LEWES, Del. – The Lewes City Council will continue discussions and consider scheduling a public hearing for a proposed townhouse development known as Overfall Preserve, during a meeting at 5:30 p.m.
The site plan for Overfall Preserve includes the construction of 90 townhouses along with associated amenities and site improvements. The properties are located at 1147 Savannah Road on 12.67 acres of land.
Richard Harris is worried about seeing this land developed.
"I think any more development around the Savannah Road/Lewes city area is going to inevitably increase congestion," said Harris.
Paul Montgomery says development is inevitable.
"One: development happens, and two: it tends to happen slower than the developers would like but faster than the opposition would like," said Montogomery.
Back in January, the Lewes Planning Commission voted 5-1 to recommend the preliminary site with 25 conditions attached.
Among the conditions approved, the commission recommended that Lewes Mayor and City Council request a DelDOT traffic study to assess the development’s impact within a half-mile radius. Some commissioners also suggested adding a traffic light at Dutchman’s Avenue and Savannah Road to improve safety.
Other conditions focused on architectural design, landscaping and amenities to ensure the townhomes align with Lewes' historic character. The commission also approved two waivers requested by the developer: eliminating a sidewalk on the northwest side of Dutchman’s Avenue and reducing the right of way from 54 to 50 feet to allow for additional tree planting.