agenda only
Town Council Meeting
Minutes status: absent.
Governing body: Town Council.
Checked October 21, 2026 · Meeting source
Checked October 21, 2026 · Governing body source
Checked October 21, 2026 · Public source link: not yet available
Civic guide · Checked October 21, 2026
Ellendale civic guide
Town Council meeting record for Ellendale, Sussex County, DE.
Indexing approved by the owner on 2026-10-22
The canonical public.municipality ID remains pending.
Latest meeting
October 7, 2026
Minutes on file
Newest posted minutes
Meeting date: August 5, 2026.
Minutes status: posted (approved 9/2).
Minutes: Open minutes
Checked October 21, 2026 · Minutes source
Next meeting
November 4, 2026
Town Council Meeting, 7:00 PM
Agenda: not yet available
Checked October 21, 2026 · Next meeting source
Recent actions
Quoted from minutes
Motion to develop a fee and come back with a proposal next month (September meeting) @ 1% of building permit cost to split 0.5% to Police & Fire Departments: Member Moore 1st, Vice President Ottomano 2nd All In Favor - Passed 5 to 0
Minutes meeting: August 5, 2026. Minutes status: posted.
Checked October 21, 2026 · Minutes
Motion to have Town Manager Adkins purchase 2009 IRC & 2021 IRC and IBC for town use: Member Moore 1st, Vice President Ottomano 2nd All In Favor - Passed 5 to 0
Minutes meeting: August 5, 2026. Minutes status: posted.
Checked October 21, 2026 · Minutes
Motion to table until next meeting to give Solicitor Sharp time to review, edit IQ Fiber MOU agreement: Member Moore 1st, Treasurer Billbrough 2nd All In Favor - Passed 5 to 0
Minutes meeting: August 5, 2026. Minutes status: posted.
Checked October 21, 2026 · Minutes
Sourced answers
Questions about this town
Each answer cites the official government record it came from. Answers that relied on encyclopedias, tourism sites or commercial news were left out.
Town basics
Is Ellendale a town, a city or a census-designated place?
Ellendale is an incorporated municipality, not a census-designated place. The U.S. Census Bureau lists it as Ellendale town, Delaware, and Sussex County lists it among its cities and towns.
Checked October 24, 2026 · data.census.gov — Ellendale_town,_Delaware · sussexcountyde.gov — cities-and-towns
What was the population of Ellendale in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census counted 487 residents in Ellendale (U.S. Census Bureau).
Checked October 24, 2026 · data.census.gov — Ellendale_town,_Delaware
Who issues building permits in Ellendale?
Sussex County issues building permits countywide, including inside municipalities, per the county building permits page. Check with the town as well for any town requirements.
Checked October 24, 2026 · sussexcountyde.gov — building-permits-and-licenses · ellendale.delaware.gov
History and lore
When was Ellendale founded and incorporated?
The current town site was established in 1866, when families settled near the Junction and Breakwater Railroad Depot, and it was surveyed in 1866 and 1867. Ellendale was formally incorporated in 1905.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov — town-history · archives.delaware.gov — town-of-ellendale
How did Ellendale get its name?
Accounts differ. A 1938 guide quoted in the town's comprehensive plan says Ellendale was named for the daughter of Alfred Short, while the Delaware Public Archives cites a place-names reference that credits Dr. John Prettyman's wife.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov — draft-Ellendale-Comp-Plan-12.22.20.pdf · archives.delaware.gov — town-of-ellendale
What was the Black Camp Insurrection near Ellendale?
According to the state historical marker, the forest and swamp near Ellendale bridging the divide between the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays became a refuge for Loyalists during the 1780 Black Camp Insurrection.
Checked October 24, 2026 · archives.delaware.gov — ellendale
What milestones marked Ellendale's early growth?
The Queen Anne's Railroad ran its first passenger trains through Ellendale in 1897, and the Town Council started the Ellendale Fire Company as a municipal fire department in 1920. The state marker adds that the Ellendale State Forest was established in 1927.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov — town-history · archives.delaware.gov — ellendale
Events and holidays
Does Ellendale have town festivals?
The Town of Ellendale website listed no events at last check, and Southern Delaware Tourism shows none.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov
Civic, zoning and utilities
When do Ellendale Town Council and the Planning & Zoning Commission meet?
The town site lists Town Council and Planning & Zoning meetings on its events calendar through December 2026. Past council events were held at Town Hall at 7:00 PM, for example on September 7, 2022.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov · ellendale.delaware.gov — council-meeting-9
Who handles planning and zoning in Ellendale?
The town has its own Planning Commission and Council, both listed under Government on the town site. Zoning appears on the site only as Planning & Zoning meeting listings.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov
Does Ellendale charge a transfer tax?
