SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. -Â A proposed shopping mall project in Sussex County received its first public hearing before the County Council on Tuesday, as developers revealed new potential tenants and residents voiced strong concerns about traffic, safety, and the development process.
According to county documents, the Atlantic Fields development would include major retailers such as Costco, Target, and Whole Foods. The plan calls for 23 separate buildings on land located off Route 24. (Sussex County Documents.)
Representatives from Mulberry Knoll LLC, the developer behind the Atlantic Fields project, said that TJ Maxx and Ross are now in negotiations to join the retail center the first time those retailers have been publicly named. Potentially joining Costco, Target and Whole Foods.
The company also claims the development would generate approximately $79 million in annual labor income, create 750 permanent jobs, and support 990 construction jobs.
(Sussex County Documents.)
But for some residents, the project raises red flags.
Alison Antisz, who lives on Route 24 near the proposed development site, delivered a series of pointed criticisms during the public comment portion of the hearing.
"I think it’s going to be a nightmare," Antisz said. "Sometimes it takes 15–20 minutes just to get out of the driveway. And usually you’re taking your life into your own hands."
Antisz also questioned whether the project benefits the people who already live in the area. "We’ve invested in this community, and it’s not investing in us," she said.Â
"We are relying on our elected and appointed officials to make these decisions," she continued. "I wonder if there’s a better way."
She went on to criticize the planning process as inaccessible to many local residents.
"The process is meant to be cumbersome for those who are working and those who are not directly involved in planning," she said. "You’re relying on people whose interest is in their financial statements, not the people of the community."
A rendering of Whole Foods at the Atlantic Fields development
Julie Rasmussen, a Lewes resident, shared similar concerns about preserving the area's small-town character.
"I would much prefer to drive to a big community to shop when I need to shop at Target or Costco" Rasmussen said, "and leave a little bit of our small-town feel intact with less traffic."
County Council will submit questions to DNREC, the Conservation District and DelDOT within two weeks from today. The agencies will have two weeks to provide written responses. After receiving the agency responses, the applicant will have an opportunity to respond in writing.Â