The Planning Commission has the following powers and duties:

            The Planning Commission shall have the powers and duties as specified and set forth in full in 22 Delaware Code, § 701 et seq, and shall include the following: 

            (1) To prepare and recommend to the Town Council a comprehensive plan of  public improvements, looking to the present and future development and growth of the Town. Such a plan after its adoption by the Council will be known as the "Official Plan." Such plan shall include reasonable requirements in reference to streets, alleys and public grounds within the corporate limits. 

            (2) To prepare and recommend to the Council from time to time such changes  in the plan or any part thereof as may be deemed necessary by the Council or by the Planning Commission. 

            (3) To prepare and recommend to the Council from time to time plans and/or  recommendation for specific improvements in pursuance of such Official Plan. 

            (4) To give aid to the Town officials charged with the direction of projects for improvements, embraced within the Official Plan, to further the making of  such improvements, and generally to promote the realization of the official  plan. 

             (5) To arrange and conduct any form of publicity relative to its activities for the general purpose of public understanding. 

            (6)  To cooperate with municipal or regional planning commissions and other  agencies or groups to further the local planning program and to assure harmonious and integrated planning for the area. 

            (7) To exercise such other powers germane to the powers granted by statute.   

Official Map:

            The Planning Commission shall recommend to the Council for adoption by the Council an Official Map of the Town of Elsmere showing the public ways and parks therein as theretofore laid out and established by law and the private ways then existing and used in common by more than two owners. Such Official Map is hereby declared to be established to conserve and promote the public health, safety and general welfare.

            Upon the adoption of such a map and upon any change therein or addition thereto made as herein provided, the Town Clerk shall forthwith file such with the Recorder of Deeds in and for New Castle County. Any change or addition to the Official Map shall not become effective until after a public hearing in relation thereto before the Council at which parties in interest shall have an opportunity to be heard. At least 10 days' notice of such a public hearing shall be given by advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town of Elsmere.

            No such change or addition which has not been previously recommended by the Planning Commission established by the provisions of this chapter shall be adopted until after a report thereon by said Commission, and no variance from a plan prepared or approved by said Planning Commission shall be made except by a two-thirds vote of all the members of the Council; provided, however, that the last-mentioned requirement shall be waived in case the matter has been offered to said Planning Commission for a report and it has failed to report within 30 days thereafter. 

Meetings: 

(1)    Commission meetings are held on the First Tuesday of each month whenever the Commission has business pending.  All meetings begin at 6:30 pm and are posted on this site under the “Meeting Schedules” link.