Sussex County's first-time homebuyer page lists Ellendale as "Exempt" in its transfer tax column. The town site links a Tax Collection page but does not state a rate.
Checked October 24, 2026 · sussexcountyde.gov — 1406 · ellendale.delaware.gov
Weather, geography and hazards
Is Ellendale in a flood zone?
Part of Ellendale may sit in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and the answer depends on the address, so we do not give a town-wide yes or no. The USGS elevation at the town's Census center point is about 48 feet. Look up a specific property in the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and the DNREC Delaware Flood Planning Tool.
Checked October 24, 2026 · msc.fema.gov — home · floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.gov · epqs.nationalmap.gov — json
Is Ellendale in a hurricane evacuation zone?
Delaware labels hurricane evacuation zones A, B, C and D, and describes them as low-lying areas susceptible to flooding and storm surge. The state page does not list communities by zone, so we cannot say which zone Ellendale or a given address falls in. Use the Know Your Zone lookup tool or interactive map to check an address.
Checked October 24, 2026 · preparede.org — know-your-zone · dema.delaware.gov
What body of water is Ellendale on?
The Census Gazetteer lists 0 square miles of water area within Ellendale's town limits. The state historical marker describes the area as forest and swamp bridging the divide between the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays.
Checked October 24, 2026 · www2.census.gov — 2020_gaz_place_10.txt · archives.delaware.gov — ellendale
How big is Ellendale and how high above sea level is it?
The 2020 Census Gazetteer lists Ellendale at 0.425 square miles of land and 0 square miles of water. Elevation at the Census center point is about 48 feet above sea level (USGS 3DEP), and ground height varies across town.
Checked October 24, 2026 · www2.census.gov — 2020_gaz_place_10.txt · epqs.nationalmap.gov — json
Which National Weather Service forecast zone covers Ellendale?
The National Weather Service (Mount Holly office) places Ellendale in forecast zone DEZ003, Inland Sussex, Delaware. This was read from the NWS point forecast page for the town's Census center point.
Checked October 24, 2026 · forecast.weather.gov — MapClick.php
Schools, parks and services
What school district serves Ellendale?
Ellendale is in the Milford School District.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov — draft-Ellendale-Comp-Plan-12.22.20.pdf
What ZIP code covers Ellendale?
Ellendale uses ZIP code 19941.
Checked October 24, 2026 · ellendale.delaware.gov — March-Town-Council-Minutes.pdf
Land use
Sussex County land-use docket
Counts of Sussex County planning, zoning and Board of Adjustment docket items from January 2025 through the October 24, 2026 data date whose county record lists the area as Ellendale. The area is a place name in the county record, not proof the land is inside town limits. Counts of 1 to 4 are shown as fewer than 5. No case numbers or applicant names are shown.
| Application type | Items |
|---|---|
| Minor subdivision | 8 |
| Conditional use | 5 |
| Site plan | 5 |
| Variance | fewer than 5 |
| Total | 21 |
Official record: Sussex County public docket · Data: SussexCounty.ai planning docket statistics (CC BY 4.0) · How to read the docket
SussexCounty.ai is a data product of The Conscient Group LLC, the Ledger's parent company.
Data
More data on this town
Data: SussexCounty.ai town page · Parcels by jurisdiction (SussexCounty.ai)
SussexCounty.ai is a data product of The Conscient Group LLC, the Ledger's parent company.
Audit trail
Sources checked
Each fact above names the record it came from and the date that record was checked. Checked October 21, 2026.
- ellendale.delaware.govChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — October-7-2026-Council-Agenda.pdfChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — Town-Council-Meeting-Minutes-August-5-2026.pdfChecked October 21, 2026
- data.census.gov — Ellendale_town,_DelawareChecked October 21, 2026
- sussexcountyde.gov — cities-and-townsChecked October 21, 2026
- sussexcountyde.gov — building-permits-and-licensesChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — town-historyChecked October 21, 2026
- archives.delaware.gov — town-of-ellendaleChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — draft-Ellendale-Comp-Plan-12.22.20.pdfChecked October 21, 2026
- archives.delaware.gov — ellendaleChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.govChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — council-meeting-9Checked October 21, 2026
- sussexcountyde.gov — 1406Checked October 21, 2026
- msc.fema.gov — homeChecked October 21, 2026
- floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.govChecked October 21, 2026
- epqs.nationalmap.gov — jsonChecked October 21, 2026
- preparede.org — know-your-zoneChecked October 21, 2026
- dema.delaware.govChecked October 21, 2026
- www2.census.gov — 2020_gaz_place_10.txtChecked October 21, 2026
- forecast.weather.gov — MapClick.phpChecked October 21, 2026
- ellendale.delaware.gov — March-Town-Council-Minutes.pdfChecked October 21, 2026