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Georgetown board approves setback variance so Delmarva Christian Schools can add parking for campus expansion
Summary
The Board of Adjustment approved a 43.52-foot variance into the 100-foot front-yard setback, allowing Delmarva Christian Schools to place some parking 56.48 feet from the right of way as it consolidates early learning through grade 12 on a single Georgetown campus.
The Georgetown Board of Adjustment on an unanimo us voice vote approved a variance allowing Delmarva Christian Schools to place a portion of its new parking within the town's 100-foot front-yard setback. Tom Baker moved to approve the application; Robert Oliver seconded.
Mark Davidson, a principal land planner with Pennoni Associates representing the school, told the board the 60.41-acre site sits at the southeast corner of Georgetown and that the school seeks to bring early learning through 12th grade onto a single campus. Davidson said the project would require a 43.52-foot variance into the 100-foot front-yard requirement, resulting in a proposed setback of 56.48 feet after an 11-foot dedication of right of way to DelDOT.
Davidson framed the request as a safety and design measure. "The design of the parking spaces in this application maximizes the natural surveillance by ensuring clear sight lines from windows in the main office and other areas," he said, and added that the single-story building layout and closer parking will allow staff to observe approaching vehicles. He also described site constraints ' including easements, existing athletic fields and irregular parcel boundaries ' that limit where parking and the expanded building can be placed.
Board members asked whether the project could proceed without setback relief; Davidson said denial would require removing a significant number of front parking spaces and reconfiguring the lot. He also said the full site provides 348 parking spaces, which meets the town's parking requirement and should accommodate staff and students.
Members who spoke on the record explained their reasoning before voting. Robert Oliver said, "The way you made the presentation and what you were showing ' the property around the area seems to be intact and wouldn't be burdensome to any other properties in the area." Tom Baker said approval was warranted in part because denial "is going to cause harm to the developer and or school and kids." Other members voiced that the design and proposed landscaping would limit impacts on neighbors.
Davidson said the project includes a landscaping plan between the parking and public roads, improvements to an existing stormwater management pond, and that Sussex Conservation District and DelDOT have approved the entrance and stormwater elements; he also said the fire marshal approved safe access. He asked the board to grant the minimum relief needed to allow reasonable use of the property.
The board recorded the vote in open session; the motion carried on the ayes. The meeting then completed a short public-comment check (no public commentators spoke on the variance) and adjourned. The presiding member said the board looks forward to seeing the project's completion.
What happens next: approval of the variance clears the way for the town's continued site-plan review and permitting processes; the transcript did not specify a construction or groundbreaking timeline.
