Atlantic Fields will increase livability of Rehoboth and Lewes
As a full-time resident who lives in a community that is only one traffic light from the proposed Atlantic Fields shopping center, I urge Sussex County Council to approve the zoning change. Adjacent neighbors like me cannot have reasonably been under any illusion that the field would remain farmland. We all have known it will be developed. In my opinion, Atlantic Fields is the right development. The Walmart nearby is outdated, it has an overcrowded and chaotic parking lot, and there is no room there for expansion. Moreover, the name-brand outlets in Route 1’s outlet centers are not a substitute for everyday shopping that would be provided by stores like Costco, Target and Whole Foods, which is the very type of shopping county residents want. Not to mention added competition and jobs that are needed for a healthy year-round economy. We all want a safe and livable community, and the environmental and traffic concerns can and must be addressed. But it’s unrealistic to build thousands of new homes and not provide adequate retail development nearby. I urge county council to guard against the sentiment expressed by some that this land that is so very close to Route 1 and the beach can be preserved as sleepy farmland. That ship sailed long ago.
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