LEWES, Del.- Two more appeals have been filed in the Coral Lakes housing proposal, sending it back to the Sussex County Council.
As Jill Hicks walks down the steps into her backyard, she's focused on is the land beyond her fence that could soon house the proposed 300-home development.
"For those of us who live here--this is a matter of safety, our health and our welfare," Hicks said.
In March, the Sussex Planning and Zoning Commission denied Schell Brothers' application for the Coral Lakes development. This lead to an appeal to the County Council and then a surprise approval by the commission later on.
Today, Hicks is part of one of the two appeals filed to deny it.
Hicks said her primary concern is the environment.
The proposed land is home to about 25 acres of wetlands and 95 acres of forest. Some of these reside right in her backyard.
"It is just teeming with wildlife and so we are also very concerned because they won't survive. What developers claim is open space--contiguous open space--is truly not what you and I would think open space is, " Hicks said.
She's part of the Sussex Preservation Group, a group of the neighbors fearful that the wildlife refuges in their backyard might be no more.
Susan Petze-Rosenblun is another neighbor with big concerns.
"It is not necessary for them to build over here. There are so many other places to build. Why cut down all of these trees?" Petze-Rosenblun
WRDE reached out multiple times for a comment from Schell Brothers and were unable to reach them.
