I grew up in Coolspring off Route 9 between Georgetown, Milton and Lewes. I am a graduate of Cape Henlopen High School. I spent a lot of my formative years in Milton and Lewes. I moved away over 30 years ago, but since I still have family who live in the area, I come back to visit and go to the beach. Every time I come back to visit I notice dramatic changes to the area. Some of the changes appear to be good, but a lot are not good. The rate and the way that the beach area is changing is terrible. There is a pop-up McMansion on every corner, in every farm field and near every marsh.
Visitors come to the area because they fall in love with the quaintness of Lewes, Milton, Rehoboth and Bethany. Now it seems like too much. I bet there are very few people who were actually born and raised in Sussex County who live in the most recent developments. They can’t afford it. There aren’t any jobs in the area that can really support local people buying houses nearby. All the local people are being pushed out. Coolspring is being overrun with new development. Coolspring used to be a predominantly African-American area. Now McMansions are running people out of those areas (rural gentification). Belltown folks are going to be run out of their area that used to be predominantly African-American. The same thing with Pinetown, Jimtown and Rabbit’s Ferry. West Rehoboth is now full of mostly condos that the local people can’t afford. In addition, Milton is beginning to be converted by small-town gentrification.
Has any thought been given to the order and the way the area is being developed? The roads can’t support all the traffic. Is there enough water for all the development? What’s the environmental impact? The aesthetics of the area? The area looks terrible, junky and messy. There is no order to the development. The building codes and rules need to be reevaluated. From Five Points to Dewey looks overrun, with someone trying to sell some of the same T-shirts. It appears to me like a money grab for folks that have the money to grab.
Rehoboth’s Boardwalk is a crowded space of chaos. Most locals I talk to try not to go to Rehoboth because of the traffic and parking issues.
To all those who are supposed to be looking out for the benefit of the area, please think deeply about what’s happening. It’s not good, trust me. Pause all new construction and reevaluate whatever plan you have. Save the beauty of the area.
Craig Brittingham
Milwaukee by way of Coolspring