Regional Planning Commission Business Meeting – June 11, 2026

The Regional Planning Commission held its business meeting on June 11, 2026, at 6 p.m. The primary actions were the conditional approval of two major subdivisions: Pintail Crossing (SL 26-02) and Carter's Creek (SL 26-05). The meeting included public testimony and extensive discussion on safety, traffic, and school bus concerns.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda for the meeting was approved unanimously (7-0).
• The minutes from the May 14, 2026 meeting were approved with six votes in favor and one abstention (not voting).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Shannon Ritter (Pintail Point resident) thanked the commission for visiting the neighborhood and addressing safety concerns. She noted the developer proposed a vinyl fence on adjacent property without consent and emphasized the community's ongoing commitment to protecting residents.
• Dewey Barish (Pintail Point HOA President) objected to the proposed fence being placed on HOA property without consultation and with maintenance assigned to the HOA. He raised safety concerns about increased traffic through Pintail Point from the proposed connection, particularly at a school bus stop with no infrastructure. He also noted that the developer had hung up on HOA representatives.
• Joy Roonert (Merganzer Drive) expressed fear for children playing and walking to school buses if traffic from Pintail Crossing enters her neighborhood via the Bufflehead stub. She stated that multiple attorneys declined to represent the HOA due to prior relationships with the developer.
• Jennifer Lynch (Waterfowl Drive, Dover police officer) shared professional experience with traffic-related child injuries and said increased traffic from an unfamiliar community would reduce accountability for safety.
• Amy Weller (101 Merganzer Drive) stated the new development does not match the character and density of her neighborhood and asked that this be addressed in the comprehensive plan.
• Paul Fisher (online comment, 231 Waterfowl Drive) pointed to the staff recommendation that noted future capacity issues on McGinnis Pond Road and that the project could exacerbate the problem. He questioned whether the commission was rubber-stamping the approval without fully addressing traffic.
• Sue Ellers (305 Pergansha Drive) asked how to contact DelDOT for input on access and exits. The chair advised working through elected officials.

Discussion Items

• Pintail Crossing (SL 26-02) – Preliminary approval of a 52-lot major subdivision (including duplexes and one single-family lot) within the Growth Zone. The application had been tabled from a previous meeting. The developer’s engineer presented a revised bus stop plan located 60 feet inside the subdivision entrance with a concrete pad, bench, and a cul-de-sac for bus turnaround, after DelDOT denied a connection to Barrett's Chapel Road and the school district refused on-site circulation. Commissioner Mills, who had raised safety concerns based on Delaware school bus safety code (visibility requirements of 500 ft for roads under 35 mph), expressed satisfaction with the new design. Commissioner Davis noted that his earlier opposition was due to the bus stop and was now supportive, but wanted written approval from Lake Forest School District. Commissioner Gauvery questioned whether the bus turnaround had DelDOT approval; the engineer stated it would be designed after preliminary approval. Commissioner Mills later voted no due to lack of school district documentation.
• Carter's Creek (SL 26-05) – Preliminary approval of a 40-lot single-family residential subdivision within the Growth Zone. The motion included conditions such as limited tree clearing (April to July) to protect nesting birds, fencing and landscaping for adjacent properties, and waivers for stormwater pond setback (reduced from 100 ft to 35 ft), buffer reduction (from 100 ft to 40 ft for entrance and street improvements), and sidewalk placement on one side of a collector street with a crosswalk. The project was approved unanimously (7-0).
• Commissioner Comments – Commissioner Davis proposed future discussion of stub street waivers, noting that older subdivisions like Pintail Point lack sidewalks and connecting new subdivisions with stubs increases safety risks for children walking in streets.

Key Outcomes

• Pintail Crossing (SL 26-02) – Granted conditional preliminary approval (5-2) with the following key conditions: (1) relocation of the bus stop as presented in the new drawing, (2) approval from Lake Forest School District for the bus stop design to be provided within 60 days, (3) compliance with all staff recommendations from the May 7, 2026 report, including a waiver for stormwater pond setback (minimum 40 ft from dwelling setback), street tree inspection prior to certificates of occupancy, relocation of the pump station, extension of walking paths, and demarcation of pedestrian paths. Commissioners Mills and Gauvery voted against.
• Carter's Creek (SL 26-05) – Granted conditional preliminary approval (7-0) with conditions including tree clearing restrictions, fencing/landscaping, and waivers for stormwater pond setback (35 ft), buffer width (40 ft), and sidewalk placement (one side only with crosswalk).
• Next Steps – For Pintail Crossing, the applicant has 24 months to complete engineering and obtain state agency approvals, and must provide school district documentation within 60 days. Carter's Creek similarly will proceed to final plan approval after engineering and agency reviews.