Residents organize to oppose RV park
Area residents who oppose a proposed RV park near Lewes are mounting a campaign in preparation for public hearings before Sussex County officials. Michael Weiss, media coordinator for the group, StopRVCity, said hundreds of people have signed petitions, written letters and emails to county officials and distributed flyers to rally support against the project.
In addition, Weiss said, residents have set up a website regarding the project at stopRVCity.webnode.com.
Plans to develop a 162-acre campground for RVs, tents and cabins have been submitted to Sussex County officials. Jack Lingo Asset Management has two applications pending for Love Creek RV Resort and Campground off Ward and Cedar Grove roads between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. Lingo is asking for a conditional use and a zoning change from GR, general-residential district, to AR-1, agricultural residential, for 74 acres of the parcel. If approved, the entire parcel would be zoned AR-1. Campgrounds are prohibited in GR zones.
Included on the site plan filed with the county's planning and zoning department are 620 camping sites, including 451 for recreational vehicles, 20 for tents and another 149 sites for rental cabins. Within the resort are an amphitheater/chapel, welcome center, fitness center, laundry, clubhouse, general store, several pavilions and paddle boat launches, canoe outfitter, pumping station, swimming ponds, pools and RV storage.
Speaking for the group, Paul Hammesfahr, president of The Retreat at Love Creek Homeowners Association, said the project is inconsistent with the surrounding communities and will harm the environment.
The developers privately invited area residents to a Dec. 27 meeting in Lewes. “We thought it would be better to introduce the project this way prior to people getting a public notice and getting surprised by it,” said Nick Hammonds with Jack Lingo Asset Management.
Hammonds said developers looked at residential options for the parcel before settling on a campground. “After some financial modeling, this project made sense,” he said. “It's a great site for this type of use with Love Creek and the proximity to the beaches and shopping.”
The planning and zoning commission public hearing was scheduled for Jan. 24 and the county council public hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in the county administration building on The Circle in downtown Georgetown.
The file on the project is available to the public in the county administration building's planning and zoning office on The Circle in downtown Georgetown from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
