Freeman soliciting comments for proposed project

Carl M. Freeman Companies is taking a unique step by soliciting comments via a website on a proposed housing and commercial complex off Route 9 between Lewes and Harbeson before the project is scheduled for public hearings before Sussex County Council and Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission.

The company has plans to develop the Cool Spring complex on a 539-acre parcel which encompasses both sides of Log Cabin Hill Road and Cool Spring Road, and the east side of Hudson Road.

According to the website, “Carl M. Freeman Companies development team is looking forward to creating a vibrant new master planned development. The proposed Cool Spring community. It is a place that celebrates the region’s coastal culture and agricultural history while promoting a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle for future generations.”

Included in the plans are 2,000 residential units, 77,100 square feet of commercial space and 86,000 square feet of mixed residential and commercial space.

A conceptual plan, filed with state planners, includes a 60,000-square-foot YMCA, 40,000-square-foot grocery store, 12,000-square-foot clubhouse, and 14,000-square-foot hotel with another 37,100 square feet of mixed residential and office space. Apartments, rentals, townhomes, single-family homes, duplexes and villas are planned.

The mission posted on the website is: “To create a remarkable community reflective of the spirit of Delaware’s coastal plains. Cool Spring will provide the ideal environment for residents to live healthy and fulfilling lives through meaningful connections with family, community, and nature. Drawing on the region’s historical legacy and the site’s agricultural heritage, Cool Spring offers a tight-knit community enriched by its natural setting and an energetic, social lifestyle. Here, outdoor amenities and open spaces offer places for people to revitalize in nature.

“Thoughtfully designed to bring people together, Cool Spring offers opportunities to build true relationships in the community through dynamic programing and events. A mix of recreation, entertainment, peace and comfort, Cool Spring offers everyone the chance to belong to a great place.”

Rezoning will be required

The developer will eventually have to file for a rezoning from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to MR-RPC, medium-density residential planned community, with Sussex County. No public hearings have been scheduled to date.

The parcel includes 181 acres of woodlands and 30 acres of non-tidal wetlands. According to the developer's PLUS application, 83 acres of woods will be cut down. Open space, including parks, green spaces, woods and wetlands, totals 134 acres, or 25 percent of the site.

If approved and built out, the project would generate 32,293 vehicle trips on an average weekday.

For more information, updates or to comment, go to Coolspring.info.