County council approves smaller footprint for Mulberry Knoll Road convenience store
Sussex County Council made quick work of approving a change to a proposed convenience store with fuel pumps during its Aug. 27 regular meeting.
The facility was already approved by council about a year ago and is slated to be built at the corner of Route 24 and Mulberry Knoll Road, next to Beacon Middle School.
Plans, however, changed to eliminate 12,000 square feet of office space while adding 915 square feet to the convenience store.
Planning and zoning unanimously approved the decrease in square footage in July, and council followed suit. There were no questions by council or the public during the hearing.
Roadwork part of plan
In an earlier meeting, Zach Crouch, an engineer with Davis, Bowen & Friedel, said the commercial project did not qualify for participation in the Henlopen Transportation Improvement District.
The developer was required to conduct a traffic-impact study and contribute funds for road improvements at the intersection. A new traffic signal was put into operation July 7, 2023.
The plan includes right-in, right-out access along Route 24 and a full-access entrance/exit along Mulberry Knoll Road. Traffic counts from 2019 show average daily traffic of 19,793 vehicles along Route 24 and 517 vehicles along Mulberry Knoll Road.
The Delaware Department of Transportation will require the developer to improve the road frontage along Mulberry Knoll Road with a southbound through lane and turn lane at the site access. The left-turn lane from Mulberry Knoll Road to Route 24 is required to be lengthened 40 feet. A DART bus stop will be provided along Route 24.
According to the site plan, the convenience store will be in the front of the property, set back 200 feet from Route 24, and a fence and pathway will be along the border with Beacon Middle School.
