County council approves rezoning for Waves car wash on Route 24

Sussex County Council voted 4-1 Sept. 17, to approve a rezoning request for a parcel of land at the intersection of Route 24 and Warrington Road between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, changing the zoning from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to heavy commercial for a new Waves car wash.

Councilman John Rieley was the sole dissenting voice, saying he would be more comfortable with a conditional use instead of taking the 1.58-acre lot out of AR-1 and rezoning it to C-3, a heavy commercial district under the county’s comprehensive plan.

“What this would do is open the gate to commercial-type developments crossing over into the AR-1 section, which is currently AR-1, and I would hope would remain AR-1 for future housing,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Turner Group, which already owns a Waves car wash in Lewes, attorney Tom Carney said the rezoning is in keeping with other retail, business and hospital services in the area.

“This is going to be a second location here in Sussex County,” he said.