Roosevelt Landing development gets extension in Lewes

Two recent developments are impacting progress on the proposed Roosevelt Landing subdivision in Lewes.

Mayor and city council approved a request July 8 from Pennoni & Associates engineers for a one-year extension on the final site plan. Developers had already exhausted two administration extensions, according to Mayor Andrew Williams.

The Lewes Planning Commission voted July 17 to modify a stormwater condition that it attached to the preliminary site-plan approval in 2022.

Developer RJL Associates had asked commissioners to drop the condition, claiming it was unreasonable and could even force them to start from square one with a new site plan.

The Sussex Conservation District approved the development’s stormwater management plan based on 38% lot coverage.

Commissioners unanimously voted to keep the condition, but require the stormwater infrastructure to provide conveyance for 65% coverage.

“This protects the long-term interests of the community and does not place undue burden on the applicants,” said Commissioner Rich Innes.

Commissioner Debra Evalds said the Roosevelt Landing project shows the need to fix a larger issue. “This points out a disconnect between the Sussex Conservation District and the City of Lewes’ interests,” she said.

Roosevelt Landing would be a major subdivision with eight single-family homes on 3.30 acres located at 660 Pilottown Road, the former site of Lewes Dairy.

Open space would be located on the canal side of Pilottown Road.

A required archeological study on the site was done in 2023. While it found artifacts from the 18th through 20th centuries, it did not uncover any trace of a 1631 Dutch fort that was rumored to have been located there.