Sussex P&Z delays votes on Vintners Reserve

The Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission delayed action on two applications for Vintners Reserve, a proposed 316-unit townhome development on 61 acres off Janice Road near Lewes.

Applicant Janice CRP3 LLC of Owings Mills, Md., is requesting an amendment to the county comprehensive plan future land-use map from the current commercial designation to coastal area, where residential development is permitted, and a rezoning from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to MR-RPC, medium-density residential planned community, which allows high-density residential development.

Commissioner Kim Hoey Stevenson said the parcel is better suited for commercial development than residential development.

She said the future land-use map was correct in its designation. “We are getting an influx of development with 50,000 unbuilt lots in the county, and the residents will need services. This is the right place for commercial,” she said, adding there has to be consideration for people who need services such as medical facilities.

“I'm not ready to make a motion,” she said. “I'd like to defer for further consideration.”

After some discussion, the commission unanimously voted to defer a vote to a future meeting.

Commission Chair Bob Wheatley said the property is bordered on two sides by residential development. “It's not situated directly on the highway. I'm not sure it would be that ideal of a commercial site,” he said.

Hoey Stevenson said the use of Janice Road will change to an arterial road as access to New Road and Lewes when the Route 1-Minos Conaway grade-separated interchange project is completed. “People will not have to cross Route 1 to get to Lewes with this service road,” she said. “This is the kind of thing we should have thought about 30 years ago.”

Assistant county attorney Vince Robertson said he would recirculate the plan for the Minos Conaway-Route 1 intersection improvements to commissioners for review.

She and Commissioner Holly Wingate said a mixed-use residential-commercial project would be better suited for the parcel.

County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse said mixed use is permitted in the C-4 commercial zoning district.

“But that's not what is front of us,” Wheatley said. “I'm not particularly opposed to it, but it doesn't sound like we have unanimity at this point.”

Commissioner Keller Hopkins said county officials should take a serious look at that parcel and all others northward along Route 1 as key residential development areas. “We have to get sprawl out from our county roads,” he said.

Owner of the property is AAA Storage Limited Partnership LLC. Dating back to the 1960s, a section of the parcel was used as a borrow pit for construction of Route 1.

The 61-acre parcel is located between Lewes Fire Department Station 2, Nassau Valley Vineyards and Whispering Pines manufactured home park.