Subdivision with 108 homes planned along C&D Canal between St. Georges and Delaware City
A new subdivision has been proposed along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal between St. Georges and Delaware City with a path to the nearby Michael Castle Trail for biking and hiking.
Diamond Materials LLC is planning Canal Overlook with 108 single-family homes on just over 83 acres on the south side of Cox Neck Road north of the canal near Southern Elementary School and Gunning Bedford Middle School in the Colonial School District.
Trevor Furr, senior designer and project manager with McBride & Ziegler, the engineering firm for the project, said the subdivision is in a rural setting but only minutes from Route 13 and Route 1.
"Located approximately halfway between Christiana and Middletown, both are easily accessible for business, recreation and shopping," Furr said.
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Much of the land along the canal is undeveloped federal property controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers, but this property isn’t part of those federal holdings. Stretching from Cox Neck Road to the Castle Trail along the canal, the property was a borrow pit business where dirt was excavated to be sold for use elsewhere. Now it’s a mix of grass, weeds, brush and woods with about 2.7 acres of wetlands.
The plan includes a path for bicyclists and pedestrians along Cox Neck Road with connections through the development to the Castle Trail. The subdivision is just east of the Biddle Point parking area along the trail.
The land is zoned suburban. The surrounding land is zoned suburban reserve.
No one opposed the major land development plan at the New Castle County Planning Board’s public hearing in November. Members of the board made suggestions about the landscaping including a request for trees on part of the open space where grasslands are planned.
The owners have set aside 46.13 acres of open space, about 55.5%, more than the county’s requirement of 50%.
Gary Burcham, landscape architect, said trees and shrubs will be planted around the perimeter of the property as a buffer. The plan includes 38 trees along Cox Neck Road, 285 along streets in the development, 238 in the open space and one tree on each of the 108 building lots.
The 108 lots include 64 with a minimum size of 12,000 square feet, 27 with a 10,000 square foot minimum and 17 with an 8,000 square foot minimum.
Two entrances are proposed on Cox Neck Road. The traffic impact study calls for a right-turn lane at each entrance.
A pedestrian crosswalk and bus stop also are planned on Cox Neck Road.
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The planning board will make a recommendation on the major land development plan and then the County Council could vote on the project in January. If approved, the next steps include the site plan, engineering plan and working with the Delaware Department of Transportation on the road designs.
If those proposals are approved, construction is estimated to start in fall 2023 or spring 2024.
New Castle County Councilman Bill Bell represents the 12th District where the subdivision is planned. He said he hasn’t received any comments against the project.
“I spoke with a few people from the area and they were complimentary because of the open space and the willingness to connect with the Mike Castle Trail,” Bell said. “The applicant is going to provide more than 50 percent open space, which is good, and having walking and biking access to the trail – I see both of those as real positives for the community.”
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate and development news. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 108 homes planned along C&D Canal near St. Georges, Delaware City
