Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Conditional Use Professional Office topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council defers decision on conditional use for Old Mill Road professional office after neighborhood opposition
Summary
A conditional-use request to convert part of a residence at 36294 Old Mill Road in Ocean View to a professional office was presented; Planning & Zoning recommended approval but council deferred the item after neighborhood opposition and a recent withdrawal/renewal of support issues.
Sussex County Council deferred action on Conditional Use 2556, which would allow a professional office in a GR (general residential) district at 36294 Old Mill Road (Ocean View). The property owner and applicant, Will Melton, presented the application; Planning & Zoning recommended approval subject to conditions but the item drew written opposition from dozens of residents affiliated with the Whites Neck Community Alliance.
Melton said the proposed use is a small, low-traffic professional office occupying an existing garage space (roughly 24-by-36 feet) with limited parking for four to six vehicles, one or two employees and an expected 8–12 vehicle trips per day. He told council that a prior change-of-zone application on related property had been denied and that the neighborhood group that initially opposed the conditional use withdrew opposition at the Planning & Zoning meeting; Melton supplied that record to council. Melton said that 12 nearby properties backing up to the site had not objected and that he intends limited hours (he described 8 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays and a reduced Saturday schedule) and no Sunday operations.
Several speakers opposed the application on behalf of the Whites Neck Community Alliance and other neighborhoods. Martin Lampener, speaking for the Alliance, said many of the recent emails came from residents across 14 communities and expressed concerns about precedent: the Alliance worried that approving a professional office could open the door to additional commercial conversions along Old Mill Road, a relatively narrow route with seasonal peak backups. Lampener asked that, if council approves the conditional use, it consider additional, tighter restrictions: require the second-floor unit remain residential, prohibit certain retail/beauty/tattoo uses, and consider time-limited approvals with renewal provisions.
Council members discussed vehicle-trip numbers and whether DelDOT would require a commercial entrance; DelDOT’s service-level evaluation and staff materials were in the record. After discussion the council voted to defer the item to allow councilmembers and staff to review the volume of public comments, confirm hours and conditions, and present final language for a subsequent vote.
The Planning & Zoning Commission’s recommendation, the applicant’s site plan and 112 written comments (the record contains a mix of concerns and withdrawals) remain part of the file. The matter will return to council with clarified conditions and any requested entrance/access guidance from DelDOT.
