Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Blades, Delaware

Town of Blades’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Building work inside Blades town limits: a Town of Blades building permit is obtained first, then a Sussex County building permit.

  • Construction may proceed only after the town and county permits are issued.
  • The town's building permit application is listed on the town's forms page; the county permit is issued by Sussex County under the page's instruction.
  • Permit fees were not verified from the town fee schedule.

  “important: you must obtain a building permit from sussex county after obtaining one from the town.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Blades town limits. The town's own planning and zoning commission interprets the town zoning map and reviews proposed amendments, conditional uses, site plans and subdivisions.

  • Source confirms the town administers a zoning map and refers to a land use ordinance; the zoning ordinance text itself was not reachable in this research pass.
  • The only Blades land development ordinance located is a 2004 University of Delaware IPA copy (udspace item cd89aaee-1622-46a1-a493-f6543d2ce725) whose PDF would not open; it is not used as evidence and may be superseded.

  “interpreting the town zoning map; and reviewing proposed amendments, supplements, conditional uses, site plans, boundaries, annexations, and the subdivision of land.”

• Mandatory utility hookupWater (with conditions)

  Dwellings and properties inside Blades town limits that are required to have municipal water service.

  • Connection is required where the property is required to have municipal water service; the distance or availability rule was not located.
  • Connection requires a connect charge, impact fee, installation permit and work by a Delaware-licensed plumber under town supervision (ordinance 411).
  • Ordinance 411 states: there shall be no use of existing home water wells to supply potable water and said well line systems shall not be cross connected.
  • Non-compliance: written notice with 60 days to connect, then a $25.00 per day fine.

  non-compliance fine: 25 USD per day (after 60 days from the notice mailing date)

  “all dwelling units and any other properties with improvements that are required to have municipal water service located within the corporate limits of the town of blades shall be connected to the town of blades municipal water supply”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Blades

Town of Blades does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  Onsite septic systems on land inside Blades town limits, to the extent the town does not provide sewer service.

  • The Sussex County page lists DNREC Ground Water Discharges Section as the provider of septic system permits; it does not name Blades specifically.
  • Whether Blades town sewer service removes the septic requirement was not verified.
  • Sussex County page phone (302) 856-4561 differs from a DNREC notice number (302-739-9948); verify before contacting.

  “provider: state office/entity: dnrec-ground water discharges section phone number: (302) 856-4561”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Blades or Sussex County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Blades town limits
• Building code adopted — Building code adopted for construction inside Blades town limits
• Inspections — Building inspections for work inside Blades town limits
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new dwellings inside Blades town limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts mapped inside Blades town limits

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.