LEWES, Del. - A developer is seeking state approval to build a community docking facility along the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, a proposal that would add boat access tied to a nearby residential project.
According to an application filed with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Showfield, LLC is requesting permits to construct an 18-slip community docking facility off Gills Neck Road near Route 9 along the canal.
The application identifies the project area as being adjacent to the future Henlopen Bluff development and describes the proposal as a community docking system intended to serve multiple properties.The Henlopen Bluff development is a 78-lot single family home subdivision in Lewes. According to the marina application, the development has already obtained preliminary land use approvals from the city.
Details included in the marina application include a series of fixed piers extending from the shoreline into the canal with a total of 18 individual boat slips. The application indicates the slips would be equipped with boat lifts and supported by mooring piles driven into the canal bottom. Plans also call for a dedicated kayak launch area with a small access pier and launch platform, as well as utility pedestals providing water and electrical service to the docking area.
Because the work would take place in tidal waters and on state-owned subaqueous lands, the application states the project requires approval through DNREC’s Wetlands and Waterways Section. The application also notes the proposal is subject to federal review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and must undergo a coastal zone consistency review.
The application is currently in the public notice phase, during which DNREC will review the proposal and accept public comment before making a decision. The agency published the application online on March 25 and is accepting comments on the proposed marina until Tuesday, April 14, 2026.