Summercrest work put off another year

Residents of Summercrest, a 98-lot community of single-family homes off Plantation Road, have patiently waited six years for infrastructure to be completed; they will have to wait some more.

In an agreement worked out between Sussex County, new developer Beacon Summercrest LLC and the homeowners association, work will be put on hold until after September 2014 to allow for more new home construction.

Following a missed deadline by the former developer to start work back in August, Sussex County Council voted to allow staff to tap into a $312,000 line of credit with M&T Bank to cover costs to repair and finish roads and sidewalks and complete stormwater management work.

Mike Izzo, county engineer, said there are 38 vacant lots in the subdivision. He said the new developer asked the county to hold off on work that was scheduled to begin soon.

“We are reluctant to do so, but the HOA agrees it's a benefit to delay improvements,” Izzo said. He said that would also give the HOA more time to possibly secure legislative discretionary funds to do more road work.