Sussex County Council has unanimously rejected a massive retail development that would have brought major stores like Costco and Target to John J Williams Hwy (Rt 24) near Rehoboth Beach, citing traffic concerns that have plagued area residents for years.
The January 13th decision blocks the Atlantic Fields project, which sought to transform 73.5 acres of agricultural land at the northeast corner of John J Williams Hwy and Mulberry Knoll Road into a sprawling 665,000-square-foot shopping complex.
Council members denied the request to rezone the property from agricultural-residential use to planned commercial district, effectively killing the $175 million development that also promised to include Whole Foods, Nordstrom Rack, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Hobby Lobby, and Ross Stores.
Ben Hoskins, president of Southside Investment Partners, had told the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission during September hearings that the project would create approximately 1,750 permanent positions.
However, traffic impact studies revealed the development would generate more than 26,000 additional daily vehicle trips on a stretch of Route 24 that already handles nearly 19,000 vehicles year-round and over 23,700 during busy summer months.
The traffic concerns have been a persistent source of frustration for local residents, particularly since John J Williams Hwy narrows to just two lanes west of the proposed site, creating bottlenecks near two area schools. Making matters worse, the Delaware Department of Transportation has no set timeline for planned road improvements, including expanding the Love Creek Bridge.
While DelDOT had required traffic studies that led to proposed road improvements costing between $3 million and $4 million, including upgrades to Mulberry Knoll Road and John J Williams Hwy near the development site, these measures weren’t enough to address community concerns about safety and congestion around nearby schools.
The rejection represents a significant victory for residents who have long complained about deteriorating traffic conditions on this crucial corridor connecting inland communities to Delaware’s popular coastal destinations.
