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More thoughts on RV park

January 30, 2014

In 2013, Long Neck Road residents had an unpleasant realization with the rezoning of 160 manufactured home sites to 320 R/V sites at Rehoboth Shores Manufactured Home Park. This brought stiff opposition from the home owners in the park arguing that their home values would be reduced with little chance to sell. Residents in adjoining communities raised their concerns about the effect added traffic would be to their life and safety - this is a dead end road at Massey's Landing.

The result was planning and zoning department approved the request actually saying traffic would not be a problem and county council fell right in line. You would expect this as planning and zoning personnel are appointed by county council.

Next came the proposal to rezone a large parcel of land at the end of Long Neck Road to an R/V park - this would eliminate Massey's Landing Mobile Home Park. This would have been catastrophic to approximately 90 lessees whom have invested heavily in their homes, left with the only choice but to take the few relocation dollars offered by the Mobile Home Relocation Program and watch as the land owners destroy their homes.

As a result of meetings between residents and county council, the land owners resubmitted a plan eliminating the destruction of Massey's Landing, hopefully with the realization of the catastrophic effects this would have been to their tenants. However, this new plan would rezone all of their remaining lands to R/V sites.

Knowing that Long Neck Road is a dead end road with very limited shoulders for the residents to walk, bike or run, adding more traffic will absolutely put lives at stake along the roadway. The emergency response time for fire companies, emergency medical rescue and emergency marine rescue which departs from Massey's Landing boat launch facilities will have delayed response times.

The added traffic created would be not just cars but R/Vs pulling boats or cars, keeping in mind that Long Neck Road is also the only evacuation route, can you imagine moving 300 R/Vs in an emergency situation with present traffic.

All of the above was again submitted for consideration to county council, with the new flood plain maps and wind design loads. I am quite sure county council really does not know how to come to a decision considering all of the above. Why would they even consider allowing an R/V park? The past hurricane Sandy only points out the only decision that makes sense in the Long Neck site. No R/V park.

This area would make a great wildlife refuge. The proposal to build a 600 R/V site along Love Creek is also a bad idea, with the present traffic problems on Route 1, Route 24 and Route 9 and Plantation Road, R/Vs pulling cars or boats will make traveling these roads more difficult. The residents of the Plantations are against this plan and rightly so.

In 2014, I hope the residents of Long Neck and Lewes are informed that the applications for the R/V parks are withdrawn. Perhaps planning and zoning and county council will listen to their constituents who were once told their opinions are not acceptable if not professionals in the field of their opinions.

Now would you believe the county is going to allow a new school on Route 24? Again, I am amazed. I doubt that DelDOT and the planning and zoning department considered this proposed plan in approving the Love Creek site. A traffic study by the state is required and not the developers hired company.

With the state spending 10 million at the Indian River Inlet, 300 R/V sites will be available with utility hookups, showers, laundromat, and providing a shuttle service to Rehoboth Beach, maybe the need for more R/V sites will be filled, especially with the 320 approved and 150 existing R/V sites on Long Neck Road. The Indian River Inlet and state beach park is where R/Vs need to be - not 20 or 30 miles away from the attractions that brought them here to vacation with their families in the Rehoboth Beach area.

Lewis Newman
Millsboro

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