Developers want to build subdivision in Lewes

By MOLLY MURRAY, The News Journal

Posted Friday, March 7, 2008
Showfield, the proposed 607-home development at the Lewes city line, will be built whether or not the city decides to annex the property, zone it and approve the subdivision, said Douglas Marshall, the attorney for the developers, at a public hearing Thursday night.

Marshall said from the start, Showfield LLC, Sephora J LLC and Hazell Smith wanted the project to be within the city.

"There are literally millions and millions of dollars the city could receive," Marshall said, pointing to impact fees, real estate transfer taxes and property taxes. If annexation and approval doesn't happen, "they will develop it in the county," he said.

Under that scenario, Showfield could grow to 922 lots. Still, some city residents said Thursday they had concerns about the proposal, ranging from the traffic impact on the city to worries that the subdivision would not fit the small-town, historic character of Delaware's "first town."

David L. Greer, with the group Managing Growth Around Lewes, urged city officials to require that land around White's Pond be set aside for a future city park, require neighborhood shopping to serve the development and to incorporate biking and walking links to the city.

Greer's proposal was handed out prior to the start of the public hearing.

When the developers' land use consultant presented their revised site plan, it already included a network of public access parks with a greenway and trail around White's Pond. Including the pond, parks and open space would cover about 90 acres of the 231-acre site.

Element, the developers' land use consultant, also increased the number of single-family homes to 306 and reduced the number of multi-family homes to 301.

Matthew J. Peterson brought photographs taken throughout the city to show what the consultants had in mind, from homes with courtyards to houses that fronted tree-lined streets. Peterson said they also intend to incorporate Lewes' Historic Preservation Ordinance into their architectural standards.

Two architecturally significant barns will be preserved and incorporated into the development. One barn will be used as a community center and meeting area. The other will be a fitness center.

Gills Neck Road and Freeman Highway bound the 231 acres. To proceed with the plan, the developers need three things: annexation into the city limits, zoning and approval of the proposed site plan.

City Council must act on the first two requests. The city's Planning Commission has final say on the subdivision plan.

Lewes Mayor James Ford said Thursday night's hearing record would remain open until the close of business on April 7. At that point, the Planning Commission must act within 90 days, Ford said. City Council is not under a deadline to act.

The proposed development is the largest the city has considered in a decade. The property, once owned by former Lewes Mayor Otis Smith, includes 91 acres that are already in the city limits. Showfield is seeking to have the remaining 140 acres annexed into the city limits. Marshall praised the developers for presenting the "best development plan rather than the maximum number of units."

City Councilwoman Barbara Vaughn asked the developers if they had considered a commercial element in the project and pointed out that under the proposed zoning classification two commercial uses would be allowed, and said it would be nice if residents had a nearby place where they could buy a newspaper.

Rodney Cunningham, who grew up next to the Showfield site, asked city officials and the developer to provide more of a buffer between the proposed walking trail around White's Pond. Cunningham's parents already have city approval for 10 building lots, he said.

John Mayteko, with Managing Growth Around Lewes, said he was concerned because citizens didn't have access to the revised plans prior to Thursday'shearing.

Mayteko said the project is complex and the public needs time to review it.