The Sussex County (DE) council is proposing to change its comprehensive growth plan to increase the number of homes on 900 acres along Delmar Rd (west of Delmar) from 5,000 to 11,000.  Local residents are concerned and increasingly opposed to this change which will impact their quiet way of life.  Reasons for their opposition include:

1.  The potential increase in traffic created by residents traveling to/from the developed area.  Current roads use has increased dramatically over the years due to residents of Sharptown, MD and Laurel, DE using Providence Church Road as a "short cut" to Salisbury thereby avoiding the busy US Routes 13 and 50 during their daily commutes to/from work and other destinations.  Commercial truck traffic has also steadily increased over the years.  The current posted 45 mph speed limit is often ignored by motorists and already creates hazards for residents attempting to retrieve mail from their boxes and presents a challenge of simply getting in and out of their driveways.

2. The local infrastructure will not adequately support the proposed increase growth.  The 2020 Census developed the average number of 2.53 residents per household.  11,000 homes X 2.53 persons/household = 27,830 potential new residents.  Per the 2010 Census the population of Delmar, DE was 1,597 and Delmar, MD was 3003.  Per the 2010 Census the population of Salisbury, MD was 30,343.  The potential population of this proposed development is almost as many residents in Salisbury!   Roads, schools, and public safety agencies are already overburdened.