Final plans for Scenic Manor are approved
The final site plan for Scenic Manor has been approved by Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission.
At its Sept. 8 meeting, the commission's vote was unanimous for the subdivision on both sides of Mulberry Knoll Road south of the Route 24 intersection near Lewes.
Developer MKR Land Investment LLC plans to build 319 single-family lots on 166 acres with a clubhouse, pool, walking paths and playgrounds. Commissioner Kim Hoey Stevenson wanted to ensure the subdivision will have a playground in both the eastern and western sections.
Stevenson voted against the subdivision because of its amenities plan during the commission’s April 22 vote to approve the subdivision.
Sussex County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse said the final plan includes two playgrounds with one in each section of the subdivision.The eastern section will have 258 lots and the western section will have 61 lots.
The parcel is a mix of farmland, woods and wetlands, and is bordered on the west by Dorman Branch and on the east by Arnell Creek.
The approval did not take into consideration nearby residents' concerns that the project be scaled back to protect wetlands and wildlife habitat in the area. However, the commission did adopt the residents' recommendation that no building permits be issued until a new traffic signal is installed at the Mulberry Knoll-Route 24 intersection.
A new signal is planned as part of ongoing work to improve intersections and widen Route 24 from Route 1 to Mulberry Knoll Road.
Commissioners were concerned that the pool and clubhouse would be in the eastern section of the community, forcing residents living in the western section to cross Mulberry Knoll Road to access the amenities.
In that regard, as a condition of approval, the developer must coordinate with Delaware Department of Transportation officials to provide a safe crossing between the two sections of the subdivision.
Other conditions include central water and sewer service, a minimum 20-foot vegetated or forested buffer around the perimeter of the property using existing vegetation as much as possible, a minimum 50-foot buffer along all tidal wetlands, sidewalks on both sides of all streets with connection to a multimodal path on Mulberry Knoll Road, and housing construction limited to the least environmentally sensitive areas.
Amenities must be completed by the issuance of the 140th building permit.
In addition, a final archaeological report of a survey of the property must be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office.
