Mitchell’s Corner clears final hurdle

The final site plan for Mitchell’s Corner in Lewes has been approved.

At its Aug. 21 meeting, the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5-0 to enact the plan, but not without a failed motion prior to the vote.

Commissioner Gregory Scott Collins said he was concerned about the landscaping plan for the frontage of the property along Kings Highway.

State transportation officials have a $23 million project planned to widen Kings Highway to four lanes along about half of the highway and improve all intersections from Dartmouth Drive to the split at Freeman Highway.

“It appears the widening project is not as coordinated as expected with DelDOT,” he said.

A condition of approval is that the developer must have a landscape plan along the frontage in agreement with Historic Lewes Scenic Byway master plan and Delaware Department of Transportation officials.

Kings Highway is one of the roadways included in the master plan.

Ring Lardner, the developer’s engineer, was present during the meeting. He said there is not a written agreement for a landscape plan as of now.

“We’ve met with the byways committee, but we need DelDOT to advance their plan. They are no further along than they were two years ago,” he said.

He said it would not be prudent for developer Henlopen Properties LLC to put in landscaping and have to come back and rip it out.

Collins made a motion to defer to obtain more information from DelDOT. That motion was defeated 3-2; he then made a motion for approval of the site plan.

About the plan

Mitchell’s Corner includes 260 housing units – 112 duplexes and 148 townhomes – on a 44-acre parcel near the intersection of Kings Highway and Gills Neck Road. A 3-acre site near the intersection has been rezoned to commercial for a three-story, 42,300-square-foot office building.

The community center/clubhouse, pool and sports courts must be completed on or before the issuance of the 125th building permit, and the dog park completed by the issuance of the 150th permit.

A 20-foot landscaped buffer is required along the perimeter adjacent to Bay Breeze Estates, Jefferson Apartments and The Moorings at Lewes. Sidewalks are planned for both sides of all streets.

Existing Mitchell family buildings will be documented through an archeological study prior to demolition.

The project required two rezonings, AR-1 agricultural-residential to C-2 commercial medium commercial for the office complex, and from AR-1 to MR medium-density residential for high-density housing.

A conditional-use application for 267 multifamily housing units and a subdivision application were also approved.

Road improvements

Many of the key elements of the project revolve around road improvements – those pending and those moving toward construction.

Included in DelDOT’s Kings Highway plans are five roundabouts at five intersections, with no traffic signals. The project is scheduled to get underway in fiscal year 2026, starting with a year of utility relocations and then two years of actual construction.

Mitchell’s Corner will have two entrances: on Gills Neck Road directly across from the entrance to the yet-to-be built Village Center Cottages, and along Kings Highway, which includes a new intersection and roundabout shared with The Lodge at Historic Lewes.

Since the proposed Mitchell's Corner project would be impacted by the Kings Highway project, the developer has plans for interim road improvements before the DelDOT project gets underway.

Some could be incorporated into the project and others would be replaced.

In previous testimony, Larnder said, “We will coordinate with DelDOT during the whole process and provide landscaping within the shared-use path in coordination with the Historic Lewes Byway Committee. DelDOT will dictate how much area is available for a buffer and landscaping.”

Interim road work

Interim improvements funded by the developer on the final site plan include:

• Improvements at the Kings Highway-Gills Neck Road intersection to include two 11-foot southbound through lanes and a right lane that will transition to a right-turn-only lane at the Kings Highway-Clay Road intersection.

• Construction of a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along the western side of Kings Highway from Gills Neck Road-Cape Henlopen High School entrance to the Clay Road intersection.

• On westbound Gills Neck Road, two left-turn lanes and one through/right lane. On southbound Kings Highway, one left-turn lane, two through lanes and one right-hand turn lane.

Along the frontage

• Construction of a right-in, right-out site entrance across from The Lodge at Historic Lewes to include a 10-foot-wide, 295-foot-long right-turn lane with 5-foot bike lanes. Widening of road with 11-foot travel lanes and 5-foot shoulders in both directions with a 10-foot wide shared-use path along Kings Highway.

• A DART bus stop along Kings Highway.

DelDOT sets phasing

Upon notice to proceed by DelDOT, the developer can apply for 25 building permits. After 90 days of construction, 10 additional permits can be applied for per month up to 12 months. At the inspection phase, 75 more permits will be issued as well as a building permit for the commercial building.

The developer is required to contribute funds to two area road projects, including $16,523 for the realignment of Old Orchard Road and Savannah Road, and $295,643 to the widening project.

Water-quality conditions

To allay concerns from the Lewes Board of Public Works, Sussex County Council added four conditions to the approval. The City of Lewes wells are in proximity to the project.

• Inspection during construction of the infiltration stormwater facility and pre-fund to provide a 10-year bond for operation and maintenance.

• Two 4-inch monitoring wells downstream of the infiltration system.

• Perpetual access for BPW or pre-fund a contract to annually analyze groundwater quality.

• A sand infiltration component in impervious areas where traffic is present.