On Sept. 28, 105 concerned residents from Angola by the Bay met in their clubhouse, on very short notice, to learn about the proposed 7-Eleven on the corner of Angola Road and Route 24. 

Neighbors from an adjoining community were kind enough to participate and bring everyone up to speed on what has happened and what lies ahead. 

The meeting was an eye-opener for most who came. A real eye opener is a visit to www.cu2176.com. Why is that? 

We trust that our elected official make the right decisions on our behalf. We trust that when DelDOT says they can improve our traffic corner, they can. We trust when planning and zoning says the new venture is appropriate, it is. And we trust when DNREC says there are no environmental  issues of concern, there aren’t any.

By the time a hearing is announced, key decisions have already been made.

What was clear, in addition to concerns about the contamination of our water supply and inland bays, public safety and traffic, those present did not need or want 7-Eleven on the corner. That should count for a great deal, but it does not. 

We are not opposed to development. A doctor’s office, fine. A nice restaurant, fine. A bank or physical therapy practice, great.  A 7-Eleven, no.  We seem to live in an environment where those who develop, and those who build, have more powerful voices. To the readers of the Cape Gazette who do not live along Route 24 or even know where Angola Road is, you surely have a corner close to you that could become a 7-Eleven, or shall I say a 24/7/365. 

If you need and want it, great, but if you don’t, speak up to the officials who serve you.  They, and the developer, will not ask you if you want or need whatever is being proposed before key decisions are made.

The proposed conditional-use permit 2176 should never have gotten this far.  The property, if developed into a gas station, can never be remediated back to its original condition.  Is that not what conditional use means, being able to revert back to what was?  We hope our councilmen are listening to the people who live in and around Angola Road. 

Regardless of what happens to our corner, there will be more town halls. Why? There are more corners, more fields and more money to be spent by developers. Beware the next time you see a hearing notice, the next 7-Eleven may be coming to your corner.

Judy Kane
Angola by the Bay