Atlantic Fields more appropriate for Route 1 at Route 16
Like many Sussex County residents, I welcome the idea of having more shopping choices close to home. The prospect of Costco, Target and Whole Foods right here in our county is appealing. These stores would bring jobs, generate tax revenue and save us long drives to Dover or Christiana. On the surface, Atlantic Fields seems like the kind of progress a thriving community might embrace.
Yet we cannot ignore the reality of what happens when growth goes unchecked. Years of unbridled development in Sussex County have already produced heavy traffic, overburdened infrastructure and reduced safety on roads never intended for today’s volume. Placing Atlantic Fields at Route 24 and Mulberry Knoll Road, next to two schools, surrounded by neighborhoods, and adjacent to preserved farmland, would only magnify these problems.
Fortunately, we don’t have to choose between having better retail options, and protecting the character and safety of our community. Both are possible if we guide development to the right locations. One such option already exists: Sussex County Council’s approved commercial site at the Routes 1 and 16 overpass. That location sits directly on Route 1, with highway infrastructure designed for large-scale retail and entertainment. It can accommodate the same national retailers and consumer opportunities we desire, but in a place where traffic can be managed safely – without endangering schoolchildren, neighborhoods or farmland.
Importantly, that site is still in Sussex County and within the Cape Henlopen School District, ensuring tax revenue stays local. It also brings jobs closer to where many workers live in Milton and nearby communities, while remaining just a short drive or DART bus ride north for Lewes and Rehoboth residents. Directing retail growth there provides new shopping opportunities without gridlocking two-lane farm roads, straining Route 24 and the Love Creek bridge, or undermining existing local businesses.
Now is the time to draw the line. Sussex County must balance growth with responsibility. We can welcome new stores and serve both residents and seasonal visitors, but only if we place development where it works best for everyone. For these reasons, I oppose rezoning Atlantic Fields and urge our officials to support retail growth in locations that truly make sense.
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