Council approves permanent parking ban in front of Lewes brewery

Parking is now permanently banned on part of Savannah Road that includes the Lewes Brewing Company. But customers of the popular business will still be able to park across the street.

Lewes Mayor and City Council approved an ordinance banning parking at the Jan. 13 meeting. The vote was 3-2.

The permanent ban replaces the temporary no-parking measures installed in December.

Dave and Christine Jones, owners of the brewery, have been petitioning council to allow customers to continue to park in front of their business. They have said their 12-space parking lot is not big enough to handle the volume. They said they need all the legal parking that is available.

The Joneses said they are disappointed by the council’s decision.

“It’s a shame,” said Dave. “We spent so much money on curbing and sidewalks. You could park there, then it became an issue. They’ve turned this into a danger zone, and it’s not a danger zone.”

Approving the ordinance allows the city to put up no-parking signs and paint yellow curbs from Atlantic Drive to Drake Knoll heading into town and from Shields Avenue to just past Huling Cove heading west.

The ordinance does not cover the section of Savannah Road from Huling Cove to Donovans Road, because it is located outside city limits.

Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell said anyone who parks on the westbound side will not be ticketed by Lewes police. But, Mayor Andrew Williams said they are not encouraging people to park there.

A 13-foot-wide bike lane was painted on Savannah Road after the brewery was built. It ends at Drake Knoll, where cyclists are then forced into the travel lanes of Savannah Road.

Delaware law does not prohibit parking in bike lanes.

The corridor near the brewery has become a choke point that includes a crossing for the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail and an entrance for two developments, Dutchman’s Harvest and the proposed Overfall Preserve.

Councilpersons Amy Marasco, Tim Ritzert and Joe Elder voted in favor of the parking ban, citing the need for bike and pedestrian safety above all.

“All of the proposals we have looked at are all meeting the same goal to try and get it safe and to get DelDOT to engage with us and, in the long run, get this problem solved,” Elder said. “This seems to be the most prudent way to do it.”

Marasco offered a friendly amendment, calling for the city to contact the Delaware Department of Transportation to request an on-site meeting within six months to discuss a safety solution for the busy corridor.

“DelDOT needs to hear what we’re trying to accomplish in addition to parking, safe parking, and see if we can come up with a better approach to that section of the city,” Marasco said.

Williams and Deputy Mayor Khalil Salida voted against the ban.

Under the temporary ban, Williams said, three or four parking places were allowed in front of the brewery, which eased what he called a chaotic situation.

“It acts as a calming device, where you see there are cars parked. I’m entering a more urban setting, therefore, I ought to slow down,” he said.

Spell has said that, despite safety concerns, there has never been an accident reported on that part of Savannah Road. Additionally, the Lewes Fire Department told council that parking is not a hindrance to emergency vehicles.

“I don’t buy the argument that this is a dangerous place,” Saliba said. “I think we need to support the Lewes Brewing Company, just like Lloyd’s has parking in front and Honey’s does. It doesn’t seem like people are coming out of the woodwork complaining about a dangerous situation.”

Saliba said the city might need to reconsider parking on the length of Savannah Road and also on Cedar Street on the beach. 

“[Cedar] is a terrible place where car doors open if you’re biking on the road, because there’s no bike path,” he said.