Design guidelines next on Lewes byway agenda

The Historic Lewes Byway Committee is in the process of writing voluntary design guidelines for landscaping and building appearance for byway property owners and businesses. And the committee wants support from Sussex County Council.

“There is nothing mandated. We wish to work with property owners on a voluntary basis. Our goal is preserve, conserve and enhance the character of the Lewes byway,” said committee member Russ Tatman.

In his Aug. 21 presentation to Sussex County Council, Tatman reinforced the role the county plays in the process. He said half of the byway falls within county jurisdiction.

Tatman said he's asking county council to eventually endorse the guidelines like it endorsed the corridor management plan in 2016.

Among the six roads that make up the byway, Pilottown Road and Cape Henlopen Drive are within Lewes city limits, while New Road, Savannah Road, Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road have portions in city limits and in the county.

Tatman said there are two recent examples illustrating the county's role in the byway.

“When you ride down Gills Neck Road, you are not aware of the hundreds of homes that are there,” Tatman said. “You have worked hard with the developers to provide setbacks for their buildings, and worked hard with them to get landscaping.”

In addition, he said, homeowners' associations have done a great job maintaining landscaping.

Another example, Tatman said, is Big Oyster Brewery, a project approved by county officials on Kings Highway. “There we had a property owner who recognized the byway and provided something that is very well fitting. County council made that happen for us,” he said.

The Station on Kings, a project in city limits, has also designed its building and landscaping to enhance the byway, he said. “We have had two property owners – one in the county and one in the city – who have recognized what's happening on the byway. We were not involved in it as a byway committee. They just did it; that's what we want to have happen as we move forward.”

“I'm not sure we had anything to do with Gills Neck Road,” said Sussex County Councilman I.G. Burton, R-Lewes. “I think the developers did that. They gave up land for beautification. It was their undertaking and their money.”

“You have played role just as county council with more impact than you realize,” Tatman responded.

Burton questioned Tatman about Savannah Road, an area he doesn't see a lot of landscaping to enhance the byway.

Tatman agreed there could be some improvement and the road is one of the areas the committee intends to concentrate on. He said the committee plans to meet with applicants who have filed recent conditional-use applications for medical offices on Savannah Road.

Tatman said the committee is also focused on proposed residential development along New Road.

“It presents a tremendous challenge and a tremendous opportunity for both the byway committee and the county council to really get a vision of what New Road can be,” Tatman said.

Burton: What's the county's role?

Burton asked what the council's endorsement would entail.

Tatman said the committee would like a county representative to attend meetings with property owners to discuss design guidelines. “But you don't have to,” he said.

In addition, the committee would like a county representative to sign a letter along with a city representative going out to property owners along the byway defining the benefits of the byway.

Tatman reemphasized the guidelines will not be mandates or new regulations or impact property rights or change property lines, rights of way or easement lines. “We will work on a basis of recommendations, working with individual property owners to enhance the byway. If a property owner says we are keeping it the way it is, we will recognize and accept that,” he said.

Committee has eight-step plan

The committee is enlisting help from local architects and landscape architects to start development of the guidelines, and is in the process of seeking funding to write the actual document.

Tatman said the committee has an eight-step plan:

• Send letters and byway brochure to property owners informing them about the byway

• Send letters to realtors, design professionals, developers and contractors to encourage them to assist in maintaining the character of the byway

• Plan a public workshop to gain input and answer questions about the byway

• Recognize good design on the byway

• Develop a new byway website

• Begin a media blitz to inform residents about the byway

• Schedule meetings with major byway property owners

• Send invitations to businesses and developers to join a design guidelines subcommittee