It has been one year since the public hearings on the proposed Love Creek RV Resort and Campground (RV City), and my husband and I remain opposed to this project. As an owner of a small business establishment, I have heard overwhelming and ever increasing opposition from my clients as well.
The reasons that our patrons oppose this commercial venture are many, and they mirror our concerns. They include traffic congestion, safety risks, property devaluation, poor financial economics for the county, environmental risks to Love Creek, and the simple fact that the proposed RV City is inconsistent with the area and the nearby neighborhoods.
In particular, I am becoming increasingly concerned that traffic risks are being ignored by the elected officials. Severe congestion of traffic is not only a quality of life issue, but also a safety issue. It does not require a consultant with a Ph.d. to realize that large recreational vehicles will add traffic congestion and safety risks to our roads.
My patrons - and many are senior city citizens - travel Route 24 and enter and leave my salon on a regular basis. I fear for their safety. Traffic accidents and hazards are getting worse on Route 24, not better.
Just in the last 12 months, I can recall several traffic incidents. Early last year, a young man passed out at the wheel of his car, ricocheted off my tree and crashed into my car. If my car was not in the driveway, this out-of-control vehicle would have driven right into my manicure room where two customers were getting manicures.
After that incident, there was a horrendous accident in front of my home that killed a 2-year-old child. The following week, my mailbox was hit and shattered all over my parking lot. A week later, yet another accident occurred. In fact, there is not a month that goes when an accident occurs in front of my salon - incidents that don’t always get into the paper. And I worry that the invasion of ever larger RVs will create even more accidents that result in property damage and the loss of life.
Traffic safety is not the only issue, but it is the one that all residents are concerned about, and our elected officials should review thoroughly the safety risks before they vote on this development. We trust that our public officials will realize that this area's infrastructure and environment cannot handle a dense RV city of 628 sites and up to 2,500 visitors in the Love Creek area. They need to recognize that the safety of our county’s residents is a priority issue.
Arlin and Marianne Berlinger
Lewes
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