Overbrook proposal serves no demonstrated need

Back in the 1960s, when Charles Mills served as first chairman of the newly formed Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission, his job, and that of those who also served on the commission, was to create a zoning map. Looking as far into the future as they could, they zoned most of the land in Sussex as agricultural/residential to accommodate farming and residential uses. That zone remains the largest by geography in Sussex.

Knowing the importance of commerce and trade, those planners also applied commercial zoning where they thought it most sensibly applied: around towns and along highways around towns. One of the most generously zoned areas in terms of commercial is the Route 1 corridor between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach.

The planners applied commercial zoning extending 600 feet on either side of Route 1. That may have seemed excessive back in the 1960s when there were no traffic lights between Lewes and Rehoboth, but now that there are 13, the work of Mills and his associates looks entirely visionary.

In case the planners missed some sort of need or unforeseen evolution that would require a different zone than what they mapped, they included a provision for rezoning if it were proven that such rezoning would help satisfy a need and be of general benefit to the health, safety and welfare of the people. Stringent hearing requirements were enacted to inform such decisions ultimately made by Sussex Council’s elected members. Rezonings have never been a matter to be taken lightly.

The vision of Mills and his associates proved accurate. Commercial zoning between Lewes and Rehoboth supports a thriving shopping, restaurant and service economy. Its scale suits this area and will for many years to come.

The rezoning sought for the massive Overbrook Town Center does not address a need, is out of scale for the area, runs counter to that original vision, and will likely create a detriment rather than a benefit for an area already struggling with traffic problems in a state with limited resources to improve its highways.

This rezoning proposal offers little and should be denied.