Lewes byway plan nears completion

The Lewes Historic and Scenic Byway Committee submitted a draft Corridor Management Plan to mayor and city council for approval, as the planning process nears completion.

The goal of the byway is to preserve and enhance significant and historic resources along the designated byway. When adopted, the byway committee will have a say in the planning process of any development that may occur along the byway. Chair Gail van Gilder says the committee will encourage design features to preserve the byway.

“It's a guide and a vision for how we would like to see Lewes develop in the future,” she said.

Lewes' byway is designated as Savannah Road, Kings Highway, Gills Neck Road, New Road, Cape Henlopen Drive and Pilottown Road.

While the plan is not a regulatory document, Department of Transportation Planning Supervisor Ann Gravatt says the state treats it as such. DelDOT considers corridor management plans as policy documents because they are developed at the grassroots level by passionate citizens, she said.

Those citizens, she said, want to preserve the quality and intrinsic value of the areas in which they live.

“It's worth preserving, protecting and enhancing,” she said.

The committee has been working on the byway for several years. In that time, it has achieved official recognition of the byway by DelDOT, and the group is now working toward endorsements of the plan from Lewes Mayor and City Council and Sussex County Council.

Jim Klein, a byway consultant hired to work with the committee, said each road along the byway is different and, goals vary for each piece.

One of the hot-button issues among Lewes residents in recent years has been the development of Gills Neck Road. The plan recognizes that growth is occurring and outlines ways to guide land use to preserve its character, specifically the less developed northern part of the road. A master plan for Gills Neck Road and Kings Highway is in the pipeline, Klein said.

In already developed areas of town, like Savannah Road, the plan calls for enhancement through restoration of the character-defining features of historic Lewes.

The plan also details ways to combat growing transportation issues. One way is to promote alternative modes of transportation, whether through bus service or more trails and paths. The plan recommends a bike and pedestrian path from the Freeman Bridge to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and then to Cape Henlopen State Park. It also says the area would benefit from a trail along New Road, connecting Park Road near the University of Delaware to Old Orchard Road. Several improvements along the way could enhance the corridor, Klein said.

Along Pilottown Road, the committee recommends extension of the Lewes Maritime History Trail to the former site of the Green Hill Light. A boardwalk to the site along the marsh could also tell the story of the Great Marsh and provide a great location for birders.

Lewes council stopped short of endorsing the plan at its Sept. 14 meeting, but council members voiced support for the committee and the plan. It is expected to reappear on council's October or November agenda.

Van Gilder said efforts are ongoing to gain approval from Sussex County Council. She said a presentation has already been made to council and county administration. She also plans to present the plan to the planning and zoning commission.

Once approval is received from both councils, van Gilder said, she plans to set up a joint committee with representatives from both the city and county to begin implementation.

DelDOT will hold a public meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29, at the DNREC Field Office at the end of Pilottown Road. The purpose of the meeting is to gather public input on proposed planning efforts. A second meeting will be held at a later date to present concept plans.