Coral Lakes subdivision back on Sussex P&Z agenda

The Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission is scheduled to review and possibly re-vote on the Coral Lakes subdivision application during its Thursday, June 23 meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown.

At its March 10 meeting, the commission voted 4-1 to deny the cluster subdivision application for 315 lots on 152 acres along Robinsonville Road near Lewes. Developer Schell Brothers LLC appealed the decision to Sussex County Council. Following the appeal, at its May 24 meeting, council voted 3-2 to send the application back to the commission to reconsider material contained in the public record. Another public hearing will not be held. After reviewing the record, the commission will take another vote on the application.

Village Center plans

Also, the commission will hear plans for Village Center, a shopping complex on a 12-acre parcel along Kings Highway fronting the Governors subdivision in Lewes. The owner of the property is J.G. Townsend Jr. & Co.

The project has a long history and was granted a B-1 neighborhood business district zoning designation in December 2016. Under B-1 zoning, the complex cannot exceed 75,000 square feet.

Included in the preliminary plan are nine commercial buildings totaling 75,000 square feet. The plan includes four 4,800-square-foot buildings, one 1,800-square-foot building, one 15,000-square-foot building, and three 13,000-square-foot buildings, as well as parking, roads, green areas and other improvements.

The center's access roads will align with Clay Road along Kings Highway and the entrance to Mitchell's Corner on Gills Neck Road. The Gills Neck Road side will have a stub road for future connection to Village Center Cottages. It will also have a connector road to Governors.

Village Center Cottages will contain 93 condominium-style residences on a 16-acre parcel along Kings Highway.

The original plan for the center was submitted in 2007 and included a 521,000-square-foot mixed-use plan with commercial, residential and office uses on more than 60 acres.

The plan met with objections from residents and City of Lewes officials.

Since then, it has been scaled back, first in 2009 to 387,000 square feet on 46 acres, then to 215,000 square feet on 33 acres in 2015.

The center will be about the same size as the Villages of Five Points shopping center, anchored by a Weis grocery store and also zoned B-1.

See a complete agenda and meeting materials at sussexcountyde.gov. Meetings are in person, livestreamed at sussexcountyde.gov/council-chamber-broadcast, and available by phone at 302-394-5036 using code 570176. See more information on the Village Center at sussexcountyde.gov/sites/default/files/packets/06.23.2022%20Other%20Business%20Paperless%20Packet.pdf.