Rehoboth’s demolition season has now begun

Annual moratorium ends; houses ready to be razed; changes to code possible

Demolition at 215 Laurel St. cannot begin before Monday, Oct. 10. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTOS

Chris Flood

October 1, 2022

Rehoboth Beach’s annual six-month moratorium on demolitions ended Sept. 15, and property owners have begun lining up the next round of teardowns.

On Sept. 7, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 215 Laurel St.

On Sept. 7, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 39 Henlopen Ave.

On Aug. 25, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 204 Hickman St.

On Aug. 22, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling and two accessory structures at 1019 Scarborough Ave. Ext.

On Aug. 19, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 207 Norfolk St.

On Aug. 18, a permit was issued for a two-story, single-family dwelling at 400 Bayard Ave.

On April 11, a permit was issued for a one-story, single-family dwelling and an accessory structure at 1020 Scarborough Ave. Ext. Demolition of these structures was allowed to begin May 12, three days before the annual moratorium, and they have been torn down.

Rehoboth planning tasked with review demolition code

Not included in the list of publicly noticed demolitions is the mid-summer emergency demolition of a large portion of the Rehoboth Avenue-facing side of the former Sandcastle Motel.

Staff approval of this demolition without public notice has spurred city commissioners to discuss possible changes to city code related to commercial demolitions. After a discussion during a Sept. 6 workshop, Interim City Manager Evan Miller and City Building Inspector Matt Janis were tasked with presenting commissioners, in the next 60 to 90 days, possible code changes including a set of rules for residential applications and a set of rules for commercial applications.

There was some talk of sending the issue to the planning commission for review, but Mayor Stan Mills said it was something city commissioners would be handling.