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Residents plan to fight Long Neck RV park

Developers plan 322 sites in Massey's Landing
May 10, 2013

As residents near Lewes await a decision on the Love Creek RV Resort and Campground, residents not far away in Long Neck are mounting a campaign in opposition to an RV campground proposed in their area, Castaways at Massey's Landing.

The developers, Ida Faucett and Ida Faucett Heirs LLC and Massey's Landing Park Inc., have filed applications for a zoning change on a 51-acre parcel from MR, medium-density residential, to AR-1, agricultural residential, and a conditional-use to allow the campground. A campground is not permitted in MR zoning. The developers plan to keep the property in Faucett family ownership as a multigenerational land-use project.

The proposed campground at the end of Long Neck Road would contain 322 RV sites and 10 tent camping sites. Numerous planned amenities include a swimming pool; pavilions; general store; welcome center; dog park; cafe and snack bar; bath houses; nature center; 4,000-square-foot and 5,000-square-foot lodges; fishing and crabbing piers; rental center for golf carts; DART bus stop; and a rental center for kayaks, canoes and other nonmotorized watercraft.

In comments contained in the preliminary land-use plan report from the developers to the Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination, the architectural firm Land Tech wrote:

“We as land-use planners and the Faucett family as land owners both acknowledge the environmental sensitivity of this valuable water-fronting property. The future use of the land as planned respects both the preservation and the enhancement of those environmentally significant features.

“The design program adopted outlines a clear intent to identify important boundaries, habitats and site specific features to not only be preserved for future generations of campers to enjoy, but also enhance the physical and ecological systems throughout the developed site using campground revenues, staff, equipment and other resources to fund those efforts properly.”

The Faucett family owns Massey's Landing Park at the end of Long Neck Road on Rehoboth Bay. The park contains 96 homes with about 60 percent of tenants living there full time. Also at the end of the road is a state-maintained boat launching area.

Mary Hecker, president of the new Massey's Landing Park Homeowners Association, said residents have several concerns about the proposed campground, especially traffic on Long Neck Road. “This is not just about Massey's Landing Park because it concerns all residents along Long Neck Road,” she said. She purchased a home in the park in December.

She said about 10,000 people live in the Long Neck Road area and to reach the proposed RV park, campers would have to pass by several communities, including all of the Pot Nets communities, as well as White House Beach, Rehoboth Shores and Leisure Point.

Sussex County Council has approved another RV park along Long Neck Road at Rehoboth Shores, which will have 260 RV sites adjacent to an existing manufactured home community.

“People have a right to do what they want with their land; I understand land rights,” Hecker said. “But what I'm concerned for is the rights of people surrounding that property.”

Hecker said the area is prone to flooding and with the addition of a large RV park, there could be problems with evacuation. “It's easy for Long Neck Road to get back ups,” she said.

“We don't want to attack anyone about this. We understand that the Faucetts are looking out for the future of their family, and they have to entertain this idea because you are talking about a lot of money. We want to fight against this on legal grounds and not get personal. Whatever is done here has to conform with the rest of the area, and an RV park would not be good,” she said.

The original plan – with 575 RV sites – filed with Sussex County called for closing of the manufactured home park. When Hecker discovered those plans, she decided it was time to take action.

After residents met with Faucett family members, the plans were modified. The manufactured home park was left as is and 253 RV sites were removed from the plan. “We were told this was not supposed to happen,” she said. “I have to give them credit because they took us out of the plan, and we can all keep our homes.”

A public hearing before Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in the county administration building on The Circle in Georgetown.

 

 

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