Sussex P&Z recommends approval of Village Center rezoning

The rezoning for the proposed Gills Neck Village Center has cleared its first hurdle with an affirmative recommendation from Sussex County Planning and Zoning commissioners.

At their July 28 meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of a rezoning to B-1 neighborhood business district for an 11.6-acre parcel near the intersection of Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road in Lewes.

Developer J.G. Townsend Jr. & Co. has filed an application for B-1 zoning that would pave the way for the Gills Neck Village Center. Under county code, the center could not exceed 75,000 square feet.

In making the motion for approval, Commissioner I.G. Burton said the county's comprehensive land-use plan supports the rezoning. He said the parcel – located in an environmentally sensitive developing area– is appropriate for retail and office space to provide convenient services and shopping in close proximity to where residents live. "This rezoning falls squarely within guidance established by our comprehensive plan," he said.

Burton said the rezoning complies with the plan because it is close to an incorporated municipality, would be served by public water and sewer, is near a major roadway and is consistent with the character of surrounding development with other small-scale commercial zoning.

Burton said he shares Lewes officials’ and residents’ concerns about the close proximity of the proposed shopping center to the Lewes well field. "But that is not a reason to deny this application," he said. "Protection of the wells is governed by the county's source water protection ordinance passed in 2008, and the developer must comply with regulations at the site-plan stage," he said.

He also noted that he voted against two other applications for much larger shopping center projects presented by the developer dating back to 2007, including a 520,000-square-foot complex on 60 acres and a 320,000-square-foot center on 46 acres.

"This application is an 82 percent reduction from the original proposal," Burton said. "Unlike a destination center, this is for citizens who live in the vicinity. It serves a need and is good planning."

Sussex County Council will have a public hearing on the application at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 23, in the county administration building at 2 The Circle in Georgetown.

See more in the Tuesday, Aug. 2 edition.