Sussex County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse directed Becker Morgan Group to submit a revised site plan for Belle Mead and to submit all required materials no later than the close of business March 11. I believe it is extremely unlikely they will be able to do so based on the long list of materials required.
In fact, Whitehouse gave them 2 additional days to submit the required documents. The county's rules of procedure of the planning & zoning commission state in Rule 15.3.1 that all site-plan documents and revisions shall be submitted not later than 10 days prior to the scheduled hearing, which would have been March 9. This allotted time before the hearing allows not only the commissioners, but also the public to be prepared for the hearing. On March 11, I sent a request to Whitehouse on behalf of the Route 24 Alliance and other interested residents that if the deadline is not met, the hearing should be rescheduled until after those materials are received.
The number of requested materials is substantial. See connect.sussexcountyde.gov/PublicAccess-NextGen/api/document/102031. They include all setback requirements on the the site plan; the location and nature of all proposed construction, excavation or grading including building, streets and utilities; the number of construction phases, and the proposed completion dates; the extent, timing and estimated costs of off-site improvements such as roads is required.
The traffic impact study for Belle Mead requires the developer to expand Route 24 to two lanes in both directions along the frontage of the property; to create a signalized intersection at Lexington Avenue and to expand that intersection from four lanes to eight lanes. This is a very significant component of this application. The expansion of Route 24 to eight lanes at that intersection may affect building setbacks that must be noted on the preliminary site plan. Since the TIS requires these improvements, those road improvements should be included on the preliminary site plan.
This proposed C-4 development would add 6,800 daily vehicle trips to Route 24. The DelDOT traffic summary from 2022 noted in the TIS states that Route 24 has 18,591 vehicles per day. This would increase the traffic load on Route 24 by 37%! And right next to two schools! Please write your comments to P&Z by Tuesday, March 18, at connect.sussexcountyde.gov/PublicDocket/#/details/CZ%25202001.
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