Path connecting Lewes neighborhoods halfway done
The controversial path between Seagull and Sussex drives in Lewes is about half done. Mariners’ Retreat developer Randy Burton assured residents and the City of Lewes that the path would be completed by the Thanksgiving holiday after being alerted to potential noncompliance this past summer. However, weather conditions delayed completion of the Sussex Drive half of the path.
Initially constructed 5 feet wide and nestled between two private residences, the path was required to be constructed as multi-use and 10 feet wide. Burton initially pushed back on the requirement before agreeing to abide by conditions of approval and construct a 9.5-foot wide path. The condition said the path was to be constructed using the same materials and design methods as the internal path connecting the development’s two cul de sacs. The internal path remains at 5 feet and both Burton and the City of Lewes said it will not be widened. The asphalt path has signs stating that it is a walking path only.
Half of the connection between Seagull and Sussex Drive has already been widened, and Burton elected to use cement, which is a pricer material, for the Mariners’ Retreat side. The Highland Acres side will be paved with asphalt. As of Nov. 30, the unfinished half of the path has been widened, but it is not covered with asphalt. Burton said crews require a few days of no rain with temperatures at 45 degrees and rising in order to pour asphalt.
Townshend said there is no official deadline and that because the infrastructure is not yet complete, the city does not have authority to cite noncompliance.
Citizens for Transparency, a group of Lewes residents, has been asking the city since summer to hold a public forum to discuss what they say are changes to conditions of approval. The group feels strongly that both paths should be multi-use, regardless of the width, and that the connectivity requirement is legally binding. The group also believes the current condition of the path connecting Highland Acres to Mariner’s Retreat is unacceptable and dangerous for anyone utilizing it.
Members of Lewes committees have said connectivity is usually a public safety issue, as dead-end streets can be difficult for first responders to reach in times of emergencies. Initially, a connector road was proposed. Highland Acres residents, along with several others, opposed such a road due in part to the difficult conditions at the intersection of Savannah Road and Sussex Drive. In order to have connectivity, mayor and city council required multi-use paths to be constructed. Citizens for Transparency believes the law is clear and on their side regarding the issue.
The Dec. 8 mayor and city council workshop will be a chance for the group to discuss the issue with city officials. Townshend said there will be a presentation from the city explaining its logic regarding the development’s conditions of approval. No action is taken at workshops. Citizens for Transparency has organized a group to deliver its views, while Burton said he will also be in attendance and speak on the record. The workshop will be held at the Rollins Center, beginning at 9 a.m.
