Sussex County Council acted on several land-use items Feb. 4, approving a church cemetery and an outdoor-storage conditional use, and deferring a separate conditional-use request for a large mini-storage project so absent council members could review the hearing record.

The council voted to grant a conditional-use permit for a cemetery on 7.2 acres (CU2504) in Nanticoke Hundred after the applicant's representative described the proposal as a church cemetery and Planning & Zoning recommended approval. There were no speakers opposing the request at the hearing and council approved the conditional use based on the commission's findings and conditions.

Council then heard a conditional-use and rezoning pair (CZ2041 and CU2464) for a 1.53-acre parcel in Cedar Creek Hundred to allow outdoor storage. The applicant, James Yerkes, described plans to eventually build a residence and use the site for vehicle storage; Planning & Zoning recommended approval with conditions. The council approved the change of zone and conditional use on recorded votes.

The council also heard a high-profile conditional-use application for a 6.68-acre mini-storage facility near John J. Williams Highway and Robinsonville Road (CU2469). Applicant Rehoboth Family Storage LLC presented site plans, environmental reviews, landscaping and hours of operation; the company said the facility would be single-story, use earthy colors, be gated and operate with limited gate hours (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and office hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Planning & Zoning recommended approval with multiple conditions. Opponents raised traffic, land-use character and precedent concerns; supporters said the county faces a shortage of storage.

Council voted to defer the mini-storage conditional-use decision and keep the record open for up to three weeks so two absent council members could review the hearing transcript and exhibits. The council asked that the record stay closed to further public comment and that the deferral be limited to the absent members' review.