On Nov. 24, Kent County Levy Court commissioners approved the sign plan for the Cheswold Walmart and agreed to spend approximately $2 million to move the county library to Longacre Village.
Walmart representatives had expressed concerns about the lack of visibility small, monument-style signs would present when directing cars to its planned Cheswold store on the north side of Route 13. At the Levy Court meeting, the store’s architects presented slides that showed a low sign would not be visible behind trees that will be planted along the highway.
“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but there are an awful lot of trees,” said Levy Court President P. Brooks Banta.
Sara Keifer, director of the Department of Planning Services, said Walmart was issued a variance that allowed them to place fewer trees in its parking lot, as long as the store planted more trees along the highway.
Because of the variance, the landscaping plans could not be changed along the highway, Keifer said.
Commissioner Brad Eaby said he felt the store had done a good job with the aesthetics of the building.
“It can create accidents when people can’t see the signs,” Eaby said. “Cars slow down. That’s just what happens.”
The commissioners approved Walmart’s request to place a pylon sign (a taller sign on a pole) on the corner of the driveway to the store and Route 13. Another monument-style sign will be placed at the front of a minor right-in, right-out entrance off Route 13.
Funding for the county library
In a narrow vote, the commissioners also approved spending approximately $2 million to move the county library.
Four commissioners voted in favor of the proposal. Commissioner Allan Angel was not present at the meeting, and Commissioners Eric Buckson and Brad Eaby abstained from voting because they had not voted in favor of moving the county library in the first place.
In introducing the proposal, Commissioner George “Jody” Sweeney said the county had considered five options for financing the move and had decided to draw money from a variety of funds.
“We rejected the proposal to take money from the agland preservation fund,” Sweeney said. “It’s important for the public to know that we have no desire to take money from that fund.”
The move will require the county to use $1.4 million to purchase a 10,000-square-foot space in the Longwood Acres shopping center, which is located along Route 13 south of Camden. Other expenses include $338,647 to make changes to the building’s interior, $67,150 to place glass in the north end of the building, and $265,000 to move the library’s books and furnishings.
All the revenue comes from real estate transfer taxes and will be pulled from the economic development fund and savings allocated for the gymnasium for the county Division of Recreation.
The move would leave a balance of $2,993,500 in the gymnasium fund and $1,484,500 in the economic development fund.
