Paul Hammesfahr's Status email
All,
If you have been following the activity around the RV Campground zoning applications before the Sussex County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Sussex County Council, you will know that there has been a significant amount of opposition to the proposed RV Campground to be located off Cedar Grove Road. A coalition of homeowners from the Retreat and many surrounding communities (e.g. Hart's Landing, Briarwood, Webb's Landing, The Plantations East, Sandy Brae, and others) was formed represent the opposition of this application. The latest activity involved the preparation of a revised Traffic Impact Study (TIS) by DelDOT partly due to questions raised at the public hearing on this application last January and February. Finally, the TIS was released in early June after much delay. Friday, June 28th was the final day that comments regarding the TIS would be accepted into the record.
After preparing a point by point draft rebuttal to the TIS Study based on discussions with the Stop RV City Coalition core group, the document was reviewed by the Coalition's attorney, Ms. Mary Schrider-Fox. You will note that included in the rebuttal, in the event that P&Z should lean for approval, the Coalition prepared a list of Conditions that must to be considered before making a final decision. Following Mary's suggestion, it was determined that it was in our best interest to present the rebuttal on behalf of the Coalition directly to Planning and Zoning. The rebuttal and other documents on behalf of the Coalition were presented to the offices of Planning & Zoning and Sussex County Council prior to the deadline. A copy of the rebuttal will be placed on the Stop RV City web site (stopRVCity.webnode.com) for everyone's review and is included in this email for your convenience. In addition, a Summary of Objections letter (also attached), was prepared that detailed major points opposing this proposed RV Campground that were presented at the public hearings, included in letters to P&Z and Council, outlined in letters to the editors of local newspapers, etc. Additional comments to the seriously flawed TIS were also separately submitted by Sandy Brae HOA and Jim Schneider, VP of Hart's Landing HOA.
So now what? A discussion of the comments received specifically related to this TIS, is on the agenda for the 6:00 pm, July 11, 2013 P&Z meeting. It is possible that a broader discussion of the application may take place at this meeting. It is also possible, but considered unlikely, that the P&Z will take a vote at this meeting either for or against recommending approval of the application by Sussex County Council at a later meeting. No public comment, either by the applicants or those in opposition, will be allowed at this or subsequent meetings. However, based again on comments from our attorney, she strongly recommends that homeowners continue to voice their opposition, both in letter form and in person.
Therefore, it is VERY IMPORTANT that EVERYONE receiving this letter pass this message along to others who have expressed opposition to the RV Campground. Everyone needs to continue to write letters/emails to the Commissioners and Council members, as well as continue the massive letters to the editor campaign, for which over 40 letters have been written to date! Secondly, the Coalition and our attorney believe that the physical presence of a LARGE NUMBER of homeowners at the P&Z meeting will have a direct impact on influencing the vote of the Commissioners and Council members.
The Coalition wishes to thank all of those who have been so supportive of this effort with your time, money, energy and dedication. BUT, it "aint over till its over"! Don't let all the hard work and effort fade into the summer's heat. Please continue to show your opposition to this ill conceived plan to drop a RV City of thousands of persons into our residential communities! Be there in word and person to the end!!!
For the Coalition to Stop RV City, continue the good fight and thanks for listening,
Paul Hammesfahr