A Royal Farms convenience store is proposed on the northeast corner of McKee and College roads in Dover, but the owners are asking for more time to meet site plan requirements.
The developer’s request for an extension from the Dover Planning Commission is on the agenda for the commission’s meeting Monday, Dec. 18, meeting at 7 p.m., at City Hall, 15 Loockerman Plaza.
Two Farms Inc. is asking for another year to begin development at 1205 McKee Road. The plans include a 5,154-square-foot convenience store, fuel pumps and a 1,248-square-foot drive-thru car wash on about 3.4 acres.
The Planning Commission approved a conditional use site plan and minor subdivision plan Dec. 20, 2021. The reason for the conditional use request is because of the fuel pumps. In this zone, limited central commercial, a retail convenience store is a permitted use, but fuel pumps require conditional use approval.
A developer has two years from the date of Planning Commission approval to finalize the site plan, meet the requirements from city, county and state agencies; obtain a building permit; and start construction, said Dawn Melson-Williams, Dover’s principal planner.
In this case, one of the approvals needed is from the Delaware Department of Transportation for the entrance design.
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The zoning ordinance allows the Planning Commission to consider a one-year extension, for a total of three years, to receive approval from all the agencies and obtain a building permit.
“If it is not achieved in that time frame, then they must refile a new application and go through the public hearing and review process again,” said Melson-Williams.
The lawyer representing Two Farms Inc. didn’t immediately return phone calls for comments.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate and development news. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Proposed Royal Farms in Dover seeking more time to start construction