Royal Farms hearings are postponed

Scheduled public hearings for a conditional-use application for a Royal Farms convenience store at the intersection of Route 24 and Angola Road have been postponed. The hearings had been scheduled for April 24 before Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission and June 4 before Sussex County Council.

According to Sussex County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse, he was notified March 27 by the Delaware Department of Transportation that the written response to the applicant’s traffic-impact study was not ready. 

“New hearing dates will be selected once this document is submitted,” he said.

A conditional use must be sought because the proposed use is not permitted in AR-1, agricultural-residential, zoning.

Royal Farms has scheduled a community meeting for 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 9, at Lewes library. The meeting is still listed on the company’s website.

Two Farms Inc. (Royal Farms) has filed a conditional-use application for a 4,709-square-foot convenience store with gas pumps. The land is the current location of Dick Ennis Marine Services & Home Builders at 22357 John J. Williams Hwy. (Route 24).

Battle lines have been drawn, as those opposed to the application are actively soliciting residents to take a stand. Royal Farms is also reaching out to solicit support for the application.

Both side have online petitions circulating.

The opposition website is sites.google.com/view/Sussex2030/site-content.

The Royal Farms website is angolarofo.com.