B-1 · Neighborhood Business District
B-1 zoning in Sussex County, Delaware
B-1 is the Neighborhood Business District, meant for retail shopping and personal services that serve a small nearby area. Lots need 10,000 square feet, 75 feet of width and 100 feet of depth, buildings must total under 75,000 square feet of floor area, and height is capped at 42 feet.
Purpose
The district supports retail and personal services for a small area, mostly rural or residential neighborhoods, with signs limited to keep it compatible with its surroundings. § 115-68
Permitted uses
Permitted uses include retail stores, restaurants including drive-in, banks, offices, clinics, barbershops and salons, bakeries and delis, dry cleaners and laundromats, repair shops, parking lots and garages, funeral homes, studios, small-animal hospitals, filling stations that meet a long list of conditions, vendor stands, and administratively approved special events. § 115-69
Conditional or special uses
Conditional uses need Article XXIV approval and include theaters and amusements, aquariums and beaches, bus terminals, cemeteries, fairgrounds, heliports, hospitals, institutions, marinas, multifamily dwellings, nursing facilities, public buildings and utilities, recreation facilities, arenas and swimming or tennis clubs. § 115-71
Lot and building rules
| Rule | Requirement | Code section |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum lot area | 10,000 sq ft (single-family and other uses) | § 115-74A |
| Minimum lot width | 75 ft; 150 ft where the lot fronts a numbered road on the 1964 General Highway Map, as revised | § 115-74A |
| Minimum lot depth | 100 ft | § 115-74A |
| Minimum lot area without central sewer | 3/4 acre where the lot is not on central sewer or lies in a sewer planning area approved by County Council | § 115-74A |
| Yards, single-family | Front 40 ft (the code prints this as 40 (30)), side 10 ft, rear 10 ft | § 115-74B |
| Yards, other uses | Front 60 ft, side 5 ft, rear 5 ft; buffers in § 115-194.1E also apply | § 115-74B |
| Maximum building floor area | Total gross floor area of any building or group must be under 75,000 sq ft | § 115-69B |
| Filling station lot | Minimum 14,000 sq ft, 120 ft wide, 100 ft deep | § 115-69A(11) |
| Maximum height | 42 ft (single-family and other uses) | § 115-74C |
Each value links to the Article X page on eCode360. Where the code shows a front yard as 40 (30), this page reports the code's own notation. The explanatory district table (Table I, § 115-156A) is a PDF attachment that this summary did not read, so ask Planning and Zoning what the 30 figure means for your lot. Lot-size figures assume the standard option unless a row says otherwise.
What this means for a parcel owner
A B-1 parcel suits neighborhood-scale shops and services. Non-residential buildings need a 60 foot front yard, which uses up depth on small lots. A gas station needs a larger 14,000 square foot lot and other conditions.
Official text
Read the district's own article: Article X, §§ 115-68 to 115-75, Sussex County Code Chapter 115 on eCode360. The county zoning map shows which district a parcel is in: Sussex County online map.
Summary as of 2026-10-24; the code controls.