New Hanover Wading Through Development Tide

A developer's concept for how to fit 65 homes, 27 single homes and 38 twin homes, on property off Rhoads Road opposite Liberty Bell Drive and Courtside Avenue. The original proposal was for 39 single family homes.

Yet another housing development has reared its head among the rolling hills and dales of New Hanover Township.

It's unclear if it yet has a name, all too often in memoriam of what it destroys, but here's what we do know:

• It proposes 65 homes, 
• 27 of them single 
• 38 of them twins, 
• and the township supervisors had a decidedly lukewarm reaction to it.

Specifically, Supervisors Chairman Charles Garner said he is not fond of cul de sacs and recommended instead, a "loop road." He said he would like to see the original proposal of 39 single family homes.

Supervisor Kurt Zebrowski, who also sits on the planning commission, said the closely packed proposal did not match the arrangements of the surrounding neighborhood. "It's like you're putting a city in the middle of a suburban development," he said.

Speaking of cities, it was announced last night that the massive New Hanover Town Center project, initially proposed at 852 homes and 210,000 square feet of commercial and office space on 209 acres off route 73, may be getting a little smaller -- by 82 units.

That same project is also seeking a variance from the township's zoning hearing board, to be allowed to have 58 fewer parking spaces than the 952 the zoning ordinance requires.

Without a plan before them -- the last one was submitted in February -- "it sounds like its a cart before the horse situation," said Garner. The other supervisors agreed and voted to send the township solicitor and any other staff required to the zoning meeting in opposition to the variance request.

And then there it Trotter's Gait and its ever-energetic attorney Joe Clement, whose attempts to wrangle agreement out of the supervisors has prompted Garner to initiate something he calls "the Joe Clement Rule," which serves to ensure the minutes indicate no agreement on anything without a vote.

In fact, a court stenographer suddenly appeared when Clement took his turn before the supervisors, evidently to take minutes that are hard to misconstrue.

Specifically, Trotter's Gait calls for the construction of 29 single family homes on a 13.5-acre lot near it's sister development, Pacer's Gait, which calls for seven single family homes on six acres both off Dotterer Road.

Discussion had to do with two relatively simple matters; a storm sewer extension through wetlands, and what defines a healthy woodland and would Trotter's Gait disturb it.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the issues involved, Clement kept the discussion going for nearly 40 minutes, including naming the many members of his family who are part of the development company.

Thankfully, two additional developments items on the agenda, Hanover Green and Hanover Preserves, were removed at the beginning of the evening, so we all got home at a reasonable hour.

Without further ado, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Homes and Parks Focus of New Hanover Meeting