|
Harvey, Hanna and Associates will finalize its purchase of the Ruddertowne parcel before its contract on the land expires at the end of October, company President Thom Harvey said Thursday, Sept. 13.
Harvey said he wants to work with the town to get his project built, but he is not ruling out a compromise with the town. The 68-foot resort complex suggested by Harvey, Hanna and Associates (HHA) requires a change of the current zoning laws that stipulate all new buildings cannot stray above 35 feet.
Harvey said earlier reports that his company was not willing to negotiate with the town were misconstrued.
“I’ve been accused of disregarding the political will of the people,” he said. “That’s not it at all. We want to go and work with the planning and zoning committee.”
Regardless of people’s perception of the project, Harvey said he is willing to listen to all sides.
“We’ve got a lot of people out there who love the project,” he said.
“There are people who hate the project. But let’s sit down and work this out.”
Harvey said Dewey Beach is in a unique position because the developer is working with the town to hammer out a solution. He said that most towns already have guidelines set, so a company draws a proposal and sends it to the town. HHA is willing to work with the town on a project that could better Dewey, Harvey said.
The town’s comprehensive plan allows relaxed bulk standards in the resort business district. Harvey said there are no rules set on a new height limit, but 68 feet would be ideal because it would provide views of both the Rehoboth Bay and Atlantic Ocean.
While most people felt cramped and hot at the Sept. 8 special meeting called to discuss and vote on the eligibility of commissioner candidate Richard Hanewinckel, Harvey felt inspired. He said he saw political bickering put aside and justice at work when Hanewinckel, who opposes the 68-foot structure, was allowed to stay on the ballot. Harvey said he wants the town to use the same approach with his proposal and to take a rational look.
“As I sat through that special meeting on Saturday,” Harvey said, “what I saw was a bunch of really sincere people demonstrating a lot of integrity. It caused me to pause and look at this upheaval [over Ruddertowne]. I want to de-politicize this upheaval.”
According to Harvey, several buildings in Dewey Beach top 40 and even 50 feet. The lighthouse structure in Ruddertowne tops out at 74 feet. He wants to know why his proposal was met with such scrutiny.
He said his project could change the character of the town, but change is a necessity to staying competitive.
“I go back to when Dewey didn’t have a water or sewer system and people fought that,” Harvey said. “Did that change the character of Dewey?
“You bet it did. Dewey is a town like any other in America that has a shot at being healthy. It’s a living organism.”
The notion of townhouses in place of a town center is not appealing to Harvey, who said the parking, salvation of key buildings and town-center-styled buildings his company provides best fit Dewey Beach. He also said HHA has added input from the town into its plan, including a bay boardwalk, public restrooms, parking and an expanded town center, among other things. He added most of the additions asked for by the town come at an extra cost to his company.
Commissioner candidate Paul Bauer said if one large building is constructed in Dewey above the current height limit, it would be all the town could handle. He said no other zoning district besides RB-1 (Ruddertowne) is equipped for the parking requirements that come with a large structure. Bauer said a town center would provide an economic anchor for Dewey.
“If you run a beach town with a beach resort you have got to have attractions,” he said. “[Tourists] are not going to come here, lay on the beach and go home. Common sense will tell you you’ve got to have some infrastructure.”
But, Harvey said, townhouses are a last ditch effort if a compromise cannot be reached.
Harvey asked the town for patience and rational thinking.
“What I know about land development like this is that it takes some calm heads and time,” he said. “We’re not even midway on the road. We’re maybe at the beginning, certainly not the beginning of the end.”
Contact Eddie Phillipps at eddiep@capegazette.com
|
