Domestic violence agency seeks office approval
What Is Your Voice Inc., a nonprofit agency formed to curb domestic, family and teen violence, is seeking approval to operate on a parcel of land along Shady Road near Lewes.
The agency, formed in 2013, has filed a conditional-use application with Sussex County to open an office in an existing building and to provide four rental storage units in an existing pole barn at 17583 Shady Road. Because the property is located in an AR-1 agricultural-residential zone and not a commercial zone, a conditional use is required. At its Aug. 26 meeting, Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the application.
During the Aug. 12 commission meeting, attorney Shannon Carmean-Burton outlined the agency's plans for the property.
The agency has three employees, with one working at the site. Proposed hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Thursday. Carmean-Burton said most appointments are via Zoom with some in-person appointments. “They are not open to the public,” she said.
She said the storage units would be rented out.
The attorney said the county has approved 20 other conditional-use applications within a half-mile of the property.
Sussex County Council has scheduled a hearing on the application at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown.
What Is Your Voice has become a trailblazer in its mission to stop the cycle of violence against women and children in Sussex County.
According to its website, the agency provides a holistic and person-centered approach through body, soul and spirit. The agency provides trauma-informed care, case management, educational classes and materials, and group and individual sessions for survivors.
For more information, go to whatisyourvoice.org.
