Carter Farm plan would add about 625 homes, donate 40 acres for county park; council to vote Jan. 28

New Castle County Council heard a presentation on a major land‑development plan for the Carter Farm site in southern New Castle County and set formal votes on related measures for the Jan. 28 council meeting.

The proposal calls for roughly 625 total residential units — a mix of apartments, townhouses, and single‑family homes, including an age‑restricted enclave — on a parcel described alternately in the presentation as about 406.5 acres and in council comments as about 412 acres. The plan includes the donation of 40 acres to New Castle County for use in its regional park system and an embedded historic overlay to rehabilitate the JT Bird House on the property. Councilman Carter sponsored the resolution (No. 25 of 20) and the historic overlay ordinance (No. 2307) that will come before the council for votes on Jan. 28.

Why it matters: The Carter Farm project is one of the largest developments proposed for the county’s west wing and raises questions about transportation capacity, sewer infrastructure and long‑term maintenance costs for parkland the county would accept.

Developer and consultant presentation

John Tracy, attorney for the property owner, described the plan as an open‑space subdivision with an embedded historic overlay. Tracy said the plan divides the site among apartments, single‑family lots, townhouses and a 95‑lot age‑restricted area, and incorporates 89 transfer‑of‑development‑rights (TDR) units moved…