Plans change for Zwaanendael Farm tract in Lewes

The Mitchell family, owners of a 52-acre parcel at the intersection of Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road in Lewes, have changed their plans for development of the land. Developer Henlopen Properties LLC of Owings Mills, Md., will make a new presentation on behalf of Zwaanendael Farms during the Wednesday, Dec. 15 Office of State Planning Coordination Preliminary Land Use Service meeting.

The new plan increases the number of housing units and reduces commercial square footage from the original plan reviewed Jan. 23, 2019, by state agencies.

The new proposal includes a proposed rezoning from AR-1, agricultural-residential, to MR-RPC, medium-density residential, residential planned community, and C-3 commercial for the entire parcel, with a mix of 267 residential units – 114 duplexes and 153 townhouses – and 43,200 square feet of commercial space. The original proposal included 102 housing units and 201,000 square feet of commercial and office space.

The preliminary site plan includes a pool, community center, playground and sports courts.

According to the PLUS application, at buildout, the development would generate 4,914 vehicle trips per day; a trip includes an entrance and exit.

The PLUS meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 15, in Room 113 of the Haslet Armory, 122 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. Online access is available at publicmeetings.delaware.gov. The Zwaanendael Farm review is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Developers must first go through the PLUS process before they can file land-use applications. State agencies provide comments on applications followed by responses to the comments by the developer. County officials use PLUS reviews in their deliberation on applications.

Eight acres of the original tract have already been sold. A 3-acre portion of the property at the intersection is offices for Cape Henlopen Medical Center. The Moorings of Lewes purchased a 5-acre tract for future expansion.

The Zwaanendael Farm has been in operation since 1947 and was in a Delaware Agricultural Preservation District for a 10-year period until April 2013. It is also a Delaware Century Farm.

See the PLUS application at: stateplanning.delaware.gov/plus/projects/2021/2021-12-05.pdf.