Governors residents want security gate

Residents of the Governors residential community on Gills Neck Road near Lewes are up in arms over the proposed use of a key street within their community.

Stockley Boulevard is expected to interconnect with – either directly or indirectly – the proposed Kings Highway-Clay Road roundabout, the Village Center shopping center and Village Center Cottages. Governors also has a vehicular connection to Senators, a community to the southeast. 

Using the road for through traffic could create serious safety issues, residents say. A petition signed by 369 residents in opposition to removing a gate from the Village Center Cottages site plan was submitted to be part of the public record.

Developer and property owner J.G. Townsend & Son and Jack Lingo Asset Management’s master plan shows Stockley Boulevard as a through street. The Governors Homeowners Association claims the plan undermines the safety of the community and, at the very least, a security gate should be installed for emergency vehicles with access for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Dozens of residents testified against the through-road plan during the Nov. 13 Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.

“There is no mention of safety issues,” Governors HOA President Michael Wolfe said.

Wolfe said key words in county code are ignored, including the health, safety and welfare of local residents.

Council adds a gate

Sussex County Council amended a planning & zoning recommendation to allow for interconnectivity with a through road.

Last December, council approved a modified plan, including a gate, with traffic-calming devices such as curb bump outs and slightly elevated crosswalks.

“This is not a through road, and people are worried motorists will use it as a shortcut,” said Councilman Mark Schaeffer.

That was the concern expressed Nov. 13 during the P&Z public hearing, which was held to consider a request by the developer to delete from the plan the required gate between Governors and Village Center Cottages. 

Developer does not support gate

Jack Lingo Asset Management would not support a gate along the street, according to comment by attorney David Hutt during testimony at the June 27, 2023 hearing.

He said all documents and site plans include a disclosure showing Stockley Boulevard as a connecting road.

“Property owners should have known about the intersection,” Hutt said. “There is overwhelming proof on the record that this plan was approved as part of a master plan and presented to property owners.”

“Planning & zoning strongly recommended interconnectivity,” Hutt added. “The council can require a gate as a condition, but the developer’s position is that it’s not prudent land use.”

Through traffic the issue

“Though traffic is the issue,” said Commission Chair Bob Wheatley. “The question is, is there a way to deal with this traffic? At this time, it’s hard to [plan for] things that might happen. We can always put up the gate later. If we do this one gate, everybody and their brother will line up for a gate.”

Commissioner Bruce Mears said he supports the gate.

“There will be traffic backups in the community. There is going to be a problem,” he said.

Already two entrances

“There is no reason for Governors to be connected,” said Wolfe. “Governors already has two entrances, and Kings Highway traffic will use this as a cut through. We’ve asked [the developer] to not have open connection, [limiting] access to bikes and pedestrians and emergency vehicles. They refused.”

He said Senators does not want to be connected to Governors, and Governors does not want a connection to Village Center.

The commission deferred a decision on the request to a future meeting.