In Rehoboth, requests to subdivide two properties move forward

It took two months longer than anticipated, but the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission has approved the subdividing at lot at 408 Scarborough Ave. and has given preliminary approval for a subdivision at 21 Saint Lawrence St.

Discussion of subdividing both properties was scheduled for March 13, but that planning commission meeting will go down in Rehoboth history as among the first events canceled because of COVID-19. The nine-member commission will also go down in history after it held the first public hearing in Rehoboth since the pandemic began.

The hearing, held May 8, was for 408 Scarborough Ave., which received preliminary subdivision approval in February. The house that used to be on the property fronted Scarborough Avenue, but under the approved plan, requested by Timothy Naughton of The Evergreene Companies LLC, the two new lots will front Hickman Street.

Little discussion took place during the public hearing, and no member of the public spoke, but Commissioners Jeff Trunzo and Rachel Macha suggested a fine was in order because the applicant began marketing the two properties before the original property was subdivided, which is against city code.

City Solicitor Glenn Mandalas said fines fall under the enforcement arm of the city. He said city enforcement officer Dennis Jeney would look into the matter and issue a fine if needed.

As for 21 St. Lawrence, City Building Inspector Damalier Molina said the 100-foot by 100-foot lot on the ocean block could be subdivided to city standards. Based on the survey submitted, each proposed lot will be at least 5,000 square feet and can contain a 4,000-square-foot rectangle with at least 50 feet of frontage, he said.

Unlike the Scarborough Avenue property, which rotated the driveway entrance, the properties would continue to front St. Lawrence. The public hearing for this subdivision is expected to take place during the Friday, June 12 planning commission meeting.

Attorney Jay Becker represented property owner CAT SLS LLC at the meeting. He said if the subdivision is approved, the house and detached garage would be demolished, but 24 of 29 trees on the property would be saved. According to Molina’s report prepared for the meeting, to meet city code, the minimum number of trees required for each lot is three, with one tree in the front yard.

2020 Comprehensive Development Plan

A series of 2020 comprehensive development plan community expos scheduled for April were also canceled because of COVID-19.

Rick Perry, planning commission chair, said the committee had pivoted into a new data-gathering phase in the past few weeks. He said the planning commission had identified a number of groups within the community and members were conducting interviews.

Jeff Trunzo, planning commission vice chair, said three-quarters of the group interviews have been conducted and expected the rest to be done in the next couple of weeks.

Perry said a number of groups have expressed a desire to make presentations to the planning commission as a whole. He said the logistics of the virtual presentations were still being figured out, but he expects them to take place.

Rehoboth has already received one extension from the state to complete the plan by Jan. 31, 2021. Perry said the planning commission remains resolute to finish the document by then.

The planning commission has a meeting scheduled for June. Perry said prior to that meeting, he and Trunzo would be meeting with Mayor Paul Kuhns and City Manager Sharon Lynn to get more detail on the plan moving forward.