Walker Farm industrial plan presented to council for Christiana Road property; no vote tonight

New Castle County Council heard a brief presentation on a proposed industrial development called Walker Farm that would add two warehouses totaling 837,600 square feet on property addressed as 118 Christiana Road, opposite Remington Acres. Councilman Smiley sponsored the resolution; the council did not vote on the item at the meeting.

Why it matters: The property has been vacant for years, and council members said its condition contributed to neighborhood nuisance complaints; the county transferred $5,000 into a rodent abatement fund tied to the site.

Presentation and neighborhood outreach

Councilman Smiley said the site, historically a farm, sat unused after an earlier potential deal to site a FedEx terminal fell through. He said developers have met with adjacent property owners and the civic association and that the neighborhood “had no issues” with the plan. Smiley said the two proposed warehouses would total about 837,600 square feet.

Council process and rules

Council staff advised the president that because the item is a resolution it did not require suspending the rules for tonight’s meeting; other land‑use items on the agenda would require suspension if members wished to vote that night. No formal motion to adopt the Walker Farm resolution was made, and council members asked no substantive follow‑up questions beyond clarifying property ownership.

Community impacts and nuisance mitigation

Smiley noted a prior $5,000 transfer into a rodent abatement fund that was prompted by complaints about the vacant property. Councilman Sheldon asked whether the parcel belonged to a particular individual; Smiley replied it was not the person Sheldon named.

Next steps

The resolution introducing the Walker Farm plan remains on the record for future action; no vote was taken at the meeting.