Angola Royal Farms plan withdrawn

A controversial Royal Farms gas station and convenience store proposed at the intersection of Angola Road and Route 24 is now off the table, Sussex County officials confirmed.

Two Farms Inc. (Royal Farms) had filed the conditional-use application for a 4,709-square-foot store with gas pumps at 22357 John J. Williams Hwy. 

A scheduled April 24 public hearing before the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission on the application was postponed because Delaware Department of Transportation had not provided a written response to the applicant’s traffic-impact study.

DelDOT Director of Community Relations Charles “C.R.” McLeod said Sept. 5 the traffic-impact study was not finalized by the department before the conditional-use application was withdrawn.

A certified letter sent to property owner Dick Ennis from Royal Farms July 1 stated that Two Farms had terminated its contract with Ennis “for purchaser’s inability to obtain permits and approvals for its intended use.”

Sussex County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse said he received an email Sept. 5 from the applicant’s attorney requesting to withdraw its conditional-use application, CU-2360. 

History of the parcel

The parcel has a history of denied applications. In 2018, county council denied a rezoning from AR-1 to C-3, and in January 2020, council denied a conditional use for a 7-Eleven convenience store, although the planning & zoning commission had recommended approval.

Residents voiced opposition to the conditional use, leading Eul Lee to launch the grassroots organization Sussex 2030 to inform citizens about county land-use issues and circulate a petition protesting the application. 

Most residential concerns about 7-Eleven were the same as those for Royal Farms, including traffic volume along Route 24 and that specific intersection, potential negative impacts on the wellhead protection area, and the store fitting into the character of the residential area.

Additionally, Lee said the egress/ingress on Angola is within the functional area of the busy intersection, and the traffic pattern would be greatly disturbed by a store and gas station.  

“The Angola area cannot afford to have any business generating heavy traffic, and is open 24/7/365, and may contaminate the area’s drinking water source or Sarah Run that runs into Rehoboth Bay,” she said.

Sussex 2030 member Judy Kane expressed cautious optimism.

“We’re pleased, but we’ll stay vigilant,” Kane said. “If anything happens again on that corner that we don’t feel is in the best interest of the residents, we will mobilize and do our research again, and hopefully have the same kind of outcome.”

Sussex Preservation Coalition President Jill Hicks said she was glad to hear the news.

“The coalition is very pleased that Mr. Ennis has decided to move forward with something better suited for that location, its current zoning and the surrounding community, as well as the natural resources in the area,” Hicks said.

Royal Farms had previously mounted a campaign to solicit support for the project. The angolarofo.com website is no longer active. An Angola ROFO Facebook page has not been updated since March 25, and a phone number listed on the site goes to a voicemail box for Sussex Septic.

By phone Sept. 5, Ennis said he decided June 30 not to proceed with the sale to Royal Farms.

“I decided to pull it because it’s not right; it’s the wrong timing,” he said. “Royal Farms said they wanted more time. I said no.”

Customers also played a hand in changing his mind, he said, as many thought the current roadwork that has closed the corner of Route 24 to Angola Road is because Royal Farms is taking over the location. Due to construction, his business can now only be accessed from Route 24, he said.

“I want people to know we’re not going out of business, and we’re actually expanding,” Ennis said, noting he has purchased several acres in the vicinity and is looking to buy more land locally. 

Ennis’ brother and coworker Chris said his brother may sell at some time, but not now, as the proposed sale was interfering with his current business. Many people opposed the project, Chris said.