Sussex County Council deferred action on the proposed Atlantic Fields shopping center off Route 24 between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach after a public hearing that stretched over six hours, that including over 4 hours of public comment.
It started with a two-hour presentation from the developer about the over 70-acre plan, which promises to bring big name stores like Target, Whole Foods, and Costco to the area.
The developer’s attorney James Fuqua argued the plan fits all requirements in county code and would be located inside an area already designated as developmental land by the county.
“It wasn’t the applicants that chose this site for Atlantic Fields, it was Sussex County that chose this site through the language of the plan.” he said.
The developer argued the project would bring jobs to the area, and that developers would be required to complete millions of dollars' worth of Transportation Improvement District projects while building including:
- Site 1a of the development will be required to have a single lane roundabout, and another at site entrance 2.
- Site entrance 3a will have a full movement site entrance, with right and left turning lanes
- A traffic signal with pedestrian crossing signs will also be constructed at entrance 3a.
- A right turn in, right turn out entrance/exit will be constructed at entrance 3b, which is along Route 24.
- A right turn in, right turn out at entrance will also be at entrance 3c
- Plantation Road will be improved, with an intersection that will either get a traffic signal or a roundabout
- A raised median will be constructed on Mulberry Knoll Road
- Route 24's frontage will have decorative fencing, meant to encourage crosswalk usage
- A single lane roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Cedar Grove Road and Mulberry Knoll Road
- A single lane roundabout will be constructed with a southbound bypass lane on Plantation Road.
- The developers will be requried to provide pedestrian and bicycle lanes improvements as required by DelDOT, including but not limited to, along the frontage of the property.
- Applicants will also have to pay the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District fee.
According to Fuqua, these improvements would have to be designed and constructed by the applicant. He says this will cost them between $3 million and $5 million, and the Henlopen TID fee will cost an additional $3 million.
Traffic engineer for the Atlantic Fields proposal Nicole Kline told Sussex County Council that all legal, zoning, and TID requirements.
But the four hours of public comment period were dominated by opponents of the plan, chief among the concerns was traffic impact on the neighboring residencies and the region at large.
And several council members, including Steve McCannon also voiced concerns.
“We’ve created tens of thousands of jobs along the east side of the county, and we do not create the opportunities for people to work where they live and that seriously adds to the traffic problem… when we look at the other application, I hope it helps to solve the traffic problem.” he said.
Council members Jane Geruenebaum and Vice President John Riley sided with opponents - raising their concerns about traffic impacts on Route 24, which they say is already overwhelmed with traffic.
DelDOT estimates that the development will add 26,800 trips to the roadway. Kline argues that doesn't necessarily equate to as many vehicles, because DelDOT considers both entering and leaving the complex as a separate trip, and herself estimated it'll be closer to 13,000 additional vehicles.
Vice President Riley says that the council should work with the DelDOT figure.
No vote will happen for at least 6 weeks while Council develops questions for DNREC, DelDOT and other agencies, then those entities respond and the public gets another chance to weigh in on those answers.
