George Cole tries to hold back the rising tide of development in coastal SussexBy Terry Plowman
"I am not the odd man out," insists George Cole, the sometimes embattled Sussex County councilman who is often outvoted 4-1 on county development issues. "I am the mainstream for coastal Sussex, and I think for all of Sussex. Those other guys are the odd men out. They're out of touch."
Cole, a politician known more for blunt opinions than for sugar-coated sound bites, admits that he can come across as abrasive. But after 15 years as the lone councilman trying to hold back the rising tide of development in coastal Sussex, Cole might be forgiven for his frustration.
Now in his fourth term as representative of the county's fourth council district (which includes all of Delaware's oceanfront and inland bays), Cole is publicly known for two characteristics: his "in-your-face" style of debate and his unwavering stand against overdevelopment. But behind the scenes, even his critics compliment him on two other personality traits: his dedication to his family and his ability to leave the political debate inside the council room.
Council president Dale Dukes, Cole's consistent opponent on development issues, says Cole will invite him to lunch after a "right rough" council meeting. "We disagree agreeably," Dukes says. "George doesn't hold a grudge. We argue because we each feel that we are doing what is best for the people we represent."
Cole says that's the problem, charging that Dukes and other council members mainly represent the development industry -- contractors, surveyors, consultants, lawyers, builders, real estate companies and others who benefit from growth. "Special interests control government in Sussex County," Cole says, claiming that unrestrained growth benefits tradesmen and contractors in western Sussex County at the expense of the quality of life in eastern Sussex.
"People come here for the open space, the bays, the ocean, the low density -- not gridlock on the roads, on the beach, on the boardwalk, on sidewalks," Cole says. "But I think that people in western Sussex are fed up with development too. They can't even visit their beaches."
Cole is concerned about the 38 percent population growth in Sussex County over the past 10 years, much of it in eastern Sussex, and the continuing growth of tourism. "We get more than 5 million visitors a year now. Is it in the best interests of Sussex County, especially coastal Sussex, to have seven, eight, 10 million? At what point do we say enough?"
Cole stresses that he is not against development, just "overdevelopment." "At some point we have to weigh the disadvantages. Why would we want more outlets, more superstores? When I was young we had a large tourist industry, but now we also have a large year-round population and we're a shopping destination," he says.
Cole's staunch position against what he calls excessive development puts him at odds not only with his fellow council members, who say they support "reasonable development," but also with constituents he has known all his life. Born in 1950 at Beebe Hospital in Lewes, Cole grew up in Seaford and Rehoboth Beach alongside many of those who now own real estate and construction companies. "Their goal is to maximize their profits. My goal is to maintain some sense of order, the quality of life," Cole says. He claims that although the real estate industry officially opposes him, many rank-and-file agents support him because they, too, are concerned about excessive growth.
Cole himself is a licensed real estate agent -- a fact that brought him some criticism when he sold properties in a development that he had approved as a councilman. But Cole claims that the real conflict of interest is in the actions of his fellow councilmen, who own businesses that could profit from construction projects: Dukes owns a Laurel-area building supplies firm, Lynn Rogers owns a Milton sign company and Finley Jones owns a Greenwood steel products company.
Though it didn't address Cole's broad accusation, the state's Public Integrity Commission last year cleared council's actions on one specific conflict-of-interest complaint. It ruled that voting on a rezoning request for a 2,000-unit development near Roxana called Americana Bayside would not violate the state ethics code because the claim that council members would profit from an approval was speculative.
Cole doesn't restrict his battles to party lines. He also differs with his fellow Republican on council, Vance Phillips. Phillips, who believes in the economic opportunity development can provide, tries to be diplomatic in his assessment of Cole's anti-development stance. "George is not afraid to voice his opinions," he says, "regardless of how extreme they may be."
Other critics -- who may have to seek county council's approval on proposed projects -- hesitate to go on the record about Cole, grumbling that although he is "arrogant" and "opinionated," they still have to work with him.
Developers have always had to work with a Cole because some family member has represented coastal Sussex since the county government switched from a levy court to a council system in 1974. Charlie Cole, George's father, was the first fourth district councilman until his death near the end of his third term in 1986. Charlie Cole's wife, Kitty, was appointed to complete his term. She remains the only woman to have served on the Sussex County Council.
In the 1986 election George Cole won what had been his father's seat. It's a source of deep pride for Cole that his family has fought for the interests of eastern Sussex for more than a quarter century. "My father was environmentally sensitive, and density was an issue with him. He worked to reduce the number of units (allowed in a high-density residential zone) from 36 to 18, and since I've been in office we've reduced it from 18 to 12," he says.
Despite their similar concerns about development, the diplomatic Charlie Cole had a different approach to politics than his outspoken son. Constituents still fondly remember the affable Charlie Cole, even as they continue to support his forthright son. Says Kitty, "I guess George is like me. When something's on his mind, it just comes out."
Sussex County Administrator Bob Stickels has known Cole since he was 14. "He hasn't changed much since then," Stickels jokes. "I kid him that one day he's going to wake up and realize that he's not a prince -- he's an elected official, even though his father was the king and his mother was the queen."
Stickels credits Cole with sticking to his beliefs, even in the face of "political heat." He notes that although constituents objected to the cost of central sewer systems, Cole supported them because, unlike the septic systems common in Sussex, sewers reduce water pollution.
Protection of the environment is a big part of Cole's fight against overdevelopment. "We can ill afford to have these signs up that say 'don't swim in the bay.' It's frightening to think what the long-term effect will be on the local economy," he says. "We need a better system to safeguard the environment. Sussex County doesn't have (an environmental staff), so we rely on the state to comment on proposals."
County council lacks a broad view of the cumulative effects of land-use decisions, Cole says. "They don't look at the big picture. They just look at individual projects." Cole fears that council's myopia will lead to a gradual decline in the health of the environment and the quality of life.
But Cole's critics point out that the county's own land-use plan describes the area surrounding eastern Sussex's inland bays as a development district. "That's where development is supposed to go," says Rich Collins, head of the Positive Growth Alliance. Collins and other critics accuse Cole of promoting sprawl by lobbying for low-density development. Such critics think higher density development should be concentrated where infrastructure such as roads and sewers exist or are planned -- that is, in designated development districts.
But Cole says the development district around the inland bays is too large. He also stresses that the state has designated the area as "environmentally sensitive," which calls for greater scrutiny of development proposals.
Collins says Cole is simply too negative about development and is thus willing to sacrifice property rights and job opportunities to support his view. "Ninety percent of very restrictive land use has been proposed by George Cole," says Collins. But what Collins intends as criticism Cole may consider an accomplishment.
In the face of regular 4-1 drubbings in the council room, has Cole made any progress against development? He points to the establishment of 50-foot setbacks from wetlands, reduction of high-density limits, special requirements for "big-box" retail stores, passage of a county ethics code and limitations placed on the proposed Americana Bayside development as specific accomplishments. But perhaps more important, Cole says, "I've raised awareness. Proposals are becoming more conservative, and my colleagues are hearing more public opinion against development."
Cole plans to continue the battle as Sussex County updates its land-use plan, a process to be completed by 2002. Now the senior member of council, Cole won't say whether he'll run for re-election when his term expires that same year. His children are too young to show an interest in continuing the "Cole dynasty," but Cole offers this hint about whether he'll seek to continue the fight:
"Let's just say I don't support term limits."
That's one restriction Sussex County developers just might favor.