Developer has commercial plan for Route 9 intersection

At its Nov. 16 meeting, Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended that county council approve a rezoning application from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to B-1, neighborhood business district, filed by Two Farms Inc. for a 2.85-acre parcel on the southeast corner of Route 9 and Gravel Hill Road near Georgetown.

Council's public hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 12, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown. Two single-family homes are currently on the parcel.

The original application for CR-1, commercial-residential, zoning was denied by county council. Representing the developer, engineer Mike Riemann of Becker-Morgan Group said council was concerned about the potential for numerous uses under CR-1 zoning and that B-1 is more restrictive.

Riemann said plans for the parcel include a 15,000-square-foot neighborhood-style retail center and not a gas station or Royal Farms store. He said a proposed plan for a Royal Farms convenience store at the Route 9-Route 5 intersection will be submitted to planning and zoning at a later date.