increase building heights for multifamily housing/mixed-use developments
• Establish an inclusionary zoning program to address affordable and workforce housing needs
• Allow higher density, mixed-use with residential in commercial zones or employment centers

Expectations for selected local governments

• Commitment to assign a dedicated staff person to work with the selected Technical Assistance (TA) provider
• Interest in selecting multiple ideas toward reform from the menu of options
• Mandatory workshop/meeting attendance
• Executed resolution from the elected body pledging commitment to pursue selected reforms
• Housing Delaware will provide a template for the resolution

What the TA provider will do

• Perform assessments of municipalities’ existing comprehensive plans, zoning/future land use map, and permitting processes
• Identify current land use regulations that prevent increased housing production and mixed-use development
• Analyze local housing production trends, gaps, etc.
• Suggest revised zoning ordinances
• Host public workshops and prepare educational materials
• Work with planning commissions or councils as needed

Selected planning consultants

• McCormick Taylor
• Rossi Group
• Smart Growth America

Informational resources

• Planning Assistance Informational WebinarVideo
• Planning Assistance Informational PresentationExternal

Program contact