Council sends message with decision

Sussex County Council unanimously voted down the zoning change required to bring to life the large-scale commercial project known as Atlantic Fields. The proposal generated months of public discussion, with residents and stakeholders on both sides of the fence peppering county council and the Cape Gazette with letters.

Not since 2016, when Overbrook Town Center, the largest shopping center ever proposed in Sussex County at the time, was denied by county council, has a commercial project generated so much interest. These projects share a notable similarity: Both were recommended for approval by Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission, and ultimately denied by county council.

That’s not the only likeness. A lack of infrastructure was often cited throughout both processes and during the final decisions. In the Jan. 13 words of Councilman Steve McCarron, “Today, this council was forced to deny a multimillion-dollar private investment because the state has failed to deliver the infrastructure necessary to support development in a corridor it has identified as a growth area for decades.”

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the decision, it would be hard to find someone who does not see common ground when it comes to infrastructure investment. The demand for housing and tourism in Sussex County is undeniable, and there appears to be no end in sight. Under these conditions, conversations around balancing quality of life, the local economy, workforce housing and the need for support services create tension and disagreement across nearly every sector of the community.

One thing is certain: If the state does not prioritize roadwork and infrastructure projects in its fastest-growing county, workable compromises among the competing residential, preservation and commercial interests that shape our communities will remain nearly impossible to find.