Leeward Chase complex plans approved
Plans for Leeward Chase have been approved 4-0 by the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission.
At its Feb. 23 meeting, the commission also approved an amendment to the county future land-use map from commercial area to developing area to allow for residential development.
Leeward Chase, with 106 multifamily units, will be located on 51 acres on the south side of Route 9 near the Sand Hill Road-Airport Road intersection east of Georgetown.
Developer Leeward Chase DE LLC plans to offer the units as affordable rentals.
“This is a new trend – building to rent – because of affordable housing issues,” said Jim Fuqua, the developer's attorney, during a public hearing. “The developer would own the land and be responsible for all maintenance, repairs and management. It's based on the need for more affordable housing in the Georgetown area and for those working in the Lewes-Rehoboth area.”
Three-bedroom units would rent for $1,700 to $1,800 per month and two-bedroom units for $1,375 to $1,400 per month.
The developer has also filed a conditional-use application for multifamily housing, and is requesting to purchase five additional units through the county's bonus density program at $15,000 per unit.
The property is adjacent to Sports at the Beach and near Delaware Coastal Airport, with a mix of residential and commercial development along Route 9. A rail line and a future expansion of the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail border the southern section of the parcel.
Leeward Chase plans
Central sewer will be provided by Sussex County, with water from Tidewater Utilities.
Wooded sections, with 17.5 acres of nontidal wetlands, would remain undisturbed except for a road and trail crossing in the center of the parcel; the crossings will be in compliance with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations. A minimum 30-foot buffer will be adjacent to all wetland areas.
Because Route 9 has already been improved, the developer will not be required to make road improvements along the raodway, but will be required to contribute funding to a Delaware Department of Transportation area-wide study fee. A 10-foot shared-use path will be constructed along the community's Route 9 frontage.
Jennifer Cinelli-Miller, DelDOT transportation planner for Sussex County, said a Route 9 Coastal Corridors study is underway, with a final report expected in late summer or early fall. “This developer may have to adhere to any recommendations from the study,” she said.
Sidewalks will be provided on both sides of all streets and will connect to the shared-use path in two locations.
Amenities include a pool, bathhouse with meeting room and storage, and an interior trail connecting to the recreation area and the Lewes-to-Georgetown Trail, if permitted by DelDOT.
There will be a 75-foot vegetated buffer along Route 9 and a 20-foot landscaped buffer along the boundary of the property, which would contain 36 acres (70%) of open space.
