41 homes planned near Camp Arrowhead Road
The Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission heard plans for Suncrest, a new cluster subdivision near Camp Arrowhead Road, during its Dec. 15 meeting.
WV3 LLC has proposed building 41 single-family home lots on an 18-acre parcel along the south side of Waterview Road, 500 feet east of the Camp Arrowhead Road intersection.
Included in the plans are eight acres of open space, a 30-foot vegetated perimeter buffer, sidewalks on both sides of all streets, and an amenities area with a pool and pool house.
Representing the developers, attorney Blake Carey said no trees will be removed during construction. In addition, he said, the developers are requesting a density bonus for five additional lots at a cost of $100,000, which, he said, is allowable in cluster subdivisions in the coastal area, which is considered a growth area in the county comprehensive plan. Central sewer would be provided by Sussex Water and central water by Tidewater Utilities.
The developer will be required to contribute financially to the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District, provide an entrance off Waterview Road to the proposed community, a shared-use path along the frontage and improve the road frontage along the property with 11-foot travel lanes and 5-foot shoulders.
The proposed development is in close proximity to the Marsh Farm Estates and Marsh Farm subdivisions.
The cluster option
During public testimony, Victor Letonoff, who lives along Camp Arrowhead Road, said he moved from Rehoboth Beach to escape the crowds, cluster and noise. “Now, it's constant traffic, constant construction traffic and road work,” he said. “There is endless development.”
He asked the commission to consider the impacts of cluster development. He said many homes in the area are on larger lots of at least three-quarters of an acre.
Most developers building in Sussex County choose the cluster option, which allows for smaller lots if certain criteria are met. On land served by central sewer service, developers can build on 7,500-square-foot lots using the cluster option instead of 20,000-square-foot lots for standard subdivisions in AR-1 zoning. Because of the advantages of smaller lots, nearly all subdivisions over the past decade have been constructed using the cluster option.
Superior-design requirements include buffers from wetlands, tidal water, farm areas and adjacent residential areas, as well as 30% contiguous open space, sidewalks on at least one side of all streets, and preservation of scenic views and natural and historic resources. Homes must be clustered on the least environmentally sensitive areas of a parcel.
Developers are required to submit a report outlining lands to be preserved, developable areas, roads and trails, and where lots are located.
“Just because it's allowed doesn't mean it has to be done,” Letonoff said. “Go back to three-quarter-acre lots. Put the brakes on cluster development.”
Commissioner Kim Hoey Stevenson said there are no regulations dictating the use of three-quarter-acre lots.
“So what you are saying is more cluster development is a possibility?” Letonoff asked.
“If there is water and sewer available, it's a possibility,” Hoey Stevenson answered.
Sam Mills, who is the second generation in his family to live along Waterview Road, said he has three concerns: a decrease in the water table, increased traffic on Waterview Road and loss of habitat for wildlife. “This development is too narrow and too dense,” he said.
Commissioners deferred a decision to a future meeting.
