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The New Castle County Planning Board learned Tuesday night that the compromise reached between Citizens for Responsible Growth and Stoltz Real Estate Partners in February was not embraced wholeheartedly in the community.
On the contrary, as June begins passions remain high among Greenville residents who would be affected directly by what they see as an attempt to build a strip mall roughly one-half the size of Christiana Mall in their backyards.
They found allies throughout Greater Wilmington as top leaders from the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association, the Milltown-Limestone Civic Alliance and the Civic League for New Castle County were among those joining their neighbors in opposition to the Stoltz-CRG compromise at the Planning Board meeting held at the New Castle County Government Center complex.
In short, the 18 opponents lined up to speak about how the compromise between Stoltz and CRG would still adversely affect quality of life not just in Greenville but throughout New Castle County, including their neighborhoods, roads and existing shopping centers.
They spoke after a smaller contingent of five people spoke in favor of the compromise that would allow Stoltz – if approved by New Castle County Council – to obtain rezoning from office regional to commercial regional. They included CRG Chairman Bob Valihura and Kennett Pike Association President John Danzeisen.
The rezoning that Stoltz seeks would allow the developer to build 1.65 million square feet of commercial and office space on 37 acres of 96 acres of land that once housed a DuPont Co. site that sits off Del. Route 141 and Del. Route 48.
“The original plans, which were by right, called for 2.8 million square feet of mixed use – almost tripling today’s 1 million square feet,” Danzeisen said. “And they contain 700,000 square feet of retail space, including many high rise buildings. The total site density of those plans would be comparable in density to the King of Prussia Mall.”
Permanent deed restrictions in favor of the community include never expanding the site beyond 1.65 million square feet – with the commercial portion never expanding beyond 454,000 square feet, he said. In addition, building heights would be capped at four stories except for retail stores capped at one story. As for concern with big box stores, no store would be larger than 75,000 square feet except for possible food and furniture stores that could reach a size of 90,000 square feet.
Supporters spoke after Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor lawyer John Tracey, attorney for Stoltz, and Apex Engineering Inc.’s Stephen Davies reiterated the details of the compromise between Stoltz and CRG.
The New Castle County Planning Board learned Tuesday night that the compromise reached between Citizens for Responsible Growth and Stoltz Real Estate Partners in February was not embraced wholeheartedly in the community.
On the contrary, as June begins passions remain high among Greenville residents who would be affected directly by what they see as an attempt to build a strip mall roughly one-half the size of Christiana Mall in their backyards.
They found allies throughout Greater Wilmington as top leaders from the Greater Hockessin Area Development Association, the Milltown-Limestone Civic Alliance and the Civic League for New Castle County were among those joining their neighbors in opposition to the Stoltz-CRG compromise at the Planning Board meeting held at the New Castle County Government Center complex.
In short, the 18 opponents lined up to speak about how the compromise between Stoltz and CRG would still adversely affect quality of life not just in Greenville but throughout New Castle County, including their neighborhoods, roads and existing shopping centers.
They spoke after a smaller contingent of five people spoke in favor of the compromise that would allow Stoltz – if approved by New Castle County Council – to obtain rezoning from office regional to commercial regional. They included CRG Chairman Bob Valihura and Kennett Pike Association President John Danzeisen.
The rezoning that Stoltz seeks would allow the developer to build 1.65 million square feet of commercial and office space on 37 acres of 96 acres of land that once housed a DuPont Co. site that sits off Del. Route 141 and Del. Route 48.
“The original plans, which were by right, called for 2.8 million square feet of mixed use – almost tripling today’s 1 million square feet,” Danzeisen said. “And they contain 700,000 square feet of retail space, including many high rise buildings. The total site density of those plans would be comparable in density to the King of Prussia Mall.”
Permanent deed restrictions in favor of the community include never expanding the site beyond 1.65 million square feet – with the commercial portion never expanding beyond 454,000 square feet, he said. In addition, building heights would be capped at four stories except for retail stores capped at one story. As for concern with big box stores, no store would be larger than 75,000 square feet except for possible food and furniture stores that could reach a size of 90,000 square feet.
Supporters spoke after Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor lawyer John Tracey, attorney for Stoltz, and Apex Engineering Inc.’s Stephen Davies reiterated the details of the compromise between Stoltz and CRG.
The compromise proposal eliminates the 700 residential units proposed in the original plan and reduces the office space to 1.2 million square feet and commercial space to 454,000 square feet, Tracey said.
“The proposed commercial space is 221,000 [square feet] less than what was shown in the original plan,” Tracey said. “The proposed office space is roughly 285,000 square feet less that what was shown [in 2008].
“This plan is still proceeding as a redevelopment plan,” he said. “As a result, it was required to make a number of improvements; they include stormwater management, ... parking, riparian buffer plantings and flood mitigation.”
A significant change in the project is a new, 3.75-acre stormwater management facility in the northeastern portion that would ease flooding issues in Elsmere, Tracey said.
The rezoning is consistent with the predominantly non-residential zonings that exist east of Rt. 141, Lacey said. In addition, the compromise includes significant deed restrictions that include rezoning only 37 acres, height limits of the buildings, landscaping, lighting and signage. CRG has also retained its own traffic engineers and will have a voice with regard to any traffic improvements that must be made to the intersection of routes 141 and 48.
Stoltz had proposed three projects in 2008. But, the developer immediately faced strong opposition from organized residents and civic groups from one of the most affluent parts of the Diamond State, one with ties to the du Pont family itself. (One of CRG’s principal founders is Patty Hobbs, a du Pont heiress.)
The support
Hobbs spoke in favor of the compromise that began with the framework laid out by former County Executive] Chris Coons in 2010 to reduce the density, building heights and traffic impact of the development.
“We are proud of what CRG has accomplished on behalf of the community and the county,” she said.
The Council of Civic Organizations of Brandywine Hundred supports the rezoning, CCOBH President Bob Valihura said.
“By its very nature, compromise means that no side achieves all of its goals or desires,” he said. “…In the end, the compromise plan represents a far better and more acceptable project to the community at large and much more desirable to that which is held in abeyance and which – if not approved by the county – could still be inflicted on the public at large.“
However, CRG will continue to monitor the effect any development the Barley Mill project will have on local traffic, Valihura added.
“Stoltz must be responsible for its fair share of the costs of the infrastructure upgrades required for this project,” he said.
The opposition
Citizens for Responsible Growth had included residents and dozens of civic associations from Centreville, Hockessin and Brandywine Hundred in the first years of its existence. But membership has eroded since the compromise was reached.
“There is in fact broad-based concern in our community about the so-called agreement … that goes far beyond traffic issues,” Westover Hills Woods Board member Laurie Nicoli said. “You will be hearing from a number of citizens that CRG does in fact not represent.
“It is true that some of these residents, like myself, were initial donors and supporters of CRG,” she said. “But we do not agree with the terms of the purported settlement. After reaching out the community, we found … people do not support a strip mall approximately one half the size of Christiana Mall in a primarily residential area.”
David Amado, said his Westover Hills Woods neighborhood has had “a front row seat to this theatre unfolding.”
“I share my neighbors deep concerns about the potential CR rezoning – more traffic, more low end retail, more asphalt, more drainage problems in already soggy neighborhoods and more noise,” he said. “As it stands, traffic noise reduces conversation in my back yard to lip reading during rush hour.”
Patti Hurd, of Owls Nest Road in Centreville, said the Stoltz proposal will adversely affect existing businesses already in the area.
“This proposed commercial development will only draw from the businesses and anchor stores in Prices Corner, potentially adding even more to the fragility and vacancy rates in that area,” she said.
State Rep. Deborah Hudson (R-Greenville) and State Rep. Gerald Brady (D-Wilmington West) both asked the Planning Board to not support the rezoning because of concerns with traffic and stormwater management, respectively.
“With no commitment to date from DelDOT regarding a traffic impact study or a traffic operational analysis for this Barley Mill project, I feel that there is enough uncertainty regarding the potential of traffic increase to reject this plan,” Hudson said. “The site is favorable for what it is now – a business, corporate park that successfully blends in with the area.”
When Planning Board Chairman Vic Singer called for any comment for the good of the order, Morris James attorney Richard Beck said CRG had looked at finding a corporation to come to this site, similar to how AstraZeneca occupies Brandywine Hundred. But no takers were found in an economy recovering from the Great Recession, he said.
When asked by Planning Board member William V. McGlinchey whether Beck felt this plan was better than the “by right” plan, Beck said yes. And that came after “thousands of hours” spent volunteering his time that could have been used for his personal life or for his law practice that focuses on land use.
When McGlinchey asked the same question of Greenville resident Tom Dewson, the answer was just as poignant.
“I don’t think we should be presented with the options of, ‘Oh, you don’t want to jump off the Delaware Memorial Bridge? How about the Commodore Barry Bridge?” he said. “There is no way people want a strip mall at Barley Mill.”
