Planning commission approves Delmarva Christian School preliminary site plan for large Sussex Pines expansion

The Georgetown Planning Commission on June 18 approved a preliminary site plan for Delmarva Christian School to build a one‑story addition of approximately 74,207 square feet and a roughly 6,460‑square‑foot maintenance/concession building at 2177 Sussex Pines Road.

The school’s director of advancement, Justin Savini, said the expansion would let the school consolidate programs onto one campus after years of growth. "We opened our doors in 2004… we started to experience some unprecedented growth… we have raised over 28," Savini said, adding the first phase would increase capacity from about 600 students to roughly 800–850.

The commission’s approval follows a presentation by project engineer Alan Decker of Pennoni Associates, who reviewed site logistics, approvals and infrastructure needs. Decker said the property totals about 60 acres after a lot‑line adjustment and includes a small, protected 0.2‑acre wetland pocket that will not be disturbed. He described required frontage improvements arising from a traffic impact study completed in late 2024: a second entrance to Sussex Pines Road, left and right turn lanes at both entrances, shoulders and a shared‑use path along Sussex Pines Road and Zora Road per DelDOT recommendations.

Decker said stormwater work will modify three existing ponds, expanding one by about three to four times as a constructed wetland with an overflow to a dry pond; the discharge will continue into the existing tax ditch. He reported the team had obtained SED approval earlier that day, DelDOT entrance plan approval and Office of Drinking Water approval, and that the fire marshal had signed off on the project’s fire‑safety requirements.

The applicant is proposing expanded parking—roughly 350 spaces compared with about 200 currently—and perimeter landscaping to meet Town of Georgetown buffer requirements. Decker said the team will preserve much of the existing wooded buffer at the rear of the property and use plantings and parking‑lot trees to screen adjacent parcels; all site lighting will be downward‑shielded.

After a short question and answer period, a commissioner moved to approve the preliminary site plan as presented. The motion was seconded and carried on a roll call vote with all members present voting aye. The chair said the expansion "is gonna be a great addition to the town."

The vote clears the preliminary review phase and allows the applicant to continue with detailed engineering and required permitting with town and state agencies.