Traffic, water concerns over proposed shopping center

Jan McMahon calls herself a ‘part-time resident’ of Lewes, living downtown on weekends and in the summertime.

McMahon and her husband are considering retiring in Lewes just few blocks away from what could become the future site of the Gills Neck Village Center; however, if it does get approved, McMahon says their plans may be in question.

“If we actually can’t get here and get out, there are other places to look,” says McMahon.

The shopping center was initially proposed in 2008 at 521,000 square feet and has since been scaled down to 75,000 square foot. It is being developed by J.G. Townsend, Jr. and Company. If approved, it would sit on 11.66 acres, right across from Cape Henlopen High School.

Despite revisions made in the past several years, the property in question has a long road ahead. It is currently listed as a residential district; however, developers are asking the Sussex County council to rezone it as a business district.

At a hearing Tuesday, Nick Hammonds, principal at Jack Lingo Asset Management called it a “first class project”. According to Hammonds, it would create an expected 200 construction-related jobs and 100 permanent jobs.

McMahon says she’s more concerned about the traffic it may bring.

“We already have a terrible traffic problem with the new library and the bike trail…the bike trail head and the library parking lot…it  has already brought in an incredible number of people into the neighborhoods and cut trough the neighborhoods,” She explains.

Not all residents share her concern. Jerry Mitchell’s farm borders King’s Highway and Gills Neck Road and tells 47ABC, he would welcome the new center.

“I’m fine with it, yeah I think it’s great,” Mitchell says.

While he acknowledges the center may bring traffic, he says it’s nothing new.

“This road has always been busy anyway but over the last 40 years, the one thing DelDot has really done is improve traffic conditions,” he tells 47ABC.

Another concern brought forth in the hearing Tuesday were water wells.

The town of Lewes voiced concerns about whether construction would endanger the town and county wells; however, an engineer with the project pointed out well heads located within the town, city of Rehoboth and owned and operated by Tidewater Utilities.

All of the wells reportedly comply with the county’s source water protection ordinance.

At the hearing, officials said the closest well to King’s Highway is located about 80 feet away and would also be in compliance.

The county council says they will likely not reach a decision Tuesday on whether they will approve to rezone the property from a residential to business. Instead, they would like time to consider everything that was presented.