MILTON, Del.- Sussex County council unanimously approved a zoning change for 65 acres of land outside of Milton.
The request came from One One Holdings LLC to rezone the land from agricultural-residential to heavy commercial. The approval paves the way for a new development at Routes 1 and 16, though what the company plans to build is not entirely clear.
According to councilman Mark Schaeffer, who made the motion to approve the application at the council's March 5 meeting, the developer's attorney said they could possibly build retail space and entertainment options- like a movie theater for example.
He also said that the construction of the overpass that is currently going on there makes it a prime spot for development.
"I've been preaching for years that we need to build roads and infrastructure before development occurs," he told CoastTV. "This is the perfect example of roads being built prior to development occurring."
Tim Roseboro, who lives nearby, welcomes the idea of something new coming nearby.
"I think we got enough housing developments around here... maybe like a shopping center or maybe some additional places to eat," he told CoastTV. "I would welcome something like that."
There have been concerns from people of traffic in that area, and Schaeffer says he understands the concerns.
"That's a fair thing for them to feel. However, the comprehensive land use plan of the county supports this application. The state land use office through their development strategies supports the application, and the site is completely surrounded by a massive highway."
No site plans have been submitted, and there is no confirmation on what is planned to be built at the intersection at this time. The developers will now have to go through the county's site plan approval process.Â
