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Letter: It’s imperative to attend P&Z hearing on New Road

November 22, 2018

Many of you are aware of the present development trend on New Road which will change New Road from the quiet corridor of Lewes with farms, flower fields, marshes and wildlife into a congested road full of housing developments. We have seen other parts of Lewes be forever destroyed by fast and poorly planned construction. We are running out of time to preserve the last scenic entrance to Lewes, and must be engaged citizens to exert some influence on those who will decide the future of the New Road corridor. 

The largest project application pending is for the Groome parcel. As you may know, this 134-acre parcel was sold by the church, despite a strong offer to put the land in conservation, to a developer from Pennsylvania, the D2 Organization. The proposal for 293 homes will be heard by the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission Thursday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m., at 2 The Circle, Georgetown.

Yes, this is also the night of our beloved Lewes Hospitality Night! The county denied a request, on behalf of the City of Lewes, to reschedule this important public hearing. This is not the way to ensure constituent involvement and puts a hardship on locals who would like to attend and participate in the process. The public hearing is part of the process required legally, but the scheduling is discretionary.  I urge you to attend anyway or submit your comments and thoughts to the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission, both on the development proposal and the scheduling of this meeting. 

This application conforms to present zoning, so it will not go to Sussex County Council. This is our sole opportunity for citizen input. We will not get a second chance. It is imperative for locals to attend the hearing and voice their concerns, despite it being scheduled on the same night as a wonderful Lewes holiday celebration. Shame on Sussex County for this scheduling. 

We have a lot to lose on New Road. This area is a pristine and important recharge area for the Great Marsh, and it is a haven for wildlife and migratory birds. It is also an area rich with history, including that of Native Americans, early settlers, those who farmed first here in Lewes, and the slaves they owned to work the land. Last, this is one of three roads leaving Lewes and is a road we need to safely travel in and out of town, especially during emergencies. The roadway condition and width are not adequate, and the bridge is often impassable during storms and high tides.  No development here should be approved without full consideration of these issues. 

Realistically, we are not going to stop development on New Road. However, future development here must proceed cautiously. At a minimum, new developments should not be approved until a plan for widening New Road and replacing the Canary Creek bridge is in process. Funding has been promised for the bridge, but a plan needs to be in place before hundreds of new homes are approved.

Further, Sussex County Council is in the midst of discussions and hearings to amend the county code and align it with the Sussex County Comprehensive Plan.

Our council representative, I.G. Burton, is leading the push to increase buffers and remove wetlands from consideration and calculation of number of homes on a parcel, in order to align the code with the comprehensive plan. No new development in environmentally sensitive areas should be approved until this issue is resolved. 

I am just one of a group of concerned citizens that has formed as a result of the Groome development and the other pending developments along the New Road corridor. The New Road Preservation Alliance welcomes other concerned citizens to get involved.

We should not sit silently while the last pristine areas near Lewes are destroyed. Let’s work together to preserve and protect our beauty, history and environment.  You can learn more at www.preservelewes.com.  

Debra Evalds
New Road Preservation Alliance

 

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