Much has been written about C/U 2176, a request for a conditional-use permit for a 7-Eleven on the corner of Angola Road and Route 24. Just about every issue has been well covered in a website, CU2176.com, built concerning this permit.
Letters to the Cape Gazette highlight personal viewpoints of residents who are concerned about the safety of their drinking water, well-being of local waterways, property values, and of course, increased traffic in an already overdeveloped area.
One issue is not covered, and that is the condition of Angola Road during the winter months. Ice and snow often accumulate on the curve where Sarah’s Run at times floods the roadway. Trees, and the shadows they cast, inhibit the melting process, making Angola Road very hazardous. It is not unusual to see cars that failed to navigate the curve on the side of the road or in a ditch. Imagine fuel trucks, or any truck for that matter, using Angola Road during icy conditions, especially if drivers are not aware of the conditions we locals know to be true.
This may seem like a small problem, but it is a real one never-the-less. One fuel truck overturning on Angola Road can not only affect our drinking water but the waters that flow into Burton’s Prong, a waterway already found to be polluted.
Sussex County Council members need to take a ride down Angola Road. They will see the curve I mentioned above; they will see the dip in the road where Sarah’s Run can flood and ice up Angola Road. They will see the Dry Dock and, depending on the time of day, the large number of cars parked on the shoulder. And across from the entrance to Angola by the Bay they will see Middle Creek Preserve, which preserves nothing.
A new and improved corner is promised along with the 7-Eleven; it will not help Angola Road one bit. Traffic will back up, and during the winter months, snow and ice will take their toll on new travelers, truckers and residents alike.
Sussex County Council members, please do the right thing by Angola residents, and those who travel and live along Route 24; deny this permit.
Judy Kane
Angola by the Bay, Lewes
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