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CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, June 9 - June 15, 2000 - 15
SeaCoast plans sunk by Sussex; no harness racing for track
Owners remain
mum about
future plans
By Michael Short
Bunnie Williams won't go
down without a fight.
Sussex County Council, to the
surprise of absolutely no one, vot-
ed Tuesday, June 6, to deny a re-
quest by Bunnie and AI Williams
to bring harness racing to Sussex
County.
The Sussex County Planning
and Zoning Commission had
unanimously recommended May
2 against allowing Georgetown's
SeaCoast Speedway to offer har-
ness racing.
"We have not let this die,"
Williams said, noting she and her
husband AI are consulting with at-
torney Rob Witsil and considering
two options. She declined to say
what those two options are.
"There are two avenues we can
pursue and we haven't decided
which one to do," she said. "With-
out a doubt, harness racing will
[eventually] come to Sussex
County...Why don't they want
something really nice for Sussex
County?"
Opposition to the idea has been
strong. Opponents have argued
that it won't succeed and that this
is just a ruse to eventually bring
slot machines to the area. They ar-
gue that gambling on horse racing
is an unnecessary temptation that
isn't wanted or needed in Sussex
County and they say there are al-
ready too many people with gam-
bling problems in Delaware.
Rob Witsil, the attorney repre-
senting the Williamses, has said
repeatedly that his clients are not
asking for slot machines. They are
asking for paramutuel betting but
not slot machines. To allow slot
machines would take both county
approval and the approval of the
state Legislature, Witsil has said
repeatedly.
Paramutuel betting would allow
people to bet on races held at oth-
er tracks and broadcast at Sea-
Coast Speedway.
Supporters have also been nu-
merous, although" less vocal than
opponents. Supporters have ar-
gued that horse racing can be
good, clean family fun that will
help support the economy. When
the issue of gambling is brought
up, they have said that buying lot-
tery tickets or playing the stock
market is as much or more of a
gamble.
The county council members
Sussex planners consider
several Cape Region projects
The Sussex County Planning
and Zoning Commission acted on
several projects at its Thursday,
May 25 session, recommending
approval of a 55-home develop-
ment by Unity Development Co.
to be located near the intersection
of Plantations Road and Postal
Lane.
Joan and Bill Deaver, in a letter
to County Council President Lynn
Rogers, have asked that that proj-
ect be denied, saying "Postal Lane
operates like a congested heart ar-
tery" and requesting that Postal
Lane be widened in that area for
safety reasons.
Don Roessler spoke at the com-
mission meeting, requesting that
intersection improvements be"
made. Roessler represents the Cit-
izens Coalition.
The commission also deferred
action on a 116-lot mobile home
park planned for just north of Red
Mill Pond on the west side of
Route 1 by Ocean Atlantic Asso-
ciates on 40.59 acres of land one
half mile south of Sussex 88.
That issue will be considered
again June 8. There were several
people who spoke against the
project, all of them speaking on
the issue of traffic.
"It will be an extremely danger-
ous intersection at Best Road,"
said Jane Nicholson of the Citi-
zens Coalition.
The planned development will
access Route 1. "You will never
be able to get out there in the sum-
mer," said Alfred Best.
The commission also gave pre-
liminary approval to plans for a
new motel off Route 24. The 100-.
unit project will be west of Route
1 directly behind the Route 24 ac-
cess to the Rehoboth Mall.
Est. 1958
Electrical Contractor
L.P.I. Cert. 959
645-11457
645-9060
1-800-610-8457
CERTIFIED
LIGHTNING
PROTECTION
P.O. Box 252, Lewes, DE 19958
cited traffic, the size of the exist-
ing track, the quality of life of
neighboring residents, density and
other issues in making their unan-
imous decision. They steered
clear of the morally murky gam-
bling question, instead focusing
primarily on land use criteria.
"It will have a major impact on
residents of that district," said
Councilman Finley Jones.
Other councilmen agreed with
him. Dale Dukes said that the
track could impact area residents,
who "have made it clear that they
like the quality of life they have
had."
George Cole worried that the
track is too small for the plans and
said property values may decline
while Lynn Rogers said the com-
munity members aren't willing to
change "their quality of life."
Vance Phillips added it is not in
the "best interests" of the commu-
nity.
Williams called those reasons
"bogus." She said a nearly 600-
unit project was approved for
Route 1 on the same day, so traffic
cannot be an issue.
She said the existing auto track
is large enough and it can make
money. Williams estimated that
their plans could produce $2 mil-
lion in revenue.
That is significant because op-
ponents have argued that race
tracks can't survive without slot
machines. She has argued other-
wise, saying that the track can and
should thrive. "What we were
fighting was big money and polit-
ical power," she said.
Planner Layton Johnson made
the motion to recommend denial
of the request at the May 25 meet-
ing. Johnson said he believes
"harness racing alone would not
support the track" and said he
worries that the state of Delaware
could vote to approve slot ma-
chines eventually. "We have no
control over the state of
Delaware," he said.
While Johnson praised AI and
Bunny Williams as "very sincere"
he said he worried about what an
as yet unnamed corporate sponsor
might do at the track. "Just look
eaxtw eaakzawu
eulgt-in, t'arc100
"old, kIe.cdr E a;k Fatir Pre/"
302-684-0610
L,ke New Rancher00
'+ " ,<, In quiet community, 1536
-- • ' . sq. ft. of living space on
. . ..... 100,,(150 lot -- no sewer
l. ;,:+ .. + : fees, no HOA fees!
• " :-- , :+ : l Call now for details!
....... • .......... ii'. $144,900.
PAUL TOWNSEND WOLFE POINTE
CATCHES New Neighborhood
THE south of Lewes, overlooking
HOME L & R canal 188 single family
J:: I:t3R lots with amenities water
.... /"n'-dsewer available
YOUr • /- furious. ",
tS_lling ._: and
S HICHWAY "645-2207 / 800-331..4241
at Ocean Downs which is sta);ing
in business until the current gov-
ernor goes out of office [and they
can .try again to get slot ma-
chines]," Johnson said.
Williams said she objects to
protecting people from them-
selves. "How dare he [Johnson]
act like we are wayward children
who can't control ourselves."
The other planning and zoning
commissioners agreed with John-
son, voting unanimously to rec-
ommend denial. John Hastings
said "there's a lot of concern
about what may happen at a fu-
ture date." Robert Wheatley said
the "real issue is what will happen
next."
Bruce Uliss and
Steve Malcom
THE QUIRKS
Every house has some
"quirks", and some defects
that go a lot further than
mere quirks. Placing a less-
than-perfect house on the
market is fine if you and
your Realtor give the buyers
information on any "hidden
defects".
Most litigation in real
estate transactions involves
buyers suing sellers for
failure to disclose
something. Whether it is a
leaky roof, dry rot,
plumbing or heating
problems or a wet basement,
most courts do not apply a
"let the buyer beware" rule
to real estate transactions.
Even if the buyer had a
structural inspection and the
property was sold "as is",
you may not get off the
hook. Sellers have an
obligation to disclose both
obvious and hidden defects.
Courts have not been
sympathetic to sellers who
have lived in a house and
are in a position to know
what works and what
doesn't. This is one area
where honesty is the
policy.
For professional advice
on all aspects of buying or
selling real estate, consult
Bruce or Steve at Long and
Foster. Call Bruce at (302)
542-7474 or Steve at (302)
542-7473 or call them at 888-
888-5160 or email them at
bruce@bruceuliss.com, or
steve@bruceuliss.com.