At the last Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission public meeting Aug. 11, the room was almost full and with little exception, all attendees were there to share their concerns and oppose the proposed addition of a commercial marina and restaurant to the Osprey Point development being proposed at the end of Old Landing Road. Of the almost 50 who were there, not even one supported the commercial development that would include a proposed open-to-the-public marina and a restaurant with nightlife, several party bars, party areas and amplified music.
Despite this obvious lack of any community support, the developer’s lawyer argued the proposed commercial uses are “for the convenience and necessity of the residents of Osprey Point and the Old Landing Road neighbors.” This is far from the truth. In rezoning the property, council made a specific finding that Mr. Robert Marshall, the original landowner, was clearly not requesting commercial as part of his application, and NV Homes is presently marketing and selling expensive new homes at Osprey Point, without any commercial aspects. It is farcical to even remotely suggest the “necessity” to add a commercial restaurant and marina to our quiet, residential community and the ones surrounding Osprey Point. After-the-fact changes of this magnitude breed distrust of the original rezoning process.
The developer’s lawyer also argued the proposed commercial use met the requirement of no more than one acre of commercial per 100 homes. But without explanation, the proposed site plan does not include in the calculation the areas for either the commercial marina’s proposed 25 boat slips or the proposed commercial kayak launch, both encroaching into Arnell Creek. So these new water-based access and parking areas for the proposed restaurant are not considered by the commission as part of the proposed commercial? This is not right.
In addition to the music and party noise from the restaurant, the boat engines, the partying boat passengers, and boat traffic will alter for the worse the peaceful enjoyment for our communities near the restaurant and marina. It will literally change our way of life. And these adverse impacts will also negatively affect the fish, birds and wildlife reproduction along Arnell Creek and populating Rehoboth Bay. This area of Arnell Creek is so shallow that any boat engine, however small, will surely dredge up the bottom. Yet the developer says the commission must defer to DNREC on the marina, and DNREC says it must defer to the commission on the zoning. Neither, it seems, is willing at this point to say the obvious: This is not the right place for a new commercial marina.
The commission will again take up the matter at its meeting this Thursday, Aug. 25. We encourage our neighbors to attend again and to show the numbers against this. We urge the commission to deny the application, as it sets a very slippery precedent.
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