Council holds consolidated hearings on Northstar rezoning and 94‑unit affordable housing proposal; DelDOT, developer discuss TID and road coordination

Sussex County Council on March 11 held consolidated public hearings for two change‑of‑zone petitions and a conditional use filed by Northstar Property LLC that would reclassify two portions of a parcel along U.S. Route 9 and Beaver Dam Road and allow a 94‑unit multifamily affordable housing project, called The Willows at Northstar.

The applicant and DelDOT described the project as planned within the Hanover Bend Transportation Improvement District (TID). DelDOT staff said the development is within the TID scope and that the agency and applicant are coordinating so the county and state can reserve right‑of‑way for future dualization of Route 9, improvements on Beaver Dam Road and the Mulberry Knoll Road extension. Pam Steinbeck (DelDOT planning) and the DelDOT team said preliminary engineering for subsequent sections of Route 9 is scheduled in the capital transportation program and that DelDOT and the developer are meeting monthly to align the timing of roadway and development work.

Why it matters The applications would add mixed uses and a compact housing option to a corridor that DelDOT and county planning have identified for future transportation investments. The applicant proposed donating land and infrastructure contributions in‑kind (including a Mulberry Knoll Road extension segment) and an affordable housing component developed by Grama Group using state low‑income housing tax credits. If…