The following letter was sent to Jeff Trunzo, chair of the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission, with a copy submitted to the Cape Gazette for publication.
We are writing in support of the re-approval of site plans for Clear Space Theatre and Rehoboth Spotlight Theatre.
Clear Space is a nonprofit organization. It has incurred significant costs for the project for a new theatre on Rehoboth Avenue. To date Clear Space has invested over $200,000 in architecture, engineering, and site-plan drawings. In addition, they are paying $12,000 monthly principal and interest on the loans for the lots on Rehoboth Avenue. This investment would be lost and cause great financial harm to Clear Space should the planning commission decide to reverse the original 7-2 decision approving the site plan.
Clear Space provides a healthy economic return to the city. At a time when the city is facing an annual deficit, approval of Clear Space will immediately return over $300,000 to the city in the form of impact and permit fees. In addition, they provide over $500,000 in direct annual economic impact from patron spending and generate the equivalent of $875,000 in annual payroll.
Throughout two years of study and meetings, they have been dogged by a vocal minority of residents. They’ve heard their arguments and addressed their concerns. Yet this minority still persists in their pursuit of overturning the original planning commission approval. The decision made by the planning commission Feb. 5, 2021 has a huge impact on Rehoboth Beach - the residents, businesses and visitors. A vote against approval of Clear Space’s building plans for the Clear Space Theatre and the Spotlight Theatre will be unjust and set a precedent for more appeals on approved building plans in the city.
Clear Space has letters of support from the adjacent neighbors on Rehoboth Avenue: the board at The Ark condominium and the property owner at 419 Rehoboth Ave. And the signatures of more than 225 residents, all of whom have standing as decided by the mayor and commissioners at the Oct. 29 meeting, should not be dismissed so lightly by the appellants and city leadership.
Clear Space makes Rehoboth Beach a destination beyond the beach and Boardwalk, and encourages patrons to enjoy all that the city has to offer. We have signed this letter as a business in Rehoboth Beach, a business that benefits from the Clear Space Theatre patrons.
As business owners in Rehoboth Beach, we support the approval of building plans for Clear Space Theatre and Rehoboth Spotlight Theatre.
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