Beebe Healthcare seeks rezoning of 20-acre parcel
Beebe Healthcare officials plan to provide more medical services near Route 1 and the Rehoboth Beach area.
The first step is to rezone a 20-acre parcel from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to the county's new I-1 institutional district on the east side of Warrington Road near the Route 24 intersection.
At its Aug. 23 meeting, Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the application to county council. Council will have a public hearing at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 11, in the county administration building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown.
The rezoning application was presented during the commission's Aug. 9 meeting. Robert Gibbs, representing the applicant, said final plans for the site are not complete, but plans would likely include a surgical center and provide more than 100 jobs.
The property is adjacent to the Route 24 Beebe Medical Arts Building, Tunell Cancer Center and walk-in clinic. A connecting road would be provided between the two parcels.
Access to the parcel would be from Warrington Road. State transportation officials have planned a major road improvement project along Route 24 that is scheduled to start in 2020. Included in the project are Route 24-Plantation Road-Warrington Road intersection improvements, two additional travel lanes on Route 24 from Mulberry Knoll Road to Route 1, a center lane, sidewalks and additional turn lanes.
Kathleen Baker, who lives in nearby Sterling Crossing, said residents want more information about issues such as building height, lighting, buffers, sound pollution and access. “We have more questions,” she said. “We would like to have a relationship with Beebe.”
“It all will be addressed, but not at this point,” said Commission Chairman Bob Wheatley. “This is a change of zone only. A lot of your questions are particular to the site plan governed by ordinances. Your questions will be answered by the site plan.”
If the application is approved, Beebe would be required to submit a site plan for review by the planning and zoning commission, but without public comment.
“I understand we have no legal obligation to any information, but we will keep an eye out,” Baker said.
