Letter: Overdevelopment just another term for ‘progress’

Have you ever wondered why there is so much development here in our area and open space is not considered important enough by our P&Z commission to be included in our community landscape? 

The Cape Gazette charted this development frenzy so effectively in its Dec. 30, 2018 edition.  The list of development projects went on and on.  I could identify no evidence of any balance between land preservation and development. 

Members of the P&Z commission are appointed by Sussex County Council to ensure good decisions are made about what is and is not developed.  I see how tourists and locals flock to Cape Henlopen State Park and farmers markets, so I know that many want open space, woodlands and farms to be a part of their lives.  However, I see little evidence of this preference reflected in the long list of approved projects coming from the P&Z commission.  Does the P&Z commission have the best interests of the citizens of Sussex County in mind?

Holly Wingate of the P&Z commission commented about an Old Landing Road subdivision slated for development,
“… MR zoning is consistent with development trends in the area and is appropriate according to the county comprehensive land-use plan,” (Dec. 28, 2018  Cape Gazette). 

Therefore, because we have made development the governing priority in recent years, it must continue to be so until Rehoboth and Lewes are completely covered with housing developments and road construction? What sense does that make?  With the same logic, if I consistently eat too much, then I guess I should continue to eat too much because that has been my past behavior.  The same faulty, manipulative line of reasoning is being used by the P&Z commission.  

Also insulting is the abuse of the term “progress” as a common way to defend irresponsible growth. Any objection to a slowdown in defacing our fields and woodlands would therefore be an objection to “progress.”  Any good person should not be against “progress,” right?  

Each development negatively impacts the environment and increases the likelihood of higher-frequency and higher-intensity flooding, decline of bird and animal habitats, more pollution, more traffic, mo’ money out of our pockets. If politicians and the P&Z commission chalk this up to “progress” and the inevitable scenario, then count me out!  

Given that it is too late for my beloved Old Landing Road which will soon be completely filled with housing units as planned, I sought to better understand the current justification for all this development by referring to the comprehensive plan (https://sussexcountyde.gov/comprehensive-plan). 

The first five words of the plan are: “Strengthening agriculture. Protecting open space.”

These goals are diametrically opposed to that of defacing Rehoboth and Lewes with more developments. I would say the defacing piece has been achieved. Did I miss something or will there be open space anywhere along Plantation/Warrington Road? 

Maybe I should not be surprised by all this development here since so many citizens in this area depend financially on development. And since we voted for those councilmen who then appoint P&Z commission members, the situation of overdevelopment can be placed at our own doorsteps. 

However, I object on the grounds that the interests of our community are not singular. Those citizens who value views of snow geese flying overhead and grazing with deer peacefully in harvested fields, the livelihood of our wildlife, the health of our natural resources, and the presence of neighboring farms - the interests of those citizens are not being represented by our councilmen and P&Z commission.

Our current P&Z commission is made up of individuals having backgrounds in realty, construction, city planning and development, and installation of infrastructure.  

We need another P&Z commission, one parallel to the current commission but solely composed of those with a focus on conservation of our natural resources. Then there would be at least a chance for a newer, better-for-all “progress,” in my humble view. 

There, a compromise may be achieved whereby when a development is approved, the same acreage amount would then be preserved in our locale. It would be a win for the preservationists since open land would be permanently lost to developers.  It would be a win for developers since land would be permanently lost to preservationists.  

Nancy Fulton
Rehoboth