Armada planned for Harmons Hill Road
It seems like in the blink of an eye, the place to buy a new home is the west end of Harmons Hill Road. Most people have no idea where the road is.
But, one subdivision is complete, two subdivisions are underway and a third is proposed along the one-mile road off Route 5 (Indian Mission Road) at the four-way stop just past the Independence community.
During its April 20 meeting, Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission heard plans for Armada, a 67-lot single-family home cluster subdivision on 47 acres on the south side of Harmons Hill Road, one mile west of Route 5.
If approved, the subdivision would be one of three side-by-side communities along with Wetherby (126 lots) and Liberty East and West (295 lots).
The community would have its access point to link up with the entrance to Independence.
Although residents of Independence did not oppose the project, the homeowners association requested that a broader scope of up-to-date traffic data along Harmons Hill Road and the surrounding area is needed that includes all existing and proposed subdivisions.
About the subdivision
Attorney David Hutt, making the presentation during the public hearing on behalf of Grayway Developers, said the parcel is zoned AR-1, agricultural-residential, which is a low-density area on the county's future land-use map where single-family home lots are permitted.
The community would have a 30-foot forested buffer around the perimeter, which would add to a 30-foot buffer along the adjacent Wetherby subdivision, which has site work underway.
Hutt said 15 acres of a 27-acre tract of woods on the property would be preserved. The property contains a 150-foot easement for a Delmarva Power utility line.
A section of Phillip's Branch non-tidal wetlands on the fringes of the eastern and southern boundaries of the property would be protected by a 30-foot buffer with no lots within at least 150 feet of the area – most lots more than 400 feet away, Hutt said.
Sidewalks would be provided on one side of all interior streets and a 2,900-foot walking trail would connect to natural areas and a network of trails. Water would be provided by the Artesian Water Co. and sewer services by the Artesian Wastewater Co.
DelDOT has determined that the proposed project would generate 719 vehicle trips per day. Although DelDOT recommended that a traffic-impact study be conducted, officials also offered the option of payment to an area-wide traffic study of $10 per trip or $7,190.
The average daily traffic volume on Harmons Hill Road is 3,478 vehicles per day.
Hutt said the developer would pay funds to DelDOT's area-wide traffic study fund. The project would require improvements with 12-foot travel lanes and 8-foot shoulders to Harmons Hill Road along the frontage of the parcel, and the community's entrance would align with the Independence community entrance and would become a four-way stop intersection.
The developer may be required to contribute funds to two off-site road improvement projects, including a traffic signal at the Harmons Hill-Indian Mission-Phillips Branch roads intersection and a roundabout at the Harmons Hill-Hollyville-Zoar roads intersection.
After the hearing, the commission deferred a vote to a future meeting.
AREA SUBDIVISIONS
Independence – 461 lots
Pelican Point – 352 lots
Wetherby – 126 lots
Liberty East and West – 295 lots
Armada (proposed) – 67 lots
