Villages of Five Points developer retools new CVS application

Developers of the Villages of Five Points are coming back to county officials with an amended application to build a CVS pharmacy near the entrance to the community off Savannah Road in Lewes.

This time, instead of a zoning change, they are seeking a conditional use. In addition, Olde Towne Point LLC, part of Hudson Management, is willing to donate about half of the 4.5-acre parcel for a new Lewes library, said Christian Hudson, owner of Hudson Management.

A library task force is undergoing a search for land to construct a new library.

Sussex County planning and zoning commissioners rejected the previous application because it was in violation of a condition placed on the community when it was formed. Under the condition, the parcel could be used only for community-service projects, and not for new businesses.

In April 2010, before the application could come up for a vote before county council, the developers withdrew the rezoning application. The next round is scheduled to begin with a Thursday, Jan. 27 planning and zoning public hearing followed by a Tuesday, Feb. 15 county council public hearing.

Hudson said the original rezoning application made residents nervous because once the parcel was rezoned from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to B-1, neighborhood business district, any use permitted under the zoning classification would have been permitted.

Now, he said, conditions can be placed on the application to placate some of residents’ concerns with features such as lighting and buffers.

The original condition limited uses to nonprofit agencies such as a police or fire departments or museums and libraries. It’s that condition that caused debate at a pair of public hearings and eventually led to a 4-0 vote for denial by commissioners.

After 10 years of searching, Hudson said he has found no interest in the parcel from any community service or nonprofit agency. And it’s not a given the Lewes Public Library will accept the land.

At earlier meetings, library officials stated they were seeking 3 acres of land within Lewes limits; the Villages of Five Points are outside city limits. Hudson said the library board would make a decision by mid-2011.

Those in opposition to the application also voiced concern about additional traffic at the entrance to the community and questioned the need for another pharmacy when two – Walgreens/Happy Harry’s and Cape Pharmacy – are in the same area.

Hudson said he did not anticipate the opposition that surfaced against the original application. So, he went back to the drawing board and has met with community members on five occasions with a sixth meeting planned prior to the Jan. 27 planning and zoning public hearing. “We have a lot of feedback and have modified the plan six times, and the community would love to see the Lewes library come to Five Points,” he said. “I think we have a lot of support from the residents.”