Land Use Legislation and Initiatives

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Solar-Ready Fact Sheet Opens in new window

Solar-Ready Ordinance
Recognizing the importance of our natural environment and the growing climate crisis, large footprint buildings provide a suitable environment for future solar power installation. The recent adoption of Ordinance 22-091 requires new commercial buildings with a foundation footprint of 50,000 square feet or more to be built with basic infrastructure to allow a rooftop solar photovoltaic system to be easily and cost-effectively installed at a future date (i.e., that the rooftop be “solar-ready”). This ordinance applies to commercial buildings for which a permit request is submitted on or after January 1, 2023. Please review our Fact Sheet for additional information related to the Solar-Ready Ordinance.

NCC2050: The Comprehensive Plan

The Department NCC2050_Logo_sm Opens in new windowof Land Use kicked off NCC2050 on June 25, 2020!  

The plan will be a community-driven process helping us to strategically shape how we grow and develop as a County.   It will help guide development and services; shape the communities where we live, work, and play; celebrate our environmental, historical, and cultural assets; and support a robust economy. 

Broad citizen input from every neighborhood, every industry, and everyday people is key to creating a vibrant and inclusive future that reflects our community values. 

Click here to learn more.

  • Sign up here to receive updates, information, and public event notices!  (On the Notify Me page that pops up, scroll down to the "News Flash" section and select "[email protected]")

GreeNCC Environmental Legislative Agenda  

Historic Preservation

This effort aims to provide a comprehensive update for historic preservation provisions in the New Castle County Code in order to ensure consistency and clarity regarding the procedures and powers of both the Historic Review Board and Department of Land Use.

  • Modified or reorganized existing code sections to provide uniformity between chapters of the NCC Code.
  • Provide a clear path of evaluation, identification, and documentation of the County’s historic resources.
  • New incentives for historic preservation activities within Historic Overlay zones.

View a draft of the Historic Resources Enhanced Fact Sheet here.

View the Comprehensive Program for Historic Preservation in New Castle County - May 2020


6.8.20 full Opens in new windowHistoric Preservation Virtual Public Meeting Held June 8, 2020

The Department of Land Use hosted a virtual public meeting to discuss multiple approaches to historic preservation, including legislation and community-based efforts.

The first part of the meeting featured Mr. Nicholas Redding, Executive Director of Preservation Maryland, who is a recognized leader in historic preservation approaches.  Next, Land Use staff presented an overview of information regarding legislation and the process moving forward. At the conclusion of the presentations, there was facilitated question and answer session.

The presentation can be viewed here.