INSIDE: so€] M Iton, Dogf sh Head working on compromise, pg. 9 "The Price of Liberty  is Eternal Vigilance" / Delaware's Cape Region • Friday, June 11 - Monday, June 14, 2004 • www.capegazette.com • Volume 12 No. 4 Roundabout gets a round of criticism Many say traffic circle is an accident waiting to happen By Tara Lytle Having been dedicated a mere two weeks ago, the Rehoboth Beach roundabout is not receiving rave reviews in many quarters. Many residents believe the new traffic cir- cle is a major accident waiting to happen and fear signage is not enough to warn Old Landing Road housing wins approval motorists of the new traffic pattern. Some of those views were expressed at the June 7 Board of Commissioners work- shop. Several audience members, including Rehoboth Beach resident Hoyte Decker, expressed concern that drivers were not yielding appropriately and suggested adding yields to both ends of the round- about to give more notification beforehand. "It's an accident waiting to happen," said Decker. "I almost got killed there this afternoon." In fact, according to Rehoboth Beach Det. Scott O'Bier, one minor traffic acci- dent already occurred June 3. "A gentle- man riding a moped struck the curbing in the circle because he thought another vehi- cle was getting too close to him," said O'Bier. "He didn't sustain any injuries or real damage to the moped." O'Bier went on to say he himself almost had an accident, June 10, in the round- about. "I was in the right-hand lane andthe vehicle in the left lane was going so fast he swerved in front of me," said O'Bier, "He almost hit me." "I believe it's posted that the speed limit around the circle is 15 mph," said O'Bier. "People are "actually driving at greater than 25 or 30 mph and if you do that in the cir- cle, you'll cross over into another travel lane." Continued on page 20 County council paves the way for 140 condominiums By Karl Chalabala Despite concerns about traffic and over- development on Old Landing Road, Sussex County Council June 8 approved 140 new condominiums on the heavily used thor- oughfare. • The development will be situated across from Airport Road behind Rehoboth Mall. Rehoboth Beach Associates, the developer, was granted a conditional use for the 24 acres of land zoned agricultural-residential to allow for the multifamily use. The con- ditional use allows the developer close to a 200 percent increase in density from the 48 homes it would have been able tO build without it. Councilman George Cole made a motion to lower the density to four units per acre, as the Sussex County Engineering Department estimated four units per acre as Continued on page 18 Dennis Forney photo Room with a view of Venus at Cape Region beaches Many people gathered along the beaches of Delaware's tered telescope as his grandfather, David Wells, watches Cape Region, June 8, to try to get a glimpse of the transit adjustments. of Venus across the face of the sun. Some of them went to For further information, and the connection between the Great Dune Overlook in Cape Henlopen State Park. the transit and Ronald Reagan's passing this week, see Shown is Kyle Petrick looking at the transit through a ill- page 7. Richards resigns from Center for the Inland Bays First and only director wants to pursue other opportunities By Andrew Keegan The only executive director the Center for the Inland Bays has ever known has tendered his resignation. Dr. Bruce Richards, who has headed the Center for Inland Bays (CIB) since its inception nine years ago, is no longer active with the organization and is awaiting the formal acceptance of his request. According to CIB board of directors President Rick Eakle, Richards was on leave when he submitted his resignation, "The Center for the Inland Bays board of directors has received notification that the center's Executive Director Dr. Bruce Richards has tendered his resignation effective immediately," according to a statement issued by Eakle. "Dr. Richards address this resignation in a regularly scheduled executive committee meeting, and full board meetings in the near future and will proceed accordingly." Eakle indicated the board will form a search committee for a new executive director, and that day-to-day operations expressed a ftesire to pursue some other effective May 26. opportunitiesThe board of directors will Continued on page 21 INSIDE: so€] M Iton, Dogf sh Head working on compromise, pg. 9 "The Price of Liberty  is Eternal Vigilance" / Delaware's Cape Region • Friday, June 11 - Monday, June 14, 2004 • www.capegazette.com • Volume 12 No. 4 Roundabout gets a round of criticism Many say traffic circle is an accident waiting to happen By Tara Lytle Having been dedicated a mere two weeks ago, the Rehoboth Beach roundabout is not receiving rave reviews in many quarters. Many residents believe the new traffic cir- cle is a major accident waiting to happen and fear signage is not enough to warn Old Landing Road housing wins approval motorists of the new traffic pattern. Some of those views were expressed at the June 7 Board of Commissioners work- shop. Several audience members, including Rehoboth Beach resident Hoyte Decker, expressed concern that drivers were not yielding appropriately and suggested adding yields to both ends of the round- about to give more notification beforehand. "It's an accident waiting to happen," said Decker. "I almost got killed there this afternoon." In fact, according to Rehoboth Beach Det. Scott O'Bier, one minor traffic acci- dent already occurred June 3. "A gentle- man riding a moped struck the curbing in the circle because he thought another vehi- cle was getting too close to him," said O'Bier. "He didn't sustain any injuries or real damage to the moped." O'Bier went on to say he himself almost had an accident, June 10, in the round- about. "I was in the right-hand lane andthe vehicle in the left lane was going so fast he swerved in front of me," said O'Bier, "He almost hit me." "I believe it's posted that the speed limit around the circle is 15 mph," said O'Bier. "People are "actually driving at greater than 25 or 30 mph and if you do that in the cir- cle, you'll cross over into another travel lane." Continued on page 20 County council paves the way for 140 condominiums By Karl Chalabala Despite concerns about traffic and over- development on Old Landing Road, Sussex County Council June 8 approved 140 new condominiums on the heavily used thor- oughfare. • The development will be situated across from Airport Road behind Rehoboth Mall. Rehoboth Beach Associates, the developer, was granted a conditional use for the 24 acres of land zoned agricultural-residential to allow for the multifamily use. The con- ditional use allows the developer close to a 200 percent increase in density from the 48 homes it would have been able tO build without it. Councilman George Cole made a motion to lower the density to four units per acre, as the Sussex County Engineering Department estimated four units per acre as Continued on page 18 Dennis Forney photo Room with a view of Venus at Cape Region beaches Many people gathered along the beaches of Delaware's tered telescope as his grandfather, David Wells, watches Cape Region, June 8, to try to get a glimpse of the transit adjustments. of Venus across the face of the sun. Some of them went to For further information, and the connection between the Great Dune Overlook in Cape Henlopen State Park. the transit and Ronald Reagan's passing this week, see Shown is Kyle Petrick looking at the transit through a ill- page 7. Richards resigns from Center for the Inland Bays First and only director wants to pursue other opportunities By Andrew Keegan The only executive director the Center for the Inland Bays has ever known has tendered his resignation. Dr. Bruce Richards, who has headed the Center for Inland Bays (CIB) since its inception nine years ago, is no longer active with the organization and is awaiting the formal acceptance of his request. According to CIB board of directors President Rick Eakle, Richards was on leave when he submitted his resignation, "The Center for the Inland Bays board of directors has received notification that the center's Executive Director Dr. Bruce Richards has tendered his resignation effective immediately," according to a statement issued by Eakle. "Dr. Richards address this resignation in a regularly scheduled executive committee meeting, and full board meetings in the near future and will proceed accordingly." Eakle indicated the board will form a search committee for a new executive director, and that day-to-day operations expressed a ftesire to pursue some other effective May 26. opportunitiesThe board of directors will Continued on page 21