On behalf of the City of Lewes, I am writing to inform the public more fully about the issues raised concerning the paths in Mariners’ Retreat. The city is committed to ensuring that the conditions of approval that were applied to Mariners’ Retreat by mayor and city council are implemented. There are two paths in Mariners’ Retreat – one that connects Seagull Drive to Sussex Drive in Highland Acres, and one that connects Seagull Drive and Virden Way, the two cul-de-sacs within Mariners’ Retreat.
The path between Seagull Drive and Sussex Drive was required by mayor and city council as a condition of approval. This path, per the written approval conditions, is required to be a 10-foot-wide multi-use path. The other path that connects the cul-de-sacs was designed on the plans submitted for final plan approval as a 5-foot-wide winding path. Initially, both paths were constructed with widths of 5 feet.
When “walking path” signs were installed, residents of Highland Acres questioned whether the paths were to be walking paths or multi-modal paths. Based upon those inquiries, city staff reviewed the approved construction plans, which showed the path connecting Seagull Drive to Sussex Drive as a 5-foot-wide path. Upon further review at the urging of the public and members of city council, we determined that the 5-foot width did not meet the conditions of mayor and city council’s approval from May 2016, which specified that a 10-foot-wide path be constructed between Seagull Drive and Sussex Drive. Upon finding this error, we immediately reached out to the developer, who agreed to widen the path in accordance with this condition. The developer plans to widen the path this fall, when the roads receive their final pavement coat. Consequently, this development condition will be met in the near future.
The path that connects the cul-de-sacs was discussed at several points during the public meetings in 2016 as a “bicycle and pedestrian” connection; however, it was designed as a 5-foot-wide winding path, which does not meet safety standards for a shared-use path. Mayor and city council did not place conditions to require that this path be widened, and the developer constructed it in accordance with the approved plans.
The internal path, and the surrounding woodlands and wetlands, are private assets to be owned and maintained by the homeowners association for the use and benefit of the Mariners’ Retreat residents. While the city appreciates the desire of some residents to use this path to provide bicycle access to Fourth Street, the city cannot add a requirement that was not part of the plan approval.
The city remains committed to supporting a safe and comprehensive network of paths and roadways for bicycle circulation. To support this goal, the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee meets every other month to discuss ways to improve our bicycle and pedestrian network, and to educate the public on bicycle safety. Further, the city has recently engaged with DelDOT to complete a city-wide Bicycle Master Plan, which will commence a public engagement process in spring 2023. Through this plan, we will identify gaps in our bicycle network and strategies to bridge these gaps. We encourage residents to participate in this planning process.
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