Sussex Realtors in Opposition to Swimming Pool Ordinance
In an ongoing effort to protect the rights of area homeowners, per it’s long-time mission, the board of directors and membership of the Sussex County Association of Realtors (SCAOR) have taken a formal stance against the proposed swimming pool ordinance drafted and presented recently by Rehoboth Beach Mayor Sam Cooper.
In a workshop planned for Monday, June 8, members of the public are invited to the Rehoboth Beach Town Hall where they will be afforded an opportunity to speak for or against the controversial proposal.
If adopted by the commission, the ordinance would prohibit property owners who rent their homes during the summer tourist season from offering a pool as an amenity. If the home already has an existing pool, they would be forced to cover it during the time that it is rented.
“Rehoboth Beach has prospered in years past largely due to the increased level of tourism dollars pumped into the local economy,” states Sandy Greene, former president of SCAOR and current chair of the Association’s public policy committee. “Tourism is an economic engine that allows Rehoboth to prosper, and visitors expect a certain level of amenities when they choose coastal Delaware as their vacation destination. This proposed ordinance will, in essence, bite the hand that feeds it.”
Rehoboth Beach commissioners have been in the media recently because of the new ordinance cracking down on noisy behavior in the seaside resort. This recent proposal targeting swimming pools is another step toward cracking down on what some perceive as excessive noise in the town.
The rental market, especially in Sussex County’s beach resorts, has a significant economic impact on southern Delaware every year. Visitors from throughout the mid-Atlantic come to the Delaware beaches each summer in droves, many renting homes and hotel rooms for extended vacations.
“Rehoboth has always billed itself as a ‘welcoming, friendly community,’ and ‘the place where people can stroll down tree-lined streets, neighbors know one another, children play outside; a diverse community that comes together to preserve the city’s charm and unique character,’ ” says Greene. “We certainly don’t feel like this proposed ordinance is in tune with those sentiments, and we implore the commission to vote against these proposed changes to the town code.”
SCAOR was chartered in 1949 and has steadily grown in size, scope and mission during its more than six decades in Sussex County. It is a professional trade association with goals of carrying out a program of education and advocacy for real estate in the county.
SCAOR is a resource for the public, as well as a recognized advocate for property rights and property owners in Sussex County. The association also monitors legislative issues on the local, state and national levels that may impact home ownership in the area.
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