Sussex council approves Savannah Road office
A doctor seeking to open an office on Savannah Road ran into some opposition from neighbors surrounding the property at 1510 Savannah Road at the intersection with Quaker Road.
However, the conditions imposed by Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission and Sussex County Council should address those issues.
Concerns from neighbors surfaced about extra office hours, an entrance on Quaker Road and the possibility of parking on the road and how the parking spaces are configured.
County officials reminded the residents that the proposed parking, and entrances and exits are Delaware Department of Transportation requirements.
The site plan for Atlantic Psych Associates, on an 11,700-square-foot parcel, includes an entrance from Quaker Road and exit onto Savannah Road, and 11 parking spaces, with rear spaces reserved for employees only.
Conditions imposed by the commission include installation of no-parking signs on Quaker Road and Savannah Road, one lighted sign not to exceed 32 square feet, maintaining a residential appearance and maintaining an existing fence in the rear of the property. An existing shed on the property can only be used for storage.
The applicant’s attorney, MacKenzie Peet, said the signs will be installed, and all renovations will be done on the interior of the building with a residential exterior.
Councilman Mark Schaeffer offered an amendment to the conditions to ensure that parking in the rear was for employees only, and that a barrier (such as shrubbery) and no-parking signs be installed along Savannah and Quaker roads with DelDOT approval. “All of this needs to be clearly shown on the site plan,” he said.
The council approved the amendment 5-0.
Opening a doctor’s office
Dr. Mary Vaughn, applicant and owner of Play It Safe Inc., had filed a conditional use for the property in order to open a professional office for her psychology practice. The application was approved 5-0 with an additional condition by Sussex County Council Aug. 13. It was also recommended for approval by Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission.
The building was formerly a child-care center.
Vaughn had operated her practice at 1518 Savannah Road but was in need of an upgraded office.
During public hearing testimony, Peet said there is a demand for professional office space in an area that is experiencing growth and development. She said county records show that 13 conditional-use applications have been approved – nine as offices – within a one-mile radius of the property.
Vaughn serves 1,000 clients with a maximum of four patients at any one time. Peet said traffic impact will be minimal, with an average of 55 clients a week coming to the office.
Office hours will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, with emergency hours as needed.
