LEWES, DE -- A proposal to move a psychology practice into a home at the intersection of Savannah and Quaker Roads in Lewes is raising the concerns of some nearby residents.
The Sussex County Council is considering a plan for Atlantic Psych Associates to move to 1510 Savannah Rd. The practice was previously run out of a home at 1518 Savannah Rd.
Current plans indicate the practice would have nine parking spaces in front of the building and lot entrances on both Savannah and Quaker Roads. The applicant, Mary Vaughn Moor, is asking for additional employee parking on Quaker Rd.
Quaker Rd. resident Caddie Joseph is one of nine people who sent opposition letters to Sussex County.
"We don't need the extra traffic or the parking on the street," says Joseph. "The street's not that wide."
The home was previously used as a daycare center, which Joseph says increased both traffic and speeding in the area.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) estimates Atlantic Psych would generate less than 50 trips per day.
For Quaker Road's Michael Ryan, the solution is simple.
"Put it somewhere else," says Ryan. "This road is what, 30 feet wide? 35 feet wide? There's no walkways, no nothing. Where are they going to park? There's no place to park!"
Four letters of support were sent to the county, including one from Delaware Lt. Governor Bethany Hall Long.
"First and foremost, the proposed use aligns with the surrounding uses, which predominantly consist of medical and professional offices along Savannah Road," Hall-Long writes. "Additionally, the availably of this office will not only benefit those individuals seeking essential mental health support but will also contribute to the overall well-being and stability of our community by providing a much-needed psychology practice in the area."
The Sussex County Council plans to review and discuss the proposal at its next meeting on August 13th